confessions of a murder suspect - herrick lrc grade summer reading (2017).pdf · confessions of a...
TRANSCRIPT
confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson
On the night Malcolm and Maud Angel are murdered, their daughter Tandy knows just three things: 1) She was one
of the last people to see her parents alive. 2) The suspect list only includes Tandy and her three siblings. 3) She can't
trust anyone--maybe not even herself. As Tandy sets out to clear the family name, she begins to recall flashes of
experiences long buried in her vulnerable psyche. These memories shed light on her family's dark secrets, and
digging deeper into her powerful parents' affairs proves to be a disturbing and dangerous game. Who knows what
any of the Angels are truly capable of?
Keeper by Mal Peet
When Paul Faustino of LA NACION flips on his tape recorder for an exclusive interview with El Gato — the
phenomenal goalkeeper who single-handedly brought his team the World Cup — the seasoned reporter quickly
learns that this will be no ordinary story. Instead, the legendary El Gato narrates a spellbinding tale that begins in
the South American rainforest, where a ghostly but very real mentor, the Keeper, emerges to teach a poor, gawky
boy the most thrilling secrets of the game. A seamless blend of magic realism and exhilarating soccer action, this
evocative novel will haunt readers long after the story ends.
Center Field by Robert Lipsyte
Mike has his junior year well under control. He's got a solid group of friends. He's dating Lori, one of the hottest girls
in school. And Coach Cody has all but given him the starting spot as the Ridgedale Rangers' varsity center fielder.
And then Oscar Ramirez shows up. Oscar is an amazing ballplayer, as talented at the plate as he is in center field,
and it's not long before Mike loses control. He's on the bench, he's getting into fights, and he finds himself in
weekend detention with Katherine Herold, the most mysterious, abrasive, alluring girl in school. Mike is lost,
confused, and looking to Coach Cody to help him get back on track. But the coach has his own set of rules for Mike
to play by, and the decisions Mike makes are going to impact more than just the starting lineup.
Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall
Avery West's newfound family can shut down Prada when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a
bombing when they want to start a war. Part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle, they
believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead. To unravel
the mystery putting her life in danger, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the monuments of Paris to the back
alleys of Istanbul with two boys who work for the Circle—beautiful, volatile Stellan and mysterious, magnetic Jack.
But as the clues expose a stunning conspiracy that might plunge the world into World War 3, she discovers that
both boys are hiding secrets of their own. Now she will have to choose not only between freedom and family--but
between the boy who might help her save the world, and the one she's falling in love with.
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
Marcus, a.k.a "w1n5t0n," is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works-and
how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his
high school's intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems. But his whole world changes when he and his friends find
themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. In the wrong place at the wrong
time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret
prison where they're mercilessly interrogated for days.
Slated by Teri Terry
Kyla’s memory has been erased, her personality wiped blank, her memories lost for ever. She’s been Slated.
The government claims she was a terrorist and that they are giving her a second chance - as long as she plays by
their rules. But echoes of the past whisper in Kyla’s mind. Someone is lying to her, and nothing is as it seems. Who
can she trust in her search for the truth?
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She’s not comforted by the news that she’ll be
able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?
As she struggles to cope, Jessica feels that she’s both in the spotlight and invisible. People who don’t know what to
say act like she’s not there. Jessica’s embarrassed to realize that she’s done the same to a girl with CP named Rosa.
A girl who is going to tutor her through all the math she’s missed. A girl who sees right into the heart of her…
Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer High school sophomore Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid knocks the moon closer
to Earth, like "one marble hits another." The result is catastrophic. How can her family prepare for the future when
worldwide tsunamis are wiping out the coasts, earthquakes are rocking the continents, and volcanic ash is blocking
out the sun? As August turns dark and wintery in northeastern Pennsylvania, Miranda, her two brothers, and their
mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited
water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.
Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers.
The awed public started calling them Epics. But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to
rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills. Nobody fights the Epics...nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy
group of ordinary humans, they spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating
them. And David wants in. He wants Steelheart - the Epic who is said to be invincible. The Epic who killed David's
father. For years, like the Reckoners, David's been studying, and planning - and he has something they need. Not an
object, but an experience.
If You’re Reading This by Trent Reedy
Mike was seven when his father was killed in mysterious circumstances in Afghanistan. Eight years later, the family
still hasn't recovered: Mike's mom is overworked and overprotective; his younger sister Mary feels no connection to
the father she barely remembers; and in his quest to be "the man of the family," Mike knows he's missing out on
everyday high school life. Then, out of the blue, Mike receives a letter from his father -- the first of a series Dad
wrote in Afghanistan, just in case he didn't come home, meant to share some wisdom with his son on the eve of
Mike's 16th birthday. As the letters come in, Mike revels in spending time with his dad again, and takes his
encouragement to try new things -- to go out for the football team, and ask out the beautiful Isma. But who's been
keeping the letters all these years? And how did Dad actually die? As the answers to these mysteries are revealed,
Mike and his family find a way to heal and move forward at last.
The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine
As twelve-year-old Marlee starts middle school in 1958 Little Rock, it feels like her whole world is falling apart. Until
she meets Liz, the new girl at school. Liz is everything Marlee wishes she could be: she's brave, brash and always
knows the right thing to say. But when Liz leaves school without even a good-bye, the rumor is that Liz was caught
passing for white. Marlee decides that doesn't matter. She just wants her friend back. And to stay friends, Marlee
and Liz are even willing to take on segregation and the dangers their friendship could bring to both their families.
Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman
Caden Bosch is on a ship that's headed for the deepest point on Earth: Challenger Deep, the southern part of the
Marianas Trench. Caden Bosch is a brilliant high school student whose friends are starting to notice his odd
behavior. Caden Bosch is designated the ship's artist in residence to document the journey with images. Caden
Bosch pretends to join the school track team but spends his days walking for miles, absorbed by the thoughts in his
head. Caden Bosch is split between his allegiance to the captain and the allure of mutiny. Caden Bosch is torn.
Challenger Deep is a deeply powerful and personal novel from one of today's most admired writers for teens. Laurie
Halse Anderson, award-winning author of Speak, calls Challenger Deep "a brilliant journey across the dark sea of the
mind; frightening, sensitive, and powerful. Simply extraordinary."
Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the
world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start
spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a
lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves
and the kind of people they want to be.
Compound by S.A. Bodeen
Eli and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and they've
become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy. No amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of
living in the same place, with only his two sisters, only his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day
aEer day. As problems with their carefully planned existence threaten to destroy their sanctuary―and their
sanity―Eli can't help but wonder if he'd rather take his chances outside. Eli's father built the Compound to keep
them safe. But are they safe―really?
The Bridge from me to you by lisa schroeder
Lauren's unstable mother has sent her to a tiny Oregon town to live with her aunt, uncle, and three young cousins.
Sensitive Colby is the local football hero, who secretly longs to confront his overbearing dad and give up the game
all together. When these two high school seniors meet, they feel an undeniable connection. Getting to know each
other by sharing their fascinations with birds and bridges, snack foods, and second chances, they begin to navigate a
new relationship by supporting each other while tackling their own struggles and secrets. This romantic story, set in
a modern-day football-obsessed town, starts out feeling very familiar, especially when Colby's best friend Benny is
critically injured and the team must get to the state playoffs. However, the alternating chapters of Lauren's poetry
and Colby's conversational prose are well written and help reveal the characters refreshingly unique perspectives,
as well as their growth in positive ways. The secondary characters are also thoughtfully developed and cleverly
incorporated. Although the general plotline is nothing new and the drama at the end is shifted and then tidied up a
bit too quickly, this light, fast-paced story will delight romance fans looking for a fun, hopeful read.—Whitney
LeBlanc, Staten Island Academy, NY
The BlindSide by Michael Lewis
When we first meet Michael Oher is one of thirteen children by a mother addicted to crack; he does not know his
real name, his father, his birthday, or how to read or write. He takes up football, and school, after a rich, white,
Evangelical family plucks him from the streets. Then two great forces alter Oher: the family's love and the evolution
of professional football itself into a game in which the quarterback must be protected at any cost. Our protagonist
becomes the priceless package of size, speed, and agility necessary to guard the quarterback's greatest
vulnerability: his blind side.
Starflight by Melissa Landers
Solara Brooks needs a fresh start, someplace where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails
or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. The outer realm may be lawless, but it's not like the law has ever been on
her side. Still, off-world travel doesn't come cheap; Solara is left with no choice but to indenture herself in exchange
for passage to the outer realm. She just wishes it could have been to anyone besides Doran Spaulding, the rich,
pretty-boy quarterback who made her life miserable in school. The tables suddenly turn when Doran is framed for
conspiracy on Earth, and Solara cons him into playing the role of her servant on board the Banshee, a ship manned
by an eccentric crew with their own secrets. Given the price on both Doran and Solara's heads, it may just be the
safest place in the universe. It's been a long time since Solara has believed in anyone, and Doran is the last person
she expected to trust. But when the Banshee's dangerous enemies catch up with them, Solara and Doran must
come together to protect the ship that has become their home-and the eccentric crew that feels like family.
Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickman, Jr.
With the grace of a natural storyteller, NASA engineer Homer Hickam paints a warm, vivid portrait of the harsh
West Virginia mining town of his youth, evoking a time of innocence and promise, when anything was possible, even
in a company town that swallowed its men alive. A story of romance and loss, of growing up and getting out, Homer
Hickam's lush, lyrical memoir is a chronicle of triumph—at once exquisitely written and marvelously entertaining.
I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Emily Bell believes in destiny. To her, being forced to sing a solo in the church choir--despite her average voice--is
fate: because it's while she's singing that she first sees Sam. At first sight, they are connected.
Sam Border wishes he could escape, but there's nowhere for him to run. He and his little brother, Riddle, have spent
their entire lives constantly uprooted by their unstable father. That is, until Sam sees Emily. That's when everything
changes. As Sam and Riddle are welcomed into the Bells' lives, they witness the warmth and protection of a family
for the first time. But when tragedy strikes, they're left fighting for survival in the desolate wilderness, and
wondering if they'll ever find a place where they can belong.
Chew On This by Eric Schlosser & Charles Wilson
Kids love fast food. And the fast food industry definitely loves kids. It couldn’t survive without them. Did you
know that the biggest toy company in the world is McDonald’s? It’s true. In fact, one out of every three toys
given to a child in the United States each year is from a fast food restaurant. Not only has fast food reached
into the toy industry, it’s moving into our schools. One out of every five public schools in the United States now
serves brand name fast food. But do kids know what they’re eating? Where do fast food hamburgers come
from? And what makes those fries taste so good?