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Summer Reading List for 9th Graders

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A smiling student with a backpack reaches up to pull a book from a library shelf.
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Fiction

Book cover of "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, with a green-leafed tree on red and a Pulitzer Prize winner seal.

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

A classic novel that explores themes of racial injustice, moral growth, and compassion through the eyes of Scout Finch in the Deep South.

Book cover of "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, with two figures dancing on white letters against black.

2. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Set during World War II, this novel follows a young girl named Liesel Meminger as she finds solace in stealing books and sharing them with others, amidst the horrors of the Nazi regime.

Red book cover of "1984" by George Orwell featuring a large engraved eye

3. 1984 by George Orwell

A dystopian novel that delves into themes of totalitarianism, surveillance, and individualism, set in a world where the government exerts total control over all aspects of life.

Book cover of "The Catcher in the Rye, a novel by J.D. Salinger" with a red carousel horse drawing

4. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

This coming-of-age novel tells the story of Holden Caulfield, a teenager who navigates the challenges of adolescence and his own mental health.

Book cover of "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy, white text on black with a Pulitzer Prize winner seal.

5. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

A post-apocalyptic tale of survival, love, and hope as a father and his young son journey through a devastated landscape.

Nonfiction

Book cover of "I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban" showing a young woman in a pink headscarf.

6. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb

The memoir of Malala Yousafzai, the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, who advocates for girls' education worldwide.

Book cover of "Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson" with a black-and-white portrait of a bearded man in round glasses, hand to chin.

7. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

A biography of Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc., exploring his innovative contributions to technology and his complex personality.

Book cover of "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari, with a fingerprint graphic.

8. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

This book offers a sweeping overview of the history of humankind, from the emergence of Homo sapiens in the Stone Age to the present.

Book cover of "Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption" by Bryan Stevenson, showing a sunlit tree.

9. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

A memoir by Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative, detailing his fight for justice and human rights, particularly for those on death row.

Book cover of "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly, with a vintage photo of Black women in coats.

10. Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

This book uncovers the story of African-American female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations were crucial to the success of the U.S. space program.

These books cover a range of genres and themes, providing a balanced mix of fiction and nonfiction to engage and inspire rising ninth graders.

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