NKHS Summer Reading List For 9th Graders

Summer is ending in about a month and, to those incoming high school freshmen, we have just one question:

Have you done your summer reading yet?

If the answer is no, we're here to help. Below are the "Top Picks" from the North Kingstown High School English Department with a quick book summary, courtesy of North Kingstown Patch.

"Little Bee" by Chris Cleave (Miss Andrews)

• This 368-page book tells the story of a British magazine editor and a Nigerian asylum-seeker during the oil conflict in the Niger Delta. (A movie is in the works, starring Nicole Kidman.)

"Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen (Mrs. Arthur)

• This 335-page novel tells the story of a veterinary student who abandons his studies after his parents are killed, joining a circus as its vet. (Robert Pattinson, a.k.a. Edward Cullen from "Twilight," starred in the film adaptation of this novel.)

"The Color of Water" by James McBride (Mr. Blaser)

• This book serves as both an autobiography and tribute to McBride's mother, depicting her hardships as a Jewish woman who chose to marry a black man in the 1940s.

"Beyond Belief: Finding the Strength to Come Back" by Josh Hamilton and Tim Keown (Mrs. D'Errico)

• Baseball fans, this book is for you. The book follows the journey of baseball player Josh Hamilton and his battle with addiction.

"The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom (Mrs. DeCotis-Thomas)

• This New York Times best-selling novel tells the story of a custodian named Eddie who, after dying in an accident, finds himself in the five heavens of five people who have significantly affected his life.

"Moneyball" by Michael M. Lewis (Mr. Fanning)

• Here's another one for baseball fans out here. Read how the 2003 Oakland A's put together a winning formula using less-than traditional techniques. The film adaptation of this book, set for release in September, stars Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"Unbroken: The True Story of Louis Zamperini" by Laura Hillebrand (Mrs. Graham)

• Hildebrand, best known for her book "Seabiscuit," tells the story of an Olympic runner turned World War II POW.

"The Help" by Katherine Stockett (Miss Grinnell)

• This 2009 novel tells the story of African American maids working in white households in Mississippi during the 1960s. (The film adaptation, set for release Aug. 10, stars Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard and Allison Janney.

"In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez (Miss Holcroft)

• This historical novel tells the story of political dissidents the Mirabal sisters opposing the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic.

"Endurance" by Alfred Lansing (Endurance)

• This historical piece tells the saga of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton and the final voyage of his ship, Endurance, after it was crushed by ice in 1915.

"Ape House" by Sara Gruen (Mrs. Kenworthy)

• This novel tells the story of a scientist Isabel Duncan at the Great Ape Language Lab who works with six apes that are capable of reason and communication through ASL. When an explosion rocks the lab, Isabel's world is turned upside down.

"Robocopalypse" by Daniel Wilson (Ms. Lataille)

• If you liked Terminator, then you'll love this novel about robots taking over the world. How good is this book? So good that Steven Spielberg optioned the movie rights to it before the book was even completed.

"Deadline" by Chris Crutcher (Ms. Lyons)

• After discovering he has an incurable form of leukemia right before the start of his senior year, Ben Wolf decides to pack an entire lifetime into one year. Hiding the diagnosis from his parents, friends and teachers, Ben sets out on accomplishing goals like joining his brother on the football team and asking out the gorgeous Dallas Suzuki.

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Steig Larsson (Mrs. Mancini)

• This book series has become an international phenomenon. "Dragon Tattoo" tells the story of an unlikely partnership between a troubled hacker and a Swedish journalist as they try to unwrap a dark secret in one of Sweden's most influential families. (The upcoming film adaptation of this book stars Daniel Craig and Christopher Plummer.)

"The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins (Mrs. Neri)

•  The buzz surrounding this book has grown exponentially since its release in 2008. The novel follows Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl in a post-apocalyptic world. In this world the Hunger Games are a televised event where one boy and one girl from each district are forced to fight to the death. (The film adaptation of this novel is expected for release in March 2012.)

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" by Seth Grahame-Smith (Mr. Propatier)

• Yes, that really is the name of this novel. This mash-up novel is written as a biography of the famed president, based on "secret diaries" that tell of his vampire hunting habits. (The film adaptation is slated for release next summer.)

"The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri (Ms. Roye)

• This novel tells the story of a Bengali couple to immigrate to America and how they acclimate to the culture differences. Though a series of errors, their son's nickname becomes his birth name, causing a domino effect that will shape many aspects of his life.

"The Book of (Even More) Awesome" by Neil Pasricha (Mrs. Santagata)

• The follow-up to his book "The Book of Awesome," this book looks at more of the little things that make us smile every day.

"The Next Queen of Heaven" by Gregory Maguire (Ms. Waterman)

• This novel follows the journey of 17-year-old Tabitha, a foul-mouthed girl who is impregnated by a guy who ditches her. To boot, her mother (who is very religious) is hospitalized, leaving Tabitha to care for her younger brothers while her mother is only able to speak in biblical verses.