If you are wondering what this list is about, it is meant to be a brief review of books I have read or recommended for students to read in my previous classes. I always urge students to read for enjoyment but to then write reviews about their readings afterwards. I hope you find this list enjoyable and useful.

Writing A Good Review: take credit for your opinion and publish it outside of class.

• 750-1500 words
• Include student’s opinion of the story; not a summary
• Include your opinion on why the book is important (Correctness, Influence, Precedents)
• Links to three other book reviews
• Acknowledge any use of AI tools like Grmmarly, ChatGPT, BardAI or image generators like Midjourney
• MLA Citations

My Antonia by Willa Cather

A story of the immigrant families who help America populate the Great Plains following the years of Reconstruction.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Classic story of how a family of Massachusetts women fair during the Civil War and the years following. It is slightly autobiographical and one of my favorite novels of all time.

Washington’s Lady by Nancy Moser

After years of research, Nancy Moser has successfully blended the story of Martha Custis, the future wife of George Washington, and her true role within the beginning so of our nation. This book covers the courtship and life of this Colonial Power couple before, during, and after the Revolutionary War.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

What makes this short novella one of the required readings for any high school student is not just the story because everyone knows the good and the dark and a man. But the format of the story it’s written in a way in which you see letters from others talking about the events of the night It’s also in a language that’s not necessarily used anymore so contacts and understanding is there and key. Is probably one of his better works but not very approachable for some and it does involve some illusions to sexual violence.

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

This graphic novel is written by one of my favorite writers from the Superman comic book series. It follows his autobiographical journey as a Chinese young man born in America and raised here but trying to figure out where he fits into the multicultural world his parents and his family’s created for him. Read it before watching the Disney+ series I highly recommend it for any middle school high school student.

The Wizard of Oz by Frank L Baum

The amazing part of this novel is its ability to create a story for children at the same time that it serves as a metaphor for political views of western settlers during the latter half of the nineteenth century.

Treason by David Nevin

David Nevin intertwines the histories of several Americans during the process of the Louisiana Purchase. This alternative view of actual events surrounding the 3rd Vice President of America and his plans to create a new country. This book is an epic read I highly recommend it to any student who loves to learn about American history during the 1800s.

Last Full Measure by Jeff Shaara

This is one of the great modern fiction pieces about the Battle of Gettysburg. Shaara captures the minds and thoughts of soldiers during the bloodiest battle in American History. His fight sequences also give wonderful insight into how the fighting took place. This book and other materials became the core pieces of literature used to write the screenplay for the movie Gettysburg from the early 1990s.

How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove

This is a masterful piece of alternative fiction. Instead of explaining how the CSA could have won the Civil War, Turtledove gives readers a look into a world of a broken America, were slavery still existence, Kentucky has a large role in the new CSA, Canada and the US are now pseudo-enemies, and Mexico is desperate to sell land that nobody really wants, except for CSA. Bread in the context of what could have been in a world especially knowing now the way that events like the Cinco de Mayo and the French occupation of Mexico play into the US history this novel while being fiction could have been a dark reality.

The Two Georges by Harry Turtledove and Richard Dreyfuss

This is another great selection of alternative fiction. What if… America never gained independence. How would the world look differently? What would people of today think of the Sons of Liberty, an underground terrorist group who has stolen the most important painting in America a dual portrait of George Washington and George III.

Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner

Thomas Stupen moves to a town in Southern Mississippi to build a new life and fortune. However, this struggle to create a new powerful family could lead to his own demise. This allegory of Southern Gothic is a must read for any fan of American Literature.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achibe

Things Fall Apart tells two intertwining stories, both centering on Okonkwo, a “strong man” of an Ibo village in Nigeria. The first, a powerful fable of the immemorial conflict between the individual and society, traces Okonkwo’s fall from grace with the tribal world. The second, as modern as the first is ancient, concerns the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo’s world with the arrival of aggressive European missionaries.

Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya

Rukmani, a peasant from a village in India, lives a life of constant struggle, yet she is a source of strength for many. At age twelve she marries a man she has never met and moves with him to his rented farmland. Over the years their marriage fills with love, mutual respect, and children: one daughter and many sons. The changes in village life from an agricultural to an industrial community frighten Rukmani; her life becomes one of “Hope and fear.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Free e-book available online)

Interrogated for days by the Department of Homeland Security in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco, California, seventeen-year-old Marcus is released into what is now a police state, and decides to use his expertise in computer hacking to set things right.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This slightly odd adventure novel is a combination of modern fantasy and myth. If I was the life of a boy named nobody as he begins to try and figure out how to survive in a world in which a group of assassins have been sent by a man named Jack to kill him. He was raised in a graveyard by ghost and vampires what could go wrong in his life is what makes an adventure worh reading.

Unwind By Neal Shusterman

Unwind takes place in the United States, somewhere in the near future. Parents can sign an order form for their children between the ages of 13 and 18 years old to be unwound—taken to “harvest camps” and having their body parts harvested for later use.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor.

Seventeen-year-old Karou, a lovely, enigmatic art student in a Prague boarding school, carries a sketchbook of hideous, frightening monsters–the chimaerae who form the only family she has ever known.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs.

Sixteen-year-old Jacob, having traveled to a remote island after a family tragedy, discovers an abandoned orphanage, and, after some investigating, he learns the children who lived there may have been dangerous and quarantined and may also still be alive.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This is Harper Lee’s masterpiece about a South still hard boiled by segregation and prejudice. A great companion piece is John Grisham’s A Time To Kill. I’ve read it at least three different times since originally reading it in high school and I get so much out of it each time. As a father it’s a great book to read to see what a child sees in you from their point of view.

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is thebook that started the high fantasy publishing boom. By today’s standards it is far removed and other but it is still the inspiration reading of hobbits, men, dwarves, and eleves as they battle Middle Earth’s last great evil.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Don’t watch the movie. Don’t wat the other movie and don’t watch that other movie. Really this amazing novel about the lost generation. How more is less and the imbalance of self doubt and self assurance is what corrupts a soul.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Douglas Adams created a science fiction masterpiece; however, it’s a satire and a comedy. Follow along is a group of mismatched characters, including one who didn’t even want to leave his home, try to figure out why the Earth is being destroyed to create a highway. It’s an adventure across the galaxy they’ll make you laugh and cry all at the same time. It works as a great read on so many levels; conservationism vs industrial progress, bureaucratic malfeasance, and pitfalls of gender roles in storytelling.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

What happens when you’re a teenager who’s completely lost your entire will to exist in the world. You go on a mismatched journey across New England trying to figure out whether or not you have purpose, whether or not life is imaginary, or whether it’s even worth living. Read this while you’re young; it loses some of its grandeur with age.

Other Great Books I Recommend But Have Not Taught

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Dracula by Bram Stoker

---

Book Review Rubric (PDF)

Book Title_____________________

___ Content & Reflection (15 points)

• (3 points) – The review provides a concise summary of the book’s key themes and content.
• (3 points) – The review includes a thoughtful personal reflection on the book, discussing the student’s reactions, emotions, and connections to the material.
• (3 points) – The reflection considers how the book’s themes and historical context relate to contemporary issues or events.
• (3 points) – The student articulates the impact of the book on their understanding of history and its relevance to their own life.
• (3 points) – The student offers specific examples from the book to support their reflection.

___ Historical Significance (15 points)

• (3 points) – The review discusses the historical accuracy and authenticity of the book, considering its portrayal of events, characters, and settings.
• (3 points) – The review evaluates the book’s contribution to the understanding of a specific historical period, event, or concept.
• (3 points) – The student considers the book’s importance in shedding light on lesser-known aspects of history.
• (3 points) – The review explores the author’s perspective and how it may shape our view of history.
• (3 points) – The student identifies any potential biases or limitations in the book’s historical representation.

___ Incorporation of AI and Online Resources (10 points)**

• (3 points) – The student effectively integrates AI-generated responses and online resources into their review, demonstrating an understanding of both AI-generated content and credible online sources.
• (2 points) – The AI responses and online resources are used to provide additional historical context, research, or insights related to the book.
• (2 points) – The student evaluates the accuracy and relevance of both AI-generated content and online resources before including them in the review.
• (2 points) – The student properly cites and attributes any AI-generated content and online resources used in the review, following appropriate citation and referencing guidelines.
• (1 point) – The integration of both AI and online resources enhances the overall quality of the review and demonstrates a well-rounded approach to research and analysis.

___ Organization and Clarity (5 points)

• (2 points) – The review is well-structured, with a clear introduction and conclusion.
• (1 point) – Transitions between ideas and sections are smooth and logical.
• (1 point) – The writing is clear, concise, and free from major grammar or spelling errors.
• (1 point) – The review follows appropriate citation and referencing guidelines.

___ Creativity and Engagement (5 points)

• (2 points) – The review demonstrates creativity in its approach to presenting the book’s content and the student’s reflection.
• (1 point) – The review engages the reader through an engaging writing style or unique presentation.
• (1 point) – The student uses appropriate multimedia elements or visuals to enhance engagement.
• (1 point) – The review showcases a genuine enthusiasm for the book and its historical significance.

Total Points: _______/50

Comments: