1. { Quarter 2 Independent Reading Choices Presented in order of difficulty

2. For the Book Devourer Charles DickensCharles Dickens's Great Expectations tells the story of Pip, an English orphan who rises to wealth, deserts his true friends, and becomes humbled by his own arrogance. It also introduces one of the more colorful characters in literature: Miss Havisham. Charles Dickens set Great Expectations during the time that England was becoming a wealthy world power. Machines were making factories more productive, yet people lived in awful conditions, and such themes carry into the story.PipMiss Havisham Great Expectations

3.   Winston Smith is a low-ranking member of the ruling Party in London, in the nation of Oceania. Everywhere Winston goes, even his own home, the Party watches him through telescreens; everywhere he looks he sees the face of the Party’s seemingly omniscient leader, a figure known only as Big Brother. The Party controls everything in Oceania, even the people’s history and language. Currently, the Party is forcing the implementation of an invented language called Newspeak, which attempts to prevent political rebellion by eliminating all words related to it. Even thinking rebellious thoughts is illegal. Such thoughtcrime is, in fact, the worst of all crimes… 1984 Are you a fan of dystopias ?

4. Pride and Prejudice A lover of period films and romance? The news that a wealthy young gentleman named Charles Bingley has rented the manor of Netherfield Park causes a great stir in the nearby village of Longbourn, especially in the Bennet household. The Bennets have five unmarried daughters—from oldest to youngest, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia—and Mrs. Bennet is desperate to see them all married…

5.   Gene Forrester is a quiet, intellectual student at the Devon School in New Hampshire. During the summer session of 1942, he becomes close friends with his daredevil roommate Finny, whose innate charisma consistently allows him to get away with mischief. Finny prods Gene into making a dangerous jump out of a tree into a river, and the two start a secret society based on this ritual… A Separate Peace Did you love Lord of the Flies? Catcher in the Rye? A Separate Peace dramatizes the challenge of growing up to be a truly individual adult in a conformist world.

6. Life of Pi Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist, Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry, explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.Yann MartelPondicherry spiritualityshipwreck Bengal tigerRichard Parker Do you love discussing religion? The strength of man? Survival?

7. Anthem The story of Anthem takes place in some unspecified future time and place in which freedom and individual rights have been obliterated. Collectivism — the political philosophy holding that an individual exists solely to serve the state — is dominant and has led to the establishment of a global dictatorship of the Fascist or Communist variety. Equality 7-2521 is a Street Sweeper of the city, having been chosen for this profession by the Council of Vocations. However, he has always been fascinated by the phenomena of nature and can't help but wonder what power of the sky causes lightning and how it can be harnessed to human benefit. Because of his fascination with the Science of Things, he secretly desires to be sent to the Home of the Scholars… Into futuristic novels? Deep discussions about free will ?

8.  Stay true to YOU! While a shorter book length may seem appealing try to select the novel that most genuinely interests you!  Keep the end goals in mind: 1. You will read and annotate this book throughout Q2 2. You will return to Q3 with a test on the book of your choice 3. You will complete a group project focusing on your book of choice 10/25 (Next Block Day): BE PRESENT and PREPARED with your top 3 choices (there will be a limit on how many students can read a novel- so please wait until you are assigned your book before you purchase anything!) The Choice is Yours!

9.  On NOVEMBER 8 th you must bring either a receipt- or your actual copy of your assigned book to class for CREDIT!  See me (IN ADVANCE) if you cannot get the book you were assigned and I will help! Proof of Book Purchase!