Extra Credit Reading List

Whether you are looking for material to pass the time this summer, or wanting to augment the literature part of a class all year long, you may find these lists helpful. There is a mix of classic works along with contemporary fiction and nonfiction.

Download Reading List

Dear Families,

This list started as a record of many books my family read out loud to each other. Over several years I have added more, all the while trying to choose those with redemptive themes.

Books are chosen for their interest and integrity; many are nonfiction and students have found them to be well worth their time. Students starting class in the fall can enter with up to 300 points of credit to be added into their first semester scores, and can keep reading through the year if they'd like. Note that there are varying points assigned to each piece of literature so that you can add up what your goal may be.

Those wishing to learn about honors reading credit can find more information here: Honors Details

TO GET CREDIT: Please drop me an email at shumanhw@gmail.com or through Gradebook and let me know when you have completed a book. We'll set up a few minutes to discuss the book by phone. It's easy!

Click on a book's name for more details.

Multicultural Lit & Comp

Optional Reading - Click names for details:

(If you'd like to read something from the AP/BL list below, drop me a note first!)

Black Count, The by Tom Reiss (100 pts): Tom Reiss tells a story of General Alexander Dumas, who served with honor in the French Revolution though he was the son of a black slave and born in Haiti. Dumas's son went on to write The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, basing many exciting scenes on the real adventures of his father. Reiss writes that the general "rose higher in the white world than any man of his race would before our time" before he met an enemy he could not defeat . . . . This newly researched book is a good read for those who like true adventure stories.
The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War by Malcolm Gladwell (100 pts): The Amazon #1 best seller in the category Biological and Chemical Warfare History. The New York Times says: "Most military thinkers in the years leading up to World War II saw the airplane as an afterthought. But a small band of idealistic strategists, the 'Bomber Mafia', asked: What if precision bombing could cripple the enemy and make war far less lethal?"
Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The by William Kamkwamba (100 pts): William is like my stepson Kris: he always has bolts and washers and bits of this and that in his pockets, and loves to see how things work. Though a young man in poverty in Malawi, William is very smart and finds ways to create an energy-producing machine with found items and instructions from discarded magazines and a kind librarian. How can someone like this change a whole village, and maybe a whole country?
Boys in the Boat, The by Daniel James Brown (100 pts): Rowing is traditionally considered a rich man's sport, but in 1936 an Olympic team from Seattle was unlike any elite crew that had ever won the US Olympic preliminary competitions. This was a time of national poverty, the Dust Bowl, and the clandestine plans of Adolf Hitler to make the 1936 games show off the wealth of his visions. This book is incredibly interesting, focusing on one tough rower and his hardworking crew in this very interesting time of history. You don't have to know rowing to enjoy the book.
Chosen, The by Chaim Potok (100 pts): This friendship story of two Jewish boys in Brooklyn near the end of WW2 reveals different perspectives of two devout groups regarding what was next for the forming of a Jewish nation. I learned much about discussions in this faith as well as life at this time of history, thanks to Chaim Potok who is a rabbi as well as popular American author.
City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp by Ben Rawlence (100 pts): City of Thorns is a nonfiction account of the plight of half a million people who live in Dadaab, a 30-square-mile make-shift city in the desert of Kenya. Unable to legally work or build permanent homes, residents of Dadaab have resorted to a hard life for almost 30 years. Excellent read for anyone working with refugees or wanting to read stories of families waiting for legal refuge.
Coach Wooden and Me by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (100 pts): Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Coach Wooden has been called the "greatest coach in basketball history," and both Wooden and Abdul-Jabbar have received Presidential Medals of Freedom. In the middle of the accolades is a heart-felt story of 50 years of partnership between a wise coach and a hard-working athlete, both wanting to affect culture for good, and both with love for basketball and baseball.
C. S. Lewis: A Life by Alister McGrath (100 pts): C. S. Lewis: A Life is a rather new, thorough study of Lewis based on recently accessed family letters as well as interviews with those from Lewis's past. It challenges some myths about the famous writer, as well as explaining well how and why he wrote the seven Narnia stories and the famous Mere Christianity. This is a very readable book—fans of Lewis and those interested in the writing process and England during the world wars would appreciate the clear approach.
Daughters of Islam by Miriam Adeney (100 pts): Though I have read a number of books about Middle Eastern life and perspectives, this one was particularly helpful since it challenged some of my cookie-cutter ideas of what "missions" means. I believe it helpful for Christian women wanting to understand and communicate with Muslim neighbors.
Design of Everyday Things, The by Donald A. Norman (100 pts): Do you get frustrated with mechanical things that do not work intuitively? Donald Norman writes a readable book of observations and guidelines, concluding that "humans do not always err. But they do when the things they use are badly conceived and designed." If you like to discover how things work, or invent/design things yourself, or just want to appreciate those who do, you will enjoy this book; it has even been included for reading in a GA Tech design class.
Endurance by Alfred Lansing (100 pts): This is the story of Ernest Shackelton's survival as his trip across Antarctica goes against his plan. An eventful tale of 28 men and their various motivations to stay alive, and a beautiful account of a cold wasteland. Lansing's most famous book has scenes you will not forget.
Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condoleezza Rice (100 pts): Former Secretary of State and first black woman to hold that office, Condoleezza Rice tells her story about growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, during the Civil Rights era. High school students would appreciate her inside looks into political office, attending and teaching at Stanford University, and foreign policy.
Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God by Noël Piper (100 pts): Five rather short but well-written bios of historic and contemporary women from various cultures: Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Aylward, Esther Ahn Kim, and Helen Roseveare. My husband couldn't help reading the last chapter out loud. The author tells their stories and then gives her own brief take-aways.
Gifted Hands by Ben Carson and Cecil Murphy (100 pts): Long a favorite on this reading list, this is the story of Dr. Ben Carson's difficult childhood and surprising rise to being one of the best-known neurosurgeons in modern medicine. Faith in God, excellent mentors, and hard work are all given credit, and the last section of the book highlights some of his famous surgeries.
Gone: A Girl, a Violin, a Life Unstrung by Min Kym (100 pts): This is an autobiography of a child prodigy violinist and the relationship between a professional musician and her instrument. Her million-dollar violin was stolen several years ago and made international news. Along with reading the book, you should hear some of the music she mentions, since the actual pieces are linked to online recordings.
Great Quake, The: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet by Henry Fountain (100 pts): Henry Fountain spent years investigating how the 1964 Alaskan earthquake affected not only people's lives, the terrain, and local business, but also the study of how earthquakes come about on our planet. If you are science-minded—you will enjoy this book. If you aren't but want to appreciate geology and other earth sciences, you can learn easily as you progress through a very readable account of this record-breaking event in American history and theories attached to it.
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai (100 pts): Malala became famous a decade or so ago when she was shot as a teenager during her attempted murder by the Taliban. They were hoping to shut up her ideas of freedom for young women to go to school, but instead provided a world stage for her views. A good like into the tensions of politics and faith in the Middle East.
It's a Jungle Out There, Life Is a Jungle, and Jungle Calls by Ron Snell (200 pts for all 3): Nonfiction stories my family has read out loud three times now, laughing sometimes while amazed at what two brothers learn in their rainforest life and trips back to the States. This is an autobiographical account of a missionary kid and his brother growing up in Peru with a "risk-everything," ex-military father and a careful mom. These are fast-moving adventures that continue through Ron's college days in Chicago ("snakes in the dorm" and other great stories).
Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland (100 pts): Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina - Misty Copeland, the American Ballet Theatre's first black principal dancer, tells of her challenge to move from a child of little privilege on through the hard choices that led her to the ABT. Very readable for those who are curious about the life of a professional ballerina or who wonder how Copeland persevered as an African American in a traditionally white field.
Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew, Julius Caesar, and Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare (100 pts per play): Grab some friends and read these aloud? Take your time and use a Folger edition if possible to have summaries and footnotes available. Watch for quotable quotes and timeless themes. Listen along with an audio version if you wish.
Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan (100 pts): This is encouraging historical fiction whether you know of C.S. Lewis and the Narnia series or not. The main character is a college mathematics student who has conversations with Lewis where she first questions him about Narnia on behalf of her little brother, and comes to appreciate the value of fiction and fantasy for herself.
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (100 pts): Hard to find good things to think about when you are angry? Mrs. Voskamp's journal-style writing deals honestly with her disappointments with God, even the death of her sister. Her beautiful writing style includes invented words and various tones as she finds joy as a young Christian wife and mother on a Canadian farm.
Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God by David Macasland (100 pts): A real surprise for me! I expected an elder-statesman type of man, but found a young man talented in the arts, who focused his life and went for what was important to him in his search for truth. Brings new energy to the devotions my family often reads.
Outcasts United by Warren St. John (100 pts): How do you coach a soccer team that speaks many languages, and has no place to practice? This is the readable story of a town, a group of refugees, and a soccer coach who gave up her family's expectations in order to make a difference in the lives of some kids in Clarkston, GA. Required reading for freshmen at GA State and GA Tech a few years ago.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (100 pts): One out of a best-selling series of Gladwell books; this one looks at what creates success based on empirical data and observation. You'll be surprised at the interesting examples, from hockey stars to plane crashes to feuding families in Kentucky and lawyers in Manhattan. Quite readable - we read it on a family trip.
Places in Between, The by Rory Stewart (100 pts): Stewart's nonfiction account of a journalist's walk across Afghanistan without the protection of his Western identity. Even if you have read only a little about the Middle East, this will inform and intrigue you. Includes a dog story and sketches by the author, too. There is a quite small amount of "language."
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (100 pts): One Amazon reviewer says: “An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival . . . .” My husband and I really enjoyed reading this sci-fi book out loud on a road trip—we couldn't predict what was coming next, and many parts were fast moving and clever. There is one bit of objectionable plot near the end.
Rebel with a Cause by Franklin Graham (100 pts): Franklin Graham's very readable autobiography. It was hard for Franklin to find his own life in the shadow of a "Christian Great" such as his father, Rev. Billy Graham. A famous traveling father and a determined and creative mom make for quite a set of boundaries for a young man too rebellious for his own safety! Graham's story continues through the beginnings of Samaritan's Purse. Hard not to share some of this with your family....
Screwtape Letters, The by C. S. Lewis (100 pts): Take your time with this series of letters from a Satanic, fallen angel to his fledgling assistant who is charged with making a new believer fail. It's short, but its fantastic concept of evil vs. good will leave you re-thinking what tempts Christians to fall as well as survive in a world designed by a good God.
Spaceman: An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe by Mike Massimino (100 pts): I have a former NASA employee in my immediate family, but I didn't understand what the "big deal" about space travel was until reading this book. Mike Massimino's story of being tethered alone in space while repairing the Hubble telescope had me outside looking at the stars within days of finishing the book. It is no easy thing to become an astronaut, but Massimino is humorous and descriptive, and you will enjoy and appreciate space study after reading this.
There Is No Me Without You by Melissa Faye Green (100 pts): Nonfiction read that blends history, medical research, personal account, and biography to tell the story of an African woman's involvement in the growing orphan crisis in Ethiopia, and what we can do about it. Author is from Decatur - very readable and personal in approach. Another book the Shumans read out loud.
Three Among Wolves: A Couple and Their Dog Live a Year with Wolves in the Wild by Helen Thayer (100 pts): Three Among Wolves is an amazing, true story of a couple who are dropped off far away from human habitations and then walk days farther up north to areas where wolves are free to roam. They camp out with their own part-wolf dog named Charlie for months at a time, allowing him to be their alpha so they can interact at a distance with wolf families. They hope to prove that wolves are not crazy attackers of everything, but are communal with other animals. The author was (earlier) the first woman to trek alone to the magnetic north pole, and she and her husband have walked across massive deserts and hiked into the iciest places. This is a great story.
Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot (100 pts): Five young missionary men were killed together in the Ecuadorian jungle in the 1950s. United States citizens, whether they were church-goers or not, stopped to learn the biographies of these men who wanted to bring the Gospel to native Ecuadorans known for murdering those outside of their tribal boundaries. This book is written by the wife of one of the most quoted men, Jim Elliot. There are many photos included, used in magazines famous in the 50s. If you don't know this classic missionary story, it is a must-read!
Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis (100 pts): Till We Have Faces is the last novel that Lewis wrote before his death, and is a fantasy story of friendship and faith. My students usually like the story, but are lost on the overall relevancy to Lewis's faith. Please email me for useful, brief, explanatory notes! Shumanhw@gmail.com
Trust First: A True Story about the Power of Giving People Second Chances by Bruce Deel (100 pts): The founder and director of City of Refuge in Atlanta, Deel and his family moved to the “roughest zip code in Atlanta” to lead a church, and later, with many partners, created a “one stop” location to help people who are homeless, trafficked, or otherwise in need. This book is respectfully and humbly written, and full of great stories you will remember.
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud (100 pts): McCloud draws every frame of this book and it is a good read whether one likes comics or not! He gives context to this art form found in many cultures and time periods, and breaks understanding of comics into idea/purpose, form, idiom, structure, craft, and surface. Just a couple of frames illustrating a particular style may be objectionable, and the reader can move quickly on from them. This is a book packed with art and analysis of style, all in comic format.
Wind at My Back, The: Resilience, Grace, and Other Gifts from My Mentor Raven Wilkinson by Misty Copeland (100 pts): Misty Copeland tells her mentor's history, as well as more of Copeland's own story. Copeland wrote in her earlier book, Life in Motion, of her own difficult time achieving her professional ballet dream; she now tells the story of how Wilkinson became a Black professional dancer decades before Copeland, yet succeeded with grace, faith, and determination.

AP English & Comp and British Lit & Comp

Optional Reading for AP and BL - Click names for details:

Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston (100 pts): This brief account was recently discovered and then published in 2018. Hurston sat many hours with a gentleman named "Cudjo" who became enslaved 50 years after the slave trade was outlawed in the U.S., captured and smuggled out of African when he was 19. She gives context as he storytells through his youth, capture, enslavement, freedom, and old age. Though predictably tragic in places, there is a balance of hope and dignity found in Cudjo's love for his African culture and the family he raises later in Alabama.
Becoming by Michelle Obama (100 pts): Former First Lady Michelle Obama tells her life story, giving personal perspective on her early days, her love of family, her improbable educational achievements, her life as a business professional, her marriage to Barack Obama, campaigning for his presidency, and their years in the White House.
Bend, Not Break by Ping Fu (100 pts): Ping Fu grew up during the Cultural Revolution in China. I didn't know anything about this time period before reading the book, but was really caught up in her story, which is rather like a dystopia at first (think The Giver or 1984, but her story is true!). Today Ms. Fu leads a 3-D printing corporation she began here in the US, with a life in serious contrast to her incredible past growing up being indoctrinated into the Revolution's crazy world.
Black Count, The by Tom Reiss (100 pts): Tom Reiss tells a story of General Alexander Dumas, who served with honor in the French Revolution though he was the son of a black slave and born in Haiti. Dumas's son went on to write The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, basing many exciting scenes on the real adventures of his father. Reiss writes that the general "rose higher in the white world than any man of his race would before our time" before he met an enemy he could not defeat . . . . This newly researched book is a good read for those who like true adventure stories.
The Bomber Mafia: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War by Malcolm Gladwell (100 pts): The Amazon #1 best seller in the category Biological and Chemical Warfare History. The New York Times says: "Most military thinkers in the years leading up to World War II saw the airplane as an afterthought. But a small band of idealistic strategists, the 'Bomber Mafia', asked: What if precision bombing could cripple the enemy and make war far less lethal?"
Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, The by William Kamkwamba (100 pts): William is like my stepson Kris; he always has bolts and washers and bits of this and that in his pockets, and loves to see how things work. Though a young man in poverty in Malawi, William is very smart and finds ways to create an energy-producing machine with found items and instructions from discarded magazines and a kind librarian. How can someone like this change a whole village, and maybe a whole country?
Boys in the Boat, The by Daniel James Brown (100 pts): Rowing is traditionally considered a rich man's sport, but in 1936 an Olympic team from Seattle was unlike any elite crew that had ever won the US Olympic preliminary competitions. This was a time of national poverty, the Dust Bowl, and the clandestine plans of Adolf Hitler to make the 1936 games show off the wealth of his visions. This book is incredibly interesting, focusing on one tough rower and his hardworking crew in this very interesting time of history. You don't have to know rowing to enjoy the book.
Chosen, The by Chaim Potok (100 pts): This friendship story of two Jewish boys in Brooklyn near the end of WW2 reveals different perspectives of two devout groups regarding what was next for the forming of a Jewish nation. I learned much about discussions in this faith as well as life at this time of history, thanks to Chaim Potok who is a rabbi as well as popular American author.
City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp by Ben Rawlence (100 pts): City of Thorns is a nonfiction account of the plight of half a million people who live in Dadaab, a 30-square-mile make-shift city in the desert of Kenya. Unable to legally work or build permanent homes, residents of Dadaab have resorted to a hard life for almost 30 years. Excellent read for anyone working with refugees or wanting to read stories of families waiting for legal refuge.
Coach Wooden and Me by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (100 pts): Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA's all time leading scorer and a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. Coach Wooden has been called the "greatest coach in basketball history," and both Wooden and Abdul-Jabbar have received Presidential Medals of Freedom. In the middle of the accolades is a heart-felt story of 50 years of partnership between a wise coach and a hard-working athlete, both wanting to affect culture for good, and both with love for basketball and baseball.
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (200 pts): Everyone I know who has read this book has believed it worth his time. It has a good theme of redemption and a lot of dark suspense. Try giving characters easy-to-remember nicknames to keep up with them in this Russian story - you may also find a helpful list online or in preface material that will give names and alternate names for each character. The Wall Street Journal counted it first in a list of crime thrillers.
C. S. Lewis: A Life by Alister McGrath (100 pts): C. S. Lewis: A Life is a rather new, thorough study of Lewis based on recently accessed family letters as well as interviews with those from Lewis's past. It challenges some myths about the famous writer, as well as explaining well how and why he wrote the seven Narnia stories and the famous Mere Christianity. This is a very readable book—fans of Lewis and those interested in the writing process and England during the world wars would appreciate the clear approach.
Daughters of Islam by Miriam Adeney (100 pts): Though I have read a number of books about Middle Eastern life and perspectives, this one was particularly helpful since it challenged some of my cookie-cutter ideas of what "missions" means. I believe it helpful for Christian women wanting to understand and communicate with Muslim neighbors.
Design of Everyday Things, The by Donald A. Norman (100 pts): Do you get frustrated with mechanical things that do not work intuitively? Donald Norman writes a readable book of observations and guidelines, concluding that "humans do not always err. But they do when the things they use are badly conceived and designed." If you like to discover how things work, or invent/design things yourself, or just want to appreciate those who do, you will enjoy this book; it has been included for reading in a GA Tech design class.
Endurance by Alfred Lansing (100 pts): This is the story of Ernest Shackelton's survival as his trip across Antarctica goes against his plan. An eventful tale of 28 men and their various motivations to stay alive, and a beautiful account of a cold wasteland. Lansing's most famous book has scenes you will not forget.
Extraordinary, Ordinary People by Condoleezza Rice (100 pts): Former Secretary of State and first Black woman to hold that office, Condoleezza Rice tells her story about growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, during the Civil Rights era. High school students would appreciate her inside looks into political office, attending and teaching at Stanford University, and foreign policy.
Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God by Noël Piper (100 pts): Five rather short but well-written bios of historic and contemporary women from various cultures: Sarah Edwards, Lilias Trotter, Gladys Aylward, Esther Ahn Kim, and Helen Roseveare. My husband couldn't help reading the last chapter out loud. The author tells their stories and then gives her own brief take-aways.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (100 pts): f you like dystopias and futuristic warnings, this one is often referenced in our culture. Bradbury moves the story along and ends up with a surprising amount of hope at the end
Gifted Hands by Ben Carson and Cecil Murphy (100 pts): Long a favorite on this reading list, this is the story of Dr. Ben Carson's difficult childhood and surprising rise to being one of the best-known neurosurgeons in modern medicine. Faith in God, excellent mentors, and hard work are all given credit, and the last section of the book highlights some of his famous surgeries.
Gone: A Girl, a Violin, a Life Unstrung by Min Kym (100 pts): This is an autobiography of a child prodigy violinist the relationship between a professional musician and her instrument. Her million-dollar violin was stolen several years ago and made international news. Along with reading the book, you should hear some of the music she mentions, since the actual pieces are linked to online recordings.
Great Quake, The: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet by Henry Fountain (100 pts): Henry Fountain spent years investigating how the 1964 Alaskan earthquake affected not only people's lives, the terrain, and local business, but also the study of how earthquakes come about on our planet. If you are science-minded—you will enjoy this book. If you aren't but want to appreciate geology and other earth sciences, you can learn easily as you progress through a very readable account of this record-breaking event in American history and theories attached to it.
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai (100 pts): Malala became famous a decade or so ago when she was shot as a teenager during her attempted murder by the Taliban. They were hoping to shut up her ideas of freedom for young women to go to school, but instead provided a world stage for her views. A good look into the tensions of politics and faith in the Middle East.
It's a Jungle Out There, Life Is a Jungle, and Jungle Calls by Ron Snell (200 pts for all; they are not long.): Nonfiction stories my family has read out loud three times now, laughing sometimes while amazed at what two brothers learn in their rainforest life and trips back to the States. This is an autobiographical account of a missionary kid and his brother growing up in Peru with a "risk-everything," ex-military father and a careful mom. These are fast-moving adventures that continue through Ron's college days in Chicago ("snakes in the dorm" and other great stories).
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War by Karen Abbott (100 pts): Abbott uses copious primary source material and interviews with the spies' descendants to tell the adventures of several strong women throughout the most dangerous years of the war. For example, an eidetic, formerly enslaved woman quietly "cleans" Jefferson Davis's office and secretly passes critical information to Northern planners. Another woman cuts her hair and enrolls in the Union army to escape an abusive past, and reveals details of the most horrific battles of the war. Some flirt to gain access to naive military leaders, some lead spy rings, etc. A good example of research made into interesting writing.
Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland (100 pts): Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina - Misty Copeland, the American Ballet Theatre's first black principal dancer, tells of her challenge to move from a child of little privilege on through the hard choices that led her to the ABT. Very readable for those who are curious about the life of a professional ballerina or who wonder how Copeland persevered as an African American in a traditionally white field.
Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew, and Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare (100 pts per play): Grab some friends and read these aloud? Take your time and use a Folger edition if possible to have summaries and footnotes available. Watch for quotable quotes and timeless themes. Listen along with a non-abridged audio version if you wish.
Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan (100 pts): This is encouraging historical fiction whether you know of C.S. Lewis and the Narnia series or not. The main character is a college mathematics student who has conversations with Lewis where she first questions him about Narnia on behalf of her little brother, and comes to appreciate the value of fiction and fantasy for herself.
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (100 pts): Hard to find good things to think about when you are angry? Mrs. Voskamp's journal-style writing deals honestly with her disappointments with God, even the death of her sister. Her beautiful writing style includes invented words and various tones as she finds joy as a young Christian wife and mother on a Canadian farm.
Oswald Chambers: Abandoned to God by David Macasland (100 pts): A real surprise for me! I expected an elder-statesman type of man, but found a young man talented in the arts, who focused his life and went for what was important to him in his search for truth. Brings new energy to the devotions many have read for years.
Outcasts United by Warren St. John (100 pts): How do you coach a soccer team that speaks many languages, and has no place to practice? This is the readable story of a town, a group of refugees, and a soccer coach who gave up her family's expectations in order to make a difference in the lives of some families in Clarkston, GA.
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell (100 pts) For students not taking AP Lang: One out of a best-selling series of Gladwell books; this one looks at what creates success based on empirical data and observation. You'll be surprised at the interesting examples, from hockey stars to plane crashes to feuding families in Kentucky and lawyers in Manhattan.
Places in Between, The by Rory Stewart (100 pts): Stewart's nonfiction account of a journalist's walk across Afghanistan without the protection of his Western identity. Even if you have read only a little about the Middle East, this will inform and intrigue you. Includes a dog story and sketches by the author, too. There is a quite small amount of "language."
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (100 pts): One Amazon reviewer says: “An irresistible interstellar adventure as only Andy Weir could deliver, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival . . . .” My husband and I really enjoyed reading this sci-fi book out loud on a road trip—we couldn't predict what was coming next, and many parts were fast moving and clever. There is one bit of objectionable plot near the end.
Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship by Michelle Kuo (100 pts): Michelle Kuo graduates from a prestigious college and chooses to go with Teach for America to a small town in Mississippi which is poor in many ways due to jobs going away when major employers left. Kuo teaches in a school where few if any of her African-American students have ever met anyone from her Asian-American heritage. Patrick is one student she keeps up with after she goes on to finish law school; he ends up in jail in a broken justice system but leaves having hope to share with his new family. Contains small amount of "language."
Rebel with a Cause by Franklin Graham (100 pts): Franklin Graham's very readable autobiography. It was hard for Franklin to find his own life in the shadow of a "Christian Great" such as his father, Rev. Billy Graham. A famous traveling father and a determined and creative mom make for quite a set of boundaries for a young man too rebellious for his own safety! Graham's story continues through the beginnings of Samaritan's Purse.
Screwtape Letters, The by C. S. Lewis (100 pts): Take your time with this series of letters from a Satanic, fallen angel to his fledgling assistant who is charged with making a new believer fail. It's short, but its fantastic concept of evil vs. good will leave you re-thinking what tempts Christians to fall as well as survive in a world designed by a good God.
Spaceman: An Astronaut's Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe by Mike Massimino (100 pts): I have a former NASA employee in my immediate family, but I didn't understand what the "big deal" about space travel was until reading this book. Mike Massimino's story of being tethered alone in space while repairing the Hubble telescope had me outside looking at the stars within days of finishing the book. Massimino is humorous and descriptive, and you will enjoy and appreciate space study after reading this.
Sword and the Shield, The: The Revolutionary Lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. by Joseph E. Peniel (100 pts): Peniel's recent book parallels the lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. as they occupy similar time frames in the Civil Rights era. The author/researcher carefully parallels their biographies, which gives context to this time period. Yes, they were very different in many ways, but this text gives a more complete view of the men, their goals, their deaths, and their effect on our history.
There Is No Me Without You by Melissa Faye Green (100 pts): Nonfiction read that blends history, medical research, personal account, and biography to tell the story of an African woman's involvement in the growing orphan crisis in Ethiopia, and what we can do about it. Author is from Decatur - very readable and personal in approach, and the final section of the book tells several families' stories of adoption.
Three Among Wolves: A Couple and Their Dog Live a Year with Wolves in the Wild by Helen Thayer (100 pts): Three Among Wolves is an amazing, true story of a couple who are dropped off far away from human habitations and then walk days farther up north to areas where wolves are free to roam. They camp out with their own part-wolf dog named Charlie for months at a time, allowing him to be their alpha so they can interact at a distance with wolf families. They hope to prove that wolves are not crazed attackers, but are communal with other animals. The author was (earlier) the first woman to trek alone to the magnetic north pole, and she and her husband have walked across massive deserts and hiked into the iciest places. Great reading!
Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis (100 pts): Till We Have Faces is the last novel that Lewis wrote before his death, and is a fantasy story of friendship and faith. My students usually like the story, but are lost on the overall relevancy to Lewis's faith, SO please email me for useful, brief, explanatory notes! Shumanhw@gmail.com
Trust First: A True Story about the Power of Giving People Second Chances by Bruce Deel (100 pts): The founder and director of City of Refuge in Atlanta, Deel and his family moved to the “roughest zip code in Atlanta” to lead a church, and later, with many partners, created a “one stop” location to help people who are homeless, trafficked, or otherwise in need. This book is respectfully and humbly written, and full of great stories you will remember.
Unashamed by Lecrae Moore (100 pts): Learn the engaging backstory of rapper and Grammy-winning artist Lecrae. He has a long struggle to faith in Christ, and eventually finds clear answers to many questions: Why even be a Christian? What does it mean for a Christian to affect culture? Why bother being in culture, when there is a Christian audience one could make happy?
Underground: A Human History of the Worlds beneath Our Feet by Will Hunt (100 pts): Justin Davidson, an architecture critic for New York magazine, says of this book: "Will Hunt is an irresistible guide. I followed Underground's global tour of subterranean cultures with astonishment and joy, happy to meet a cast of cataphiles, compulsive diggers, ochre priests, spelunkers, and various seekers of the dark. I will never look at a hole in the ground in quite the same way again." Mrs. Shuman says, "My husband and I enjoyed reading this book aloud, finding ourselves under Paris, in caves in Australia, and in train tunnels in NYC. We learned a lot about why people have lived, visited, and worked beneath the surface."
Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud (100 pts): McCloud draws every frame of this book and it is a good read whether one likes comics or not! He gives context to this art form found in many cultures and time periods, and breaks understanding of comics into idea/purpose, form, idiom, structure, craft, and surface. Just a couple of frames illustrating a particular style may be objectionable. This is a book packed with art and analysis of style, all in comic format.
Wind at My Back, The: Resilience, Grace, and Other Gifts from My Mentor Raven Wilkinson by Misty Copeland (100 pts): Misty Copeland tells her mentor's history, as well as more of Copeland's own story. Copeland wrote in her earlier book, Life in Motion, of her own difficult time achieving her professional ballet dream; she now tells the story of how Wilkinson became a Black professional dancer decades before Copeland, yet succeeded with grace, faith, and determination.

The complete reading list, including instructions, is here: Reading List