Recommended Reading for grade 9.
Here is a list of books our teacher editors
suggest
for students in grade 9. Our selections
include titles for both
girls and boys who have a variety of interests. These
selections include
both "academic" and "recreational" reading suggestions.
Check the synopsis for the book that might interest your
student.
If you want to buy the book, click on the book cover to order from Amazon.com. TeachersFirst receives a small portion of the proceeds to support our free service for teachers.
The Agony and the Ecstasy - by Irving StoneThe biography of Renaissance sculptor and artist Michelangelo, this book does just what its title promises-showing the torment and triumph of this gifted genius. It is a book you will never forget.
Both Sides of Time - by Caroline CooneyA romantic story about a young girl who escapes the marital discord and tension in her own home by retreating to a mansion. Little does she know that the mansion will transport her back in time to the 1890's.
Franny and Zooey - by J.D. SalingerMeet Franny and Zooey Glass-siblings in the famous Glass family of geniuses. The book-a series of short stories-presents characters you will never forget.
Friday Night Lights - by H.G. BissingerThe amazing true story of a high school football team. See how the Permian Panthers of Odessa, Texas transformed their community.
The Good Earth - by Pearl S. BuckSet in China in the early twentieth century, this story chronicles the life of a peasant family. Told in simple and realistic style, it is an unforgettable story .
Hatchet - by Gary PaulsenA young man survives a small plane crash and must make his way through the wilderness armed only with a hatchet.
The Hobbit - by J. R. R. TolkienEnter the world of magic and mystery created in this classic tale of good vs. evil.
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex - by Nat PhilbrickThis New York Times bestseller is the chilling story of survival and adventure on board the Essex. It recounts the true events that inspired Moby Dick.
Johnny Tremain - by Esther Forbes
Julius Caesar - by William ShakespeareShakespeare tackles politics and betrayal in this classic tragedy.
The Old Man and the Sea - by Ernest HemingwayHemingway's story of a fisherman and the fish he catches is far more than a fish story.
The Road from Coorain - by Jill Ker ConwayJill Ker Conway's event-filled memoir of growing up on the wild Australian outback.
Romeo and Juliet - by William ShakespeareA romantic tragedy about teen romance and feuding families.
A Separate Peace - by John KnowlesThis classic story of friendship and emotion is set in a boarding school during WW II.
She Said Yes: The Unlikely martyrdom of Cassie Bernall - by Misty BernallWinner of the 2000 Christopher Award, the book tells the story of the courage an conviction of Cassie Bernall , one of the young victims of the Columbine shooting.
Siddhartha - by Herman HesseThe classic coming-of-age novella traces the journey of a young man as he attempts to discover the meaning of life through prayer, sacrifice and mystical experience.
A Tale of Two Cities - by Charles DickensThis classic tale of the French Revolution has it all-scenes of bravery and of horror, scenes of love and of despair, scenes of compassion.
The Tao of Pooh - by Benjamin HoffLearn about the Daoist philosophy from that most reflective of bears, Winnie the Pooh!
Teen Angst? Naaah . . . A Quasi-autobiography - by Ned VizziniA young man's memories of what growing up is really like.
The Red Pony - by John Steinbeck
Timeline - by Michael CrichtonA fast-paced thriller that makes history and physics fun - by the author of Jurassic Park.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - by Betty SmithA wonderful book about a girl growing up. Although set in the early 1900's, the tribulations faced by the young heroine will ring true with readers of the new millennium.
War of the Worlds - by H.G. WellsFirst published in 1898, Wells classic "pseudo-scientific" tale tells of an invasion from Mars.
The Watsons Go to Birmingham - by Christopher Paul CurtisIt is 1963 and an African American family from Michigan heads for Birmingham for a family visit. There they find hatred and more.
Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod - by Gary PaulsenThe first hand account of the Iditarod - the 1150 mile dog sled race between Anchorage and Nome Alaska.
Wringer - by Jerry Spinelli