Government

Giver

Posted on September 28, 2013 by webmaster

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The Giver
by Lois Lowrey

In the ‘ideal’ world into which Jonas was born, everybody has sensibly agreed that well-matched married couples will raise exactly two offspring, one boy and one girl. These children’s adolescent, sexual impulses will be stifled with specially prescribed drugs; at age 12 they will receive an appropriate career assignment, sensibly chosen by the community’s Elders. This is a world in which the old live in group homes and are ‘released’ –to great celebration– at the proper time; the few infants who do not develop according to schedule are also ‘released’, but with no fanfare.

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Until the time that Jonah begins training for his job assignment: the rigorous and prestigious position of Receiver of Memory he, too, is a complacent model citizen. But as his near-mystical training progresses, and he is weighed down and enriched with society’s collective memories of a world as stimulating as it was flawed, Jonas grows increasingly aware of the hypocrisy that rules his world.

Lexile Level	Content Rating	Number of Pages	Genre	Date Published	ISBN Number
660L	Middle School	192	Science Fiction	2002	00440237688

Animal Farm

Posted on September 20, 2013 by webmaster

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Animal Farm
by George Orwell

The animals on Mr. Jones’ farm have had enough of what they deem to be slavery. They’re tired of being ordered around by humans while they see no benefits in their daily work. This is all sparked by a dream that the boar, Major, had about a unique place where animals called the shots and never had to be ordered around by humans ever again. He tells them a revolution is very much needed. When Major dies, the animals act quickly and are able to overthrow the alcoholic farmer and his thugs from his very own farm.

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The pigs are in charge now, as they claim that they are much smarter than the others and know how to lead. What seems to be paradise quickly transforms into another form of slavery altogether enforced by propaganda and threats from the pigs. And yet, the animals do not know any better, as they are deceived by the new system that gives them the illusion that they are better off than they were with Mr. Jones calling the shots.

Lexile Level	Content Rating	Number of Pages	Genre	Date Published	ISBN Number
1170	Middle School	252	Fantasy	2009	1412811902

Hunger Games

Posted on September 17, 2013 by webmaster

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The Hunger Games

by Suzanne Collins

In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch.

When 16-year-old Katniss’s young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district’s female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives.

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Lexile Level	Content Rating	Number of Pages	Genre	Date Published	ISBN Number
810L	High School	384	Fantasy	2008	0439023481

1984

Posted on August 1, 2013 by webmaster

1984
by George Orwell

Winston Smith keeps a diary full of illegal thoughts about his unhappiness with the way things are, knowing that, at any moment, he might be taken away to some torture cell. He soon discovers that one of the people he works with, the beautiful Julia, has secretly fallen in love with him. Winston also wonders about the mysterious O’Brien. People say that he is a secret leader of the Brotherhood, an organization that is trying to destroy the existing government.

Lexile Level	Content Rating	Number of Pages	Genre	Date Published	ISBN Number
1090L	High School	336	Science Fiction	1949	0451524934

Nothing but the Truth

Posted on March 8, 2013 by webmaster

Nothing but the Truth
by Avi

Ninth-grader Philip Malloy was suspended from school for humming along to the Star-Spangled Banner in his homeroom, causing what his teacher, Margaret Narwin, called “a disturbance.” This small incident soon ignited a firestorm of debate on that national stage.

Was he standing up for his patriotic ideals, only to be squelched by the school system? Was Ms. Narwin simply trying to be a good teacher? Or could it all be just a misunderstanding? What is the truth here?

Lexile Level	Content Rating	Number of Pages	Genre	Date Published	ISBN Number
NA	Middle School	192	Drama	1991	0531059596