Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card (Fiction)- A human story of a child trained in the art of combat to defend earth against an alien threat. Ender Wiggin is a genius among geniuses, but is he smart enough to become humanity's savior?

Five Equations That Changed the World, Michael Guillen (Non Fiction)- The story of five of the most important equations in mathematics and physics, seen through the lens of their creator's history and life.

A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking (Non Fiction) - The basic history of the universe as told by one of the stars of quantum mechanical and cosmological physics.  Also look for the nature of space and time by Hawking and Roger Penrose, another physicist with a slightly different view of the universe.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams (Fiction) - Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is rescued by his friend Ford Prefect, and together they travel the galaxy with the help of a handy guide labeled "Don't Panic".

Neuromancer, William Gibson (Fiction) - The book that coined the term cyberspace and founded the genre called cyberpunk fiction.  Case was a cowboy who was untouchable on all of the computer networks, until he crossed the wrong person.  Exiled from the networks he used ride, he's given a second chance, for a price.

Burning Chrome, William Gibson (Fiction) - A collection of short stories each set in a cyberpunk world of the future.  Themes of humanity resonate through this book and its characters.

2001, Arthur C. Clarke (Fiction) - When a mission is sent to investigate Jupiter and its moon Europa, the craft's computer, HAL, malfunctions and starts to kill off its crew.  One of the quintessential science fiction books by one of the genre's best authors.

Robot Visions, Isaac Asimov (Fiction) - A collection of short stories by the master of robots in fiction.  Asimov presents stories ranging from "Little Lost Robot" about a robot who follows the order to "get lost", to Bicentennial Man, about a robot longing to be human.  If not this book, look for any others by Isaac Asimov, who is a writer of unparalleled vision.

For Middle School:

A Great and Terrible Beauty, Libba Brey. Gemma Doyle discovers that she has a secret power--and that someone wants to use it for dark reasons—when she enters an English boarding school.

Behind You, Jaqueline Woodson. A must read for anyone who has ever dealt with the loss of a loved one, this novel traces Jeremiah’s friends’ and parents’ journeys to deal with his death.

Hoot, Carl Hiaasen. A riotous romp with a twinge of mystery—how will Roy help to save the endangered owl?

Z for Zachariah, Robert O’Brien. Ann Burden survives a nuclear holocaust and believes she is the only person left on Earth. When she discovers another person, she realizes that being the only person left isn’t the worst thing that could happen.

For Upper School:

Catalyst, Laurie Halse Anderson. Kate Malone is a driven student who faces failure in a big way when the only college she’s applied to does not accept her.

A Northern Light, Jennifer Donnely. Mattie works at a hotel and discovers that she may hold the only key to solving a murder case. Part mystery, part coming of age, this novel addresses themes of racism, poverty and feminism in the early 20th century.

Hitchhiker’s Guide to Galaxy, Douglas Adams. Follow Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect as they travel the universe in Douglas Adam’s first part of the Hitchiker’s trilogy.

The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand
Challenging, but rewarding. This is the book that Robbie gives Baby in Dirty Dancing; it made me rethink my view of the traditional.

Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
A southern classic; prepares us to talk about the dichotomy between the ideal of the Civil War and the reality.

Acceptance, Susan Coll
I haven't read this one yet, but it's going to be my "beach book". Maybe we can share this one at our first book club?

My Sister's Keeper, Jodi Picoult
Ever wonder what life would be like if you knew you were born to keep your sister alive?

Lightening, Dean Koontz
Time travel...what if it had been around during the time of the Nazi's?

The Curious Instance of the Dog in the Night. Mark Haddon. When Christopher Boone, the autistic 15-year-old narrator, is accused of killing his neighbor’s poodle, he decides that he will take a page from Sherlock Holmes (one of his favorite characters) and track down the killer. Though Christopher insists, "This will not be a funny book. I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them," the novel brims with touching, ironic humor.

Angels and Demons, Dan Brown. By the author of current best seller, The DaVinci Code. Robert Langdon, a Harvard specialist on religious symbolism, is called in by a Swiss research lab when Dr. Vetra, the scientist who discovered antimatter, is found murdered with the cryptic word "Illuminati" branded on his chest. Though its premises strain credulity, Brown's tale is laced with twists and shocks that keep the reader wired right up to the last revelation.

One Child, Torey Hayden. Sheila came into Torey Hayden’s class for “special children” at the age of 6 after having tied a 3-year-old child to a tree and critically burned him.  One Child is Torey Hayden’s story of her attempt to tap the unbelievable capacity of this tortured child.

The Christmas Box Collection, Richard Paul Evans. This is a trilogy. The Christmas Box-When a young family moves in with a widow, they discover the first gift of Christmas, and what the holiday is really about.

Timepiece-The power of forgiveness and the indelible ties that connect one generation to the next-bring hope to a young couple in this exquisite prequel to The Christmas Box. The Letter- A mysterious letter is found at the grave of a couple's only child in the trilogy's unforgettable conclusion.  As they face love's greatest challenge, they find its truest meaning.

The Water Is Wide, Pat Conroy. This was one of the books that inspired me to work with children and the school system. It takes place in South Carolina following the Civil Rights Movement and tells the story of a young, optimistic teacher who takes a teaching position on a remote island off of the coast. It was recently made in to a TV movie, but the book is better!

A Ring of Endless Light, Madeline L'Engle. This is one of the books in L'Engle's series about the Austin family. If you feel up to reading all of them, they're wonderful novels and would provide lots of reading material for the summer--there are five books about them so far. This book is the fourth one in the series, and it follows 15-year old Vicky Austin through a summer on the New England coast where she befriends a marine biology student--and discovers a special connection with the dolphins he studies.

We're Just Like You, Only Prettier: Confessions of a Tarnished Southern Belle, Celia Rivenbark. This is one of those laugh-out-loud funny books that is a compilation of newspaper columns from a Wilmington, NC, writer. Not to be considered "serious literature," this book is entertaining and amusing for any girl who has grown up in the South. She's written a couple others that are just as humorous. 

Old Yeller, Fred Gipson.Travis must be the "man of the house" while his father is on a three-month cattle drive. Being responsible can be a daunting task when trouble arrives in the form of an old yellow dog, but trouble may have some good in it if Travis will open his mind and heart.

Favorite Norse Myths, Mary Pope Osborne. The tales of the gods and the giants are part of the conflict that has existed since time began, the good versus the evil.  These tales let us experience their fears, longings, courage, and humor.

The Westing Game,  Ellen Raskin. At the reading of Samuel W. Westing's will, sixteen people learn they are part of a contest to find out who among them is Westing's murderer.  Only two people hold the correct clues, and the reader is one of the two. Can you solve this mysterious puzzle?

El Alquimista/The Alquimist, Paulo Coelho. This story is about an Andalusian shepherd boy who ventures from his homeland in Spain to North Africa in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a beautiful, young gypsy woman, a man who calls himself a king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest.

Hiroshima, John Hersey. When the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, John Hersey recorded the stories of residents shortly after the explosion that can be read to get different perspectives.

Books mostly favored by girls --

Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte. This romantic story from 19th century England is about Jane, a poor orphan, who suffers through a charity boarding school and then lands a job as a governess to the child of the mysterious and difficult Mr. Rochester. 

Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen. In early 19th century England, Elizabeth Bennet is smart and witty, but as one of five daughters, her main job is to get herself a husband.  She has to ward off the attentions of the boring Mr. Collins while dealing with the handsome but snooty Mr. Darcy.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith. Francie Nolan grows up on the poor side of town early in the 20th century with a charming but hopelessly alcoholic father and a mother who has been hardened by poverty.  This is based on Betty Smith’s own struggle to become a writer.

Books mostly favored by boys --

Animal Farm, George Orwell. The story is about animals who take over a farm, but it is really a fable showing the original intent of communism and the way it developed.  Each animal represents someone in communist Russia.

All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Remarque. Told in the first person in the present tense, this book follows a young German soldier through the horrors of World War I.  Based on the author’s experiences, it is an extremely realistic portrait of trench warfare.

Catch-22, Joseph Heller. World War II as seen through the eyes of a pilot who has had enough of war.  It is a black comedy filled with strange people and stranger events.

Non-fiction --

Battle Cry of Freedom, William McPherson. A very readable history of the Civil War.

Case Closed, Gerald Posner. The author examines the different theories about the Kennedy assassination and concludes that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.

It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life, Lance Armstrong. The author transforms himself from an awkward teenager to a cancer survivor to a world champion cyclist. Although there are now many books about Armstrong, this one stands out from the group.

Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod, Gary Paulsen. The author becomes obsessed with the idea of running dogs and competing in the famously harrowing race. This is a great story with humorous descriptions of real-life adventure.

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster, Jon Krakauer. First chronicled in an article for Outside Magazine, the author explores and describes the people and the factors involved in deaths of nine climbers on Mount Everest in the spring of 1996.

House of the Spirits, Isabelle Allende.This acclaimed historical fiction tells of the Trueba family in Chile during that country’s revolution of the 1970s. With terrific characters and descriptions throughout, the subject is not light but it is illuminated with humorous perspective.

Undaunted Courage, Stephen Ambrose. This is a very long book but compelling for anyone who is interested in Lewis and Clark’s exploration of the American west. It starts a bit slowly but, if you like detailed descriptions of pioneering adventures, you will love this book.