Recommended Reading List
An English Dictionary—the first book you should buy in Chicago. Buy one. Now.
Very Easy–Easy (Fiction/ Novels)
Fiction featuring child characters:
- The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros—set in Chicago; easy-to-read with short chapters
- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery—a timeless classic by a famous French author
- Holes by Louis Sachar—young kids find an adventure after digging holes for punishment
- Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan—deals with Mexican immigration
- The Pigman by Paul Zindel—two young people learn to appreciate life from an old man
- Frannie and Zooey by J.D. Salinger—the story of a young brother and sister
- Superfudge by Judy Blume—a young boy’s adventures and troubles; a very funny book
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie—a funny book with cartoons
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl—the inspiration of two different movies,(Johnny Depp)
- James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl—a small orphan boy has many magical adventures
- The Single Shard by Linda Sue Park—a story of Korean history
- Wringer by Jerry Spinelli—a story of young boys and peer pressure
- Bridge to Terebithia by Katherine Paterson—a sweet story about a friendship
- The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton—a story of friendship, murder, gangs and social status
- The Pearl by John Steinbeck—a Mexican folktale about a poor fisherman and a pearl
- Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell—a 12-year-old girl survives on an island
- Maniac McGee by Jerry Spinelli—deals with homelessness, racism, athletics and fearlessness
Fiction featuring animal characters:
- Animal Farm by George Orwell—a political satire starring farm animals
- Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White—simple, beautiful and sad story starring animals
- Mrs. Fisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien—a mother mouse attempts to move her family
- Moderate Difficulty, Extreme Popularity (Novels/ Fictitious Series):
- Fantasy series:
- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins—a girl fights to save her family and her country (3 books)
- Twilight by Stephenie Meyer—Team Edward or Team Jacob, who will win Bella’s heart? (4 books)
- Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis—four siblings travel to a magical world called Narnia (7 books)
- Harry Potter series by JK Rowling—you might have heard of this magical boy (7 books)
- Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan—a good way to learn about mythology (5 books)
- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Brett Helquist—3 kids with bad luck (13 books)
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams—a science fiction comedy (5 books)
- The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper—an 11-year-old battles evil forces (5 books)
Detective series:
- Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene—a classic series about a talented, young female detective (175 books)
- Hardy Boys by Franklin W. Dixon—a classic series about two young detective brothers (100s of books)
Moderate–Challenging (Fiction/ Novels):
Novels that deal with American or International History:
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee—deals with racism in America; a great book
- Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger—the quintessential coming-of age novel
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak—Death is the narrator of this story of German family in WWII.
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald—deals with wealth and status
- The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck—a rural family’s struggle in Midwestern America
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker—empowering story of a poor black girl in the US South
- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck—a story of two brothers in desperate times
Science Fiction/Fantasy novels:
- 20,000 Leagues under the Sea by Jules Verne—Captain Nemo takes on a monster
- Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks—humorous instructions on how to survive a zombie attack
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury's—studies the role of books/knowledge in society
- 1984 by George Orwell—a scary vision of the future, invented the term “Big Brother”
- The Giver by Lois Lowry—a “perfect” world with no war, poverty, crime, suffering, etc.
Detective/Mystery novels:
- Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie—a classic murder mystery on a train
- The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler—a crime novel featuring Philip Marlow set in Los Angeles, CA
- Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom—an old man teaches us how to die; a true story
- The Life of Pi by Yann Martel—a boy and a tiger on a boat in the middle of the ocean
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott—the story of four sisters
- A Separate Peace by John Knowles—the story of two college friends
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon—an Autistic boy tries to solve the mystery of who killed his dog
Non-Fiction Books:
- The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell—“how little things can make a big difference”
- Freakanomics by Steven Levitt—an economist looks at the world from a different perspective
- The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton—essays about why people should travel
- The Prophet by Khalil Gibran—poetic/philosophic essays on love, children, work, joy, sorrow, etc.
- The Singularity Is Near by Ray Kurzweil—a discussion of technology, science, and the future
- Intellectual Devotional by David S. Kidder—one page per topic; information about everything
Short Stories:
- The Best American Short Stories edited by Katrina Kenison—an annual series featuring different writers
- The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami—a famous Japanese author writes about loss and loneliness
- Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe—scary poems and stories by an American master
- The Umbrella Man and Other Stories by Roald Dahl—twisted short stories, very dark humor
- Hills like White Elephants & The Snows of Kilimanjaro by Ernest Hemmingway—America’s master
- Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lariri—stories of Indians/Indian-Americans by John’s favorite writer
- The Lone Ranger & Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie—Native American short stories
Graphic Novels:
- Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi—a story of a young girl growing up during the Iranian revolution
- Pyongyang: A Journey into North Korea by Guy Delisle—a Canadian author spends a year in N. Korea
- The Watchmen by Alan Moore-when superheroes go bad…
- Maus by Art Spiegelman—a story about Nazis and Jews in WWII; Pulitzer Prize winner
- Blankets by Craig Thompson—a tale of growing up, romance, brotherly love, and the origins of faith
- Habibi by Craig Thompson—a story of love and the common heritage of Christianity and Islam
- Petrograd by Phil Gelatt and Tyler Crook—the conspiracy behind the murder of Gregorii Rasputin
- Shortcomings by Adrian Tomine—a couple’s relationship is put to the test with unexpected consequences
- Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm by Percy Carey—a life in the dangerous hip-hop industry
| Top 5 Books Recommended by Teachers & Staff | Authors NOT on This List That You Might Enjoy |
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