Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is a classic that brilliantly mixes big ideas like the ethics of science, the consequences of playing God, and deep human emotions. Shelley tells a story that's not just about what happens when science goes too far, but also about the intense sadness and loneliness felt by the monster, a result of science without limits.
The Lord of the Flies is a compelling novel set during World War 2, about a group of British boys whose plane crashed, leaving them stranded on an uninhabited island. All boys are around 12 and younger. Since there are no adults, they have to form their own society, and elect a boy named Ralph as leader. He appoints Jack, a power-hungry kid who was leader of his choir, as second-in-command, who is in charge of all the hunters now.
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer is the fourth and final book in the Twilight series. The story continues to follow the romantic relationship between Bella Swan, a human, and Edward Cullen, a vampire. The narrative unfolds in three parts: the preparation and celebration of Bella and Edward's wedding, Bella's challenging pregnancy with their half-vampire, half-human daughter, Renesmee, and the consequences of the birth on Bella's life.
Attack Of The Black Rectangles By Amy Sarig King (A.S. King) is about a boy named Mac, and his two friends who are all starting 6th grade together. At their school their teacher is named Ms. Sett. When they start reading in small groups Mac’s group gets a book on the Holocaust: “The Devil's Arithmetic”, they find large black rectangles covering certain words on the page. When Mac and his friends, Marci and Dennis discover this they go to the public library and search up the words that were censored.
What I Like About Me by Jenna Guillaume, is about a plus-sized teenager, a girl named Maisie Martin. She is on vacation at Cobbers Bay when she sees her gorgeous boy best friend, Sebastian, who she always had a crush on. On this vacation Maisie brings her other best friend Anna who has the perfect body. When Anna gets a little too close to Maisie’s crush she decides that she’s had enough.
The House on Mango Street is about a young Latino girl named Esperanza, navigating through her adolescent through teen life in Chicago. Her house and neighborhood aren't in very good condition, and throughout the book Esperanza talks about how she wants a house of her own in the future where she can be herself. Multiple events are happening in the book that shape her and give her new understanding of the world. However, near the end of the book, she learns an important lesson.
The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan is the first book in the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard series. The story follows Magnus Chase, a homeless teenager in Boston who discovers he is the son of a Norse god. After his mysterious death, Magnus finds himself in the afterlife, where he learns about his heritage and the impending doomsday, Ragnarok.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a coming-of-age novel set in the 1960s in a small American town divided between the affluent "Socs" and the working-class "Greasers." The story is narrated by Ponyboy Curtis, a Greaser, who grapples with societal expectations and prejudice.
The Trial by Franz Kafka follows the surreal and nightmarish journey of Josef K., a seemingly ordinary man who is arrested by mysterious agents for an unspecified crime. Throughout the novel, Josef navigates a bewildering and absurd legal system, facing a series of bizarre and surreal trials without ever being informed of the charges against him. The narrative unfolds in a disorienting and dreamlike manner, exploring themes of bureaucracy, power, and the absurdity of the legal system.
Looking for Alaska is a thought-provoking novel that tackles universal questions about love, friendship, truth, and the gray areas in between. Miles Halter, a high school student, enrolls in Culver Creek Preparatory School in search of his "Great Perhaps". There he befriends Chip "The Colonel," Takumi, and the mysterious Alaska Young.
