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Reading Circle Program

SENIOR 9-12

The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson. Henry Holt and Co., ©2008. In the not-too-distant future, technological advances have made synthetic bodies and brains possible but illegal. A 17-year-old girl, recovering from a serious accident and suffering from memory lapses, learns a startling secret about her existence. (Publisher's Weekly starred)

Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, by Eoin Colfer. Hyperion, ©2008. Artemis must travel back in time to save the African lemurs that he was responsible for making extinct, as they hold the only cure for his mother's deadly disease. Book six of the Artemis Fowl series.

The Battle of the Labyrinth, by Rick Riordan. Hyperion, ©2008. When demonic cheerleaders invade his high school, Percy Jackson hurries to Camp Half Blood. From there, he and his demigod friends set out on a quest through the Labyrinth, while the war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Book four of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series.

Chalice, by Robin McKinley. Penguin, ©2008. Marisol is a beekeeper, but her life changes when she is named the new Chalice, the most important advisor to the new master, a former priest of Fire.

Chaos Walking: The Knife of Never Letting Go, by Patrick Ness. Candlewick Press, ©2008. Pursued by power-hungry Prentiss and mad minister Aaron, young Todd and Viola set out across New World searching for answers about his colony's past and seeking a way to warn the ship bringing hopeful settlers from Old World. Book one of the Chaos Walking series.

Coyote Speaks: Wonders of the Native American World, by Ari Berk and Carolyn Dunn. Henry N. Abrams, ©2008. A collection of stories and artwork of Native American tribes. 398.2

Crazy Diamond, by David Chotjewitz, translated by Doris Orgel. Simon and Schuster, ©2008. Chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of a young music star in Germany, as well as the relationships she builds and destroys along the way.

A Curse Dark as Gold, by Elizabeth C. Bunce. Scholastic, ©2008. Upon the death of her father, 17-year-old Charlotte struggles to keep the family's mill running in the face of an overwhelming mortgage and what local villagers believe is a curse. When a man capable of spinning straw into gold appears on the scene, she must decide if his help is worth the price.

Cybele's Secret, by Juliet Marillier. Random House, ©2008. Scholarly 18-year-old Paula and her merchant father journey from Transylvania to Istanbul to buy an ancient pagan artifact rumored to be charmed. Others, including a handsome Portuguese pirate and envoy from the magical Wildwood, want to acquire the item as well. (Booklist starred)

The Darkness under the Water, by Beth Kanell. Candlewick Press, ©2008. In the 1930s, 16-year-old Molly lives under the shadow of a governor who wants to sterilize people "unfit to be true Vermonters” such as her Abenaki family. The loss of her family home, her mother's pregnancy and her first love are among the events that transform her life.

Deadly Little Secret, by Laurie Faria Stolarz. Hyperion, ©2008. When someone starts stalking high school junior Camelia, everyone at school assumes that it is Ben, who is new and rumored to have killed his previous girlfriend, but Camelia is nevertheless inexplicably drawn to him. Book one of the Touch series.

The Death of Jayson Porter, by Jaime Adoff. Hyperion, ©2008. In the Florida projects, 16-year-old Jayson struggles with the harsh realities of his life, which bring him to the brink of suicide. (Booklist starred)

The Devil On Trial: Witches, Anarchists, Atheists, Communists, and Terrorists in America's Courtrooms, by Phillip Margulies and Maxine Rosaler. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ©2008. Examines the way our right to a fair trial can be threatened using five famous trials as examples. 345.73 (Booklist starred)

Doomwyte,by Brian Jacques. Penguin, ©2008. The Redwallers face some of their most dangerous villains yet in a treacherous hunt for long-lost treasure. From the Redwall series.

The Dragon Heir, by Cinda Williams Chima. Hyperion, ©2008. When Jason steals the Dragonheart opal, the town of Trinity becomes the focal point of all of the other factions. Book three of the Heir trilogy.

Encyclopedia of The End: Mysterious Death in Fact, Fancy, Folklore and More, by Deborah Noyes. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ©2008. A readable and beautifully illustrated compendium that explores this most taboo of topics. Entries present topics from afterlife to assassination, forensic science to funeral foods, rigor mortis to reincarnation and more. 306.9 (Publisher's Weekly starred)

Evernight, by Claudia Gray. HarperCollins, ©2008. Sixteen-year-old Bianca, a new girl at the sinister Evernight boarding school, finds herself drawn to another outsider, Lucas. Dark forces threaten to tear them apart and destroy Bianca's world. Book one of the Evernight series.

Generation Dead, by Daniel Waters. Hyperion, ©2008. When dead teenagers who have come back to life start showing up at her high school, goth girl Phoebe becomes interested in the phenomenon. When she starts dating a "living impaired” boy they encounter prejudice, fear and hatred.

Graceling, by Kristen Cashore. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ©2008. In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace, the Grace of Killing. She teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king. (Booklist starred)

Guinevere's Gift, by Nancy McKenzie. Random House, ©2008. At her birth, Guinevere is the subject of a prophecy that she will marry a great king. But as she enters her teens, she is living with her aunt Queen Alyse and uncle King Pellinore, an ally of the young King Arthur, and fulfilling the prophecy seems unlikely. When she bravely rescues her cousin from kidnappers, Guinevere realizes the prophecy may not have been false. Book one of the Chrysalis Queen Quartet.

How to Be Bad, by E. Lockhart, Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle. HarperCollins, ©2008. This story is told in alternating voices as Jesse, Vicks and Mel hope to leave all their worries behind and escape their small town by taking a road trip to Miami. On their route, they encounter numerous adventures that help them sort out their problems.

I'll Pass for Your Comrade: Women Soldiers in the Civil War, by Anita Silvey. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ©2008. Explores the fascinating secret world of women soldiers in the U.S. Civil War: who they were, why they went to war, how they managed their masquerade. 973.7 (Publisher's Weekly starred)

Impossible, by Nancy Werlin. Penguin, ©2008. When 17-year-old Lucy discovers her family is under an ancient curse by an elfin knight, she realizes to break the curse she must perform three impossible tasks before her daughter is born. (Booklist starred)

The Indigo King, by James A. Owen. Simon and Schuster, ©2008. In 1931 there is a breach between this world and the Archipelago of Dreams. John and Jack, caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica, must race through history using a time-travel device from Jules Verne. Book three of the Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica series.

Inkdeath, by Cornelia Funke. Scholastic, ©2008. As Bluejay, Mo's fictitious double, tries to keep the Book of Immortality from unraveling, Adderhead kidnaps all the children in the kingdom, asking for Bluejay's surrender or the children will be doomed to slavery in the silver mines. Book three of the Inkheart Trilogy.

Ink Exchange, by Melissa Marr. HarperCollins, ©2008. Seventeen-year-old Leslie wants a tattoo as a way of reclaiming control of herself and her body, but the eerie image she selects draws her into the dangerous Dark Court of the Faeries, where she draws on her inner strength to make a horrible choice. Sequel to Wicked Lovely.

The Indomitable Mary Easton Sibley Pioneer of Women's Education in Missouri, by Kristie C. Wolferman. University of Missouri Press, ©2008. Mary Easton Sibley was born into one of the first American families to settle in St. Louis. She grew up to be one of Missouri's most significant women educators and founded Lindenwood University. Her views on women's social and political roles, slavery, temperance, religion and other issues reflect social developments in the region and nationwide. Draws on the journals of Mary and George Sibley. From the Missouri Heritage Readers series. 370.92. Missouri author and subject.

The Ioway in Missouri, by Greg Olson. University of Missouri Press, ©2008. This book focuses on the role of the Ioways in Missouri's colonial period and early statehood. Includes descriptions of the Ioway creation stories and oral tradition; farming and hunting practices; relations with neighboring tribes, settlers and the government; and challenges to their survival. From the Missouri Heritage Readers series. 977.804. Missouri author and subject.

Ivy, by Julie Hearn. Simon and Schuster, ©2008. Ivy is a young, mistreated and destitute young woman living in 19th-century London whose main asset is her beautiful red hair. Her existence comes to the attention of an aspiring pre-Raphaelite painter who, with the connivance of Ivy's unsavory family, is determined to make her his model and muse.

Keeping the Night Watch, by Hope Anita Smith. Henry Holt and Co., ©2008. A 13-year-old African American boy chronicles what happens to his family when his father, who temporarily left, returns home and they all must deal with their feelings of anger, hope, abandonment and fear. (Booklist starred)

The King's Arrow, by Michael Cadnum. Penguin, ©2008. In England's New Forest in August 1100, 18-year-old Simon Foldre is delighted to be allowed to participate in a royal hunt as squire to the nobleman Walter Tirel. He finds his future irrevocably altered when, during the hunt, he witnesses the possible murder of King William II.

Living Dead Girl, by Elizabeth Scott. Simon and Schuster, ©2008. Alice was 10 when Ray kidnapped her, but now Alice is 15 and Ray is tiring of her. Alice's captor wants her to help him kidnap another young girl and train her as a replacement. Includes descriptions of sexual abuse. (Booklist starred, Publisher's Weekly starred)

Lock and Key, by Sarah Dessen. Penguin, ©2008. When she is abandoned by her alcoholic mother, high school senior Ruby winds up living with sister Cora, whom she has not seen for 10 years. There, she learns about Cora's new life, what makes a family, how to tell people to help her when she needs it, and that she has something to offer as well.

Love & Lies: Marisol's Story, by Ellen Wittlinger. Simon and Schuster, ©2008. Marisol, a self-confident 18-year-old lesbian, moves to Cambridge, Mass., to work and try to write a novel. She falls under the spell of her beautiful but deceitful writing teacher, while also befriending a shy, vulnerable girl from Indiana.

The Magic Thief, by Sarah Prineas. HarperCollins, ©2008. A young thief is drawn into a life of magic and adventure after picking the pocket of the wizard Nevery Flinglas, who has returned from exile to attempt to reserve the troubling decline in Wellmet City. Book one of the Magic Thief series. (Booklist starred)

Missouri Caves in History and Legend, by H. Dwight Weaver. University of Missouri, ©2008. Over the years, Missouri's caves have been used for shelter, cold storage, hideouts for outlaws like Jesse James and more. Public appreciation for these geological features is growing as is an interest in conservation. From the Missouri Heritage Readers series. 551.44 Missouri author and subject.

Lamplighter, by D.M. Cornish. Penguin, ©2008. As Rossamund starts his life as a lamplighter on the Wormway, he continues his fight against monsters. He makes friends and enemies along the way, but questions about his origins continue to plague him. Includes glossary. Book two of the Monster Blood Tattoo series. (Booklist starred)

Robert H. Jackson: New Deal Lawyer, Supreme Court Justice, Nuremberg Prosecutor, by Gail Jarrow. Boyds Mills Press, ©2008. While terms like "the New Deal,” "the Nuremberg trial,” and Brown vs. the Board of Education are well known, Robert Jackson's part in that history is not as well known. Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Jackson loved to learn. His teachers suggested a career in law, based on his eloquence and prowess in debate. 347.73

The Night Olympic Team: Fighting to Keep Drugs Out of the Games, by Caroline Hatton. Boyds Mills Press, ©2008. The author worked at the 2002 Winter Olympics and tested athletes for drugs. This book offers information about drugs in sports to help readers make good decisions about drug use. 362.29

Nobody's Prize, by Esther Friesner. Random House, ©2008. Still longing for adventure, Princess Helen of Sparta maintains her disguise as a boy to join her unsuspecting brothers as part of the crew of the Argo, the ship commanded by Prince Jason in his quest for the Golden Fleece. Sequel to Nobody's Princess.

The Otherworldlies, by Jennifer Anne Kogler. HarperCollins, ©2008. Eccentric and unusual looking, 12-year-old Fern, secure in her family's love and acceptance, has always been able to cope with the taunts and ostracism of her schoolmates. She copes until a series of unnerving events reveals that she possesses supernatural powers that she barely understands and must learn to control if she is to escape being the pawn of two ancient enemies.

Out of the Pocket, by Bill Konigsberg. Penguin, ©2008. Bobby Framingham, quarterback of his high school football team, finally acknowledges to himself that he is gay. Events spin out of control when his sexual orientation is revealed in the student newspaper and then in the local press, and he learns that his father has cancer.

Outside Beauty, by Cynthia Kadohata. Simon and Schuster, ©2008. Thirteen-year-old Shelby and her three sisters must live with their respective fathers while their mother, who has trained them to rely on their looks, recovers from a car accident that scarred her face.

Painting the Wild Frontier: The Art Adventures of George Catlin, by Susanna Reich. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ©2008. Combines excerpts from Catlin's letters and notes with vivid depictions of his far-flung travels. Generously illustrated with archival prints and photos and Catlin's own paintings. 759.13 (Booklist starred, SLJ starred)

Palace of Mirrors, by Margaret Peterson Haddix. Simon and Schuster, ©2008. Fourteen-year old Cecilia has always known she is the princess of Suala, but when she and her best friend, Harper, decide to speed up her ascendancy to the throne, they find danger and impostors who challenge her claim.

Playing with Matches, by Brian Katcher. Random House, ©2008. Seventeen-year-old Leon Sanders is mortified when Melody, the school outcast, is his new locker neighbor. But Leon finds himself becoming friends with Melody, who was burned in a childhood accident, and then even dating her. Leon faces a dilemma when the class queen asks him to a dance. Will he be able to get out of this quandary without hurting anyone? Missouri author and subject.

Raven Rise, by D.J. MacHale. Simon and Schuster, ©2008. While Pendragon is trapped on Ibara, Alder returns to Denduron and reluctantly goes into battle again. Meanwhile, the other Travelers face obstacles of various sorts, Saint Dane gains the power he seeks on Second Earth and makes his push towards destroying and rebuilding Halla. Book nine of the Pendragon series.

Pot Roast, Politics, and Ants in the Pantry: Missouri's Cookbook Heritage, by Carol and John Fisher. University of Missouri Press, ©2008. Missouri's cookbook history ranges from simple frontier recipes to Irma Rombauer's Joy of Cooking. Modern-day contributions include online recipe collections. Cookbooks offer history lessons, document changing food habits and cultural diversity. Missouri author and subject.

Queste, by Angie Sage. HarperCollins, ©2008. Nicki and Snorri are trapped in time, and Septimus Heap goes on a quest to find the House of Foryx, a place where all time meets. Book four of the Septimus Heap series.

The Raucous Royals, by Carlyn Beccia. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ©2008. What is in a rumor? Carlyn Beccia invites us to look more closely at rumors and consider how the truth can become twisted over time in this one-of-a-kind combination of nonfiction picture book, graphic novel and tabloid magazine. 929.7

Revelations: A Blue Bloods Novel, by Melissa De La Cruz. Hyperion, ©2008. Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question. Is she is a Blue Blood, or does the sinister Silver Blood runs through her veins? Book three of the Blue Bloods series.

Skinned, by Robin Wasserman. Simon and Schuster, ©2008. To save her from dying in a horrible accident, Lia's wealthy parents transplant her brain into a mechanical body. Book one of the Skinned trilogy.

The Sorcerer of the North, by John Flanagan. Penguin, ©2008. Now a full-fledged Ranger responsible for a sleepy fief, Will finds a new adventure as he seeks the traitors who poisoned the king, investigates rumors of sorcery, and tries to rescue his friend Alyss, who is taken hostage. Book five of the Ranger's Apprentice series.

Spellbound, by Anna Dale. Bloomsbury USA, ©2008. A quiet summer vacation in a country village turns out be anything but peaceful for Athene and her younger brother, Zach, when they find themselves caught up in a skirmish between two groups of magical, gnome-like creatures.

Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, by Jessica Day George. Bloomsbury USA, ©2008. A girl travels east of the sun and west of the moon to free her beloved prince from a magic spell.

The Second Siege Series, by Henry H. Neff. Random House, ©2008. Twelve-year-old Max and his allies risk much as they seek to acquire the Book of Origins, an artifact of unimaginable power, in hopes of halting the ancient evil that is bringing the world to its knees. Book two of the Tapestry series.

Teen's Guide to Not Being Perfect, by Tom Krause. Bluegrass Publishing, ©2008. This offers encouragement and guidance to teenagers as they deal with a world that includes illegal drugs, high school-dropout rates and suicide attempts. Missouri author.

Time to Learn: How a New School Schedule is Making Smarter Kids, Happier Parents, and Safer Neighborhoods, by Christopher Gabrieli and Warren Goldstein. Jossey-Bass, ©2008. Across the country, an educational revolution is taking root. Kids are learning more. Teachers are free to teach beyond the test. And parents aren't worried about what their kids are up to after school. What accounts for this change? The simple answer is, "More time to learn." 371.23

Triskellion, by Will Peterson. Candlewick Press, ©2008. During their visit to an unwelcoming English village, twins from New York City are swept up in an archaeological mystery that ends in a startling paranormal twist.

Venomous, by Christopher Krovatin. Simon and Schuster, ©2008. Since age 8, high-school junior Locke has experienced bouts of overpowering anger that he calls "the venom." Now that he has friends who accept him and a girlfriend, "the venom" threatens to destroy all that he loves.

Vibes, by Amy Kathleen Ryan. Houghton Mifflin Company, ©2008. Kristi, a sophomore in an alternative high school, thinks that nearly everyone dislikes her but begins to doubt her psychic insights after learning long-held family secrets and some classmates' true feelings.

Wake, by Lisa McMann. Simon Pulse, ©2008. Since she was 8 years old, high-school student Janie Hannagan has been uncontrollably drawn into other people's dreams, but it is not until she befriends an elderly nursing home patient and becomes involved with an enigmatic classmate that she discovers her true power.

The Way We Work: Getting to Know the Human Body, by David Macaulay. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, ©2008. Provides an explanation of the workings of the human body. The book is divided into sections that take readers from cells to the systems they build. Includes illustrations. 612

Wings: A Fairy Tale, by E.D. Baker. Bloomsbury, ©2008. When Tamisin finds out that she is half fairy she decides to find out more answers directly from the fairies themselves, including her mother, the fairy queen.