SUMMER READING BOOK SELECTION LIST/SUMMARIES: Grades 9-12
2016
9th Grade (Classics / Christian Fiction) Book Options
 Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
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 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 the white man.
 Silas Marner by George Eliot
An engrossing tale with a heartwarming denouement of a lonely and embittered country weaver whose
life is drastically changed when he becomes the guardian of an orphaned child. A masterly portrait of
moral and psychological behavior in Victorian England, widely hailed for its brevity and perfection of
form.
 Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
In this delightful romance about the man too self-centered to fall in love and the woman too unsure of
herself to want more out of life than the little she already has, George Bernard Shaw shakes the dust
off the Cinderella story and tells it as only he can. Eliza Doolittle, the Cockney flower girl who wants to
work in a flower shop, and Henry Higgins, the phoneticist who turns her into a princess, are no
mythological knight and maiden. Instead, even today, they resound with sharp humor and cutting
dialogue. Originally published in 1914, Pygmalion invites readers and audience members to examine
the roots of social prejudice and the true value of a human being, while also involving them in the
improbable lives of Shaw's one-dimensional, yet endearing characters.
 Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
The moving abolitionist novel that fueled the fire of the human rights debate in 1852 and
melodramatically condemned the institution of slavery through such powerfully realized characters as
Tom, Eliza, Topsy, Eva, and Simon Legree. First published more than 150 years ago, this monumental
work is today being reexamined by critics, scholars, and students.
 The Last Disciple by Hank Hanegraaff (or any other book in “The Last Disciple” series to include The
Last Temple and The Last Sacrifice))
First-century Rome is a perilous city as Nero stalks the political circles and huddled groups of believers.
To be safe, Christians must remain invisible. Gallus Sergius Vitas is the only man within Nero’s trusted
circle willing to do what it takes to keep the empire together. He struggles to lessen Nero’s monstrosities
against the people of Rome—especially the Christians. But as three Greek letters are scrawled as graffiti
throughout the city, Nero’s anger grows. As the early church begins to experience the turbulence Christ
prophesied as the beginning of the last days, an enemy seeks to find John’s letter, Revelation, and
destroy it. Meanwhile the early Christians must decipher it and cling to the hope it provides as they face
the greatest of all persecutions.
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 Any book from The Circle Series: Black, Red, White, or Green by Ted Dekker
An Adrenaline-Laced Epic Where Dreams and Reality Collide.
Fleeing assailants through deserted alleyways, Thomas Hunter narrowly escapes to the roof of a
building. Then a silent bullet from the night clips his head . . . and his world goes black. From the
blackness comes an amazing reality of another world where evil is contained. A world where Thomas
Hunter is in love with a beautiful woman. But then he remembers the dream of being chased through
an alleyway as he reaches to touch the blood on his head. Where does the dream end and reality begin?
Every time he falls asleep in one world, he awakes in the other. Yet in both, catastrophic disaster awaits
him . . . may even be caused by him. Some say the world hangs in the balance of every choice we make.
Now the fate of two worlds hangs in the balance of one man's choices. The series follows Hunter as he
navigates these challenges.
9th Grade (Non-Fiction / Apologetics
 She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall by Misty Bernall
"One of the most gripping stories to come out of the shooting at Columbine High School" is told in the
acclaimed national bestseller that illuminates the most remarkable aspect of 17-year-old Cassie
Bernall's tragic death: her life. She Said Yes is an "intense and fascinating memoir" (Publishers Weekly)
of an ordinary teenager growing up in suburban Colorado, and faced -- as all teenagers are -- with
difficult choices and pressures. It is only now, when the world knows Cassie Bernall as one of the
Columbine High students killed by two rampaging schoolmates, that the choices she made offer a
profound relevance for us all. Once a rage-filled young woman who walked a path similar to that of her
killers, Cassie found a way out of her personal snares and, through her faith and a family's love, chose
to embrace life with courage and conviction. Told with unflinching honesty by her mother, Misty Bernall,
Cassie's story is "a profoundly human story that should be read by every parent and every teenager"
(New York Post).
 To Sir, With Love by Braithwaite
This book chronicles the author's experiences as a teacher in the slums of London.
 Gifted Hands by Ben Carson
In 1987, Dr. Benjamin Carson gained worldwide recognition for his part in the first successful separation
of Siamese twins joined at the back of the head. Carson pioneered again in a rare procedure known as
a hemispherectomy, giving children without hope a second chance at life through a daring operation in
which he literally removes one half of their brain. Such breakthroughs aren't unusual for Ben Carson.
He's been beating the odds since he was a child. Raised in inner-city Detroit by a mother with a third
grade education, Ben lacked motivation. He had terrible grades. And a pathological temper threatened
to put him in jail. But Sonya Carson convinced her son he could make something of his life, even though
everything around him said otherwise. Trust in God, a relentless belief in his own capabilities, and sheer
determination catapulted Ben from failing grades to the directorship of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns
Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Gifted Hands takes you into the operating room to witness
surgeries that made headlines around the world---and into the private mind of a compassionate, Godfearing physician who lives to help others.
 Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala
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Pastor Jim Cymbala believes that Jesus wants to renew his people---to call us back from spiritual dead
ends, apathy, and lukewarm religion. Cymbala knows the difference firsthand. Thirty-five years ago his
own church, the Brooklyn Tabernacle, was a struggling congregation of twenty. Then they began to pray
... God began to move ... street-hardened lives by the hundreds were changed by the love of Christ ...
and today they are more than ten thousand strong. The story of what happened to this broken-down
church in one of America's toughest neighborhoods points the way to new spiritual vitality in the church
and in your own life. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire shows what the Holy Spirit can do when believers get serious
about prayer and the gospel. As this compelling book reveals, God moves in life-changing ways when
we set aside our own agendas, take him at his word, and listen for his voice.
 Soul Surfer by Bethany Hamilton (watching the movie is not a substitute for reading the book.)
She lost her arm in a shark attack and nearly died, but she never lost her faith. In her #1 New York Times
bestseller, Bethany Hamilton tells the moving story of her triumphant return to competitive surfing,
which continues to inspire all who hear it.
They say Bethany Hamilton has salt water in her veins. How else could one explain the passion that
drives her to surf? Or that nothing—not even the loss of her arm—could come between her and the
waves? That Halloween morning in Kauai, Hawaii, Bethany responded to the shark’s stealth attack with
the calm of a teenage girl with God on her side, resolutely pushing aside her pain and panic while being
rescued and brought back to shore. “When can I surf again?” was the first thing Bethany asked after her
emergency surgery, leaving no doubt that her spirit and determination were part of a greater story—a
tale of personal empowerment and spiritual grit that shows the body is no more essential to surfing,
perhaps even less so, than the soul.
 The Story of My Life by Hellen Keller
Great story of human courage and dedication recounted in autobiography of a remarkable woman: the
magical moment when Miss Keller first recognizes the connection between words and objects, her joy
at learning how to speak, friendships with notable figures, her education at Radcliffe and an
extraordinary relationship with her inspired teacher, Anne Sullivan.
 Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon
A wonderful blend of old-fashioned fiction writing and the meticulously researched true story of the
young English woman who was the tutor to the children of King Mongkut of Siam during the 1860s. Her
most important pupil was the prince who would become Thailand's most progressive king. It was Anna
who taught him about Abraham Lincoln and the Western ideals which would later influence his reign
and the transformation of Thailand from a feudal state to a modern progressive society.
 Luther: Biography of a Reformer by Frederick Nohl
Martin Luther had one goal: peace with God. He didn’t find it in the holy relics and indulgences of the
church or in his life as an obedient monk. Luther discovered God s treasure of truth buried under human
laws and regulations. He discovered the Gospel in the Word of God. Luther took his stand on that Word,
defying the highest authorities in the church and state. In so doing, he started the oldest continuing
evangelical movement in history. This is Luther s dramatic story. Born of humble parents in 1483, Martin
Luther grew up to live the adventuresome, often dangerous, life of a man of God. He became one of
those great men who affected all he met and many thousands he never met. Martin Luther still lives on
today, for his thoughts and words and actions have helped to shape our modern world.
 Within Reach: My Everest Story by Pfetzer & Galvin
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SUMMER READING BOOK SELECTION LIST/SUMMARIES: Grades 9-12
2016
In May 1996 the media scrambled to document the gripping story of sixteen-year-old Mark Pfetzer's
expedition to Mount Everest. Not only was he the youngest climber ever to attempt the summit, he also
witnessed the tragedy documented in Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, in which eight climbers perished in
a sudden storm. Within Reach is Mark's extraordinary account of this experience and of his triumphs
over several other challenging peaks. At once triumphant and tragic, this story will be an inspiration to
climbers, athletes, and armchair enthusiasts alike.
 Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow
Former University of Florida star quarterback, 2010 first-round draft pick for the Denver Broncos, and
devout Christian Tim Tebow tells the story of his faith, his life, and his career in football in Through My
Eyes. Written with Nathan Whitaker, the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Quiet Strength, with
Tony Dungy, Through My Eyes gives fans a first look into the heart of an athlete whose talent and
devotion have made him one of the most provocative figures in football.
10th Grade (Classics / Christian Fiction) Book Options
1. The Odyssey – Homer
Years after the end of the Trojan War, the Greek hero Odysseus still hasn't come home to Ithaka. Most
people figure he's dead. But we don't: Homer lets us know right away that Odysseus is being held on the
island of the goddess Kalypso. The sea god Poseidon is angry at Odysseus, and sees no reason to let him
get home.
2. Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe
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 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 the white man.
3. Dracula – Bram Stoker
The novel is told via the diary entries of a young lawyer Jonathan Harker, his fiancée Mina, Lucy Westenra,
and Dr. John Seward. The setting is the Transylvanian abode of Dracula, a strange and foreboding castle.
Harker’s purpose is to settle a land deal for Seward, but he is drawn into bizarre and horrifying events
within the castle walls.
4. Frankenstein – Mary Shelley
In a series of letters, Robert Walton, the captain of a ship bound for the North Pole, recounts to his sister
back in England the progress of his dangerous mission. Successful early on, the mission is soon interrupted
by seas full of impassable ice. Trapped, Walton encounters Victor Frankenstein, who has been traveling
by dog-drawn sledge across the ice and is weakened by the cold. Walton takes him aboard ship, helps
nurse him back to health, and hears the fantastic tale of the monster that Frankenstein created.
5. Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
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At the age of nineteen, Edmond Dantès seems to have the perfect life. He is about to become the captain
of a ship, he is engaged to a beautiful and kind young woman, Mercédès, and he is well liked by almost
everyone who knows him. This perfect life, however, stirs up dangerous jealousy among some of Dantès’s
so-called friends. Danglars, the treasurer of Dantès’s ship, envies Dantès’s early career success; Fernand
Mondego is in love with Dantès’s fiancée and so covets his amorous success; his neighbor Caderousse is
simply envious that Dantès is so much luckier in life than he is.
6. Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
Oliver Twist’s mother died shortly after giving birth to him in a workhouse. At the age of nine he went to
live with an undertaker where he was cruelly treated. He ran away to London, where he became involved
with a gang of child thieves, controlled by the evil Fagin. After a street robbery went wrong, Oliver was
cared for by the kindly Mr. Brownlow, but he soon ended up back in the grip of Fagin and his accomplice
Bill Sikes.
7. Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
George Milton, an intelligent but uneducated man, and Lennie Small, a man of large stature and great
strength but limited mental abilities—are on their way to another part of California in Soledad to seek job
opportunities during the Great Depression. They hope to one day attain their shared dream of settling
down on their own piece of land.
8. Screwtape Letters – C.S. Lewis
The Screwtape Letters are a series of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a junior
"tempter" named Wormwood, advising him on methods of securing the damnation of a British man,
known as "the Patient." Screwtape holds an administrative post in the bureaucracy ("Lowerarchy") of
Hell, and acts as a mentor to Wormwood. In his letters, Screwtape gives Wormwood detailed advice on
various methods of destroying faith and promoting sin in the Patient.
9. The Chosen – Chaim Potok
The Chosen traces a friendship between two Jewish boys growing up in Brooklyn at the end of World War
II. Reuven Malter, the narrator and one of the novel’s two protagonists, is a traditional Orthodox Jew.
Danny Saunders, the other protagonist, is a brilliant Hasid with a photographic memory and a passion for
psychoanalysis. The novel tells the story of the friendship that develops between the two boys, and it
examines the tensions that arise as their cultures collide with each other and with modern American
society.
10. The Hawk and the Dove – Penelope Wilcox (Read all three parts)
While the setting is in a medieval monastery, and the characters belong to another century, their struggles
are our own—finding one’s place, coping with failure, living with impossible people, and changing when
we realize that we are the impossible ones. Rich with imagery and emotion, their tales depict love in action
and love given in the most trying of circumstances. Penelope Wilcock writes a love story about God and
man, and love between brothers in Christ rather than the typical romance between man and woman. A
true ministry to the lonely of heart, Wilcock’s tales of monastic life reflects the timeless human struggle
of people learning to love God and to receive his grace.
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SUMMER READING BOOK SELECTION LIST/SUMMARIES: Grades 9-12
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10th Grade (Non-Fiction / Apologetics) Book Options
1. Band of Brothers – Stephen Ambrose
BAND OF BROTHERS is the history of Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne
Division, from basic training to D-Day.
It follows the jump into Holland, the Battle of
the Bulge, and finally the occupation of Berchtesgaden and Austria. This is a rarity among military
histories, told from the viewpoint of the front line soldier, the privates, non-coms and officers who
carry out the grand strategy of generals.
2. Abolition of Man – C.S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis sets out to persuade his audience of the importance and relevance of universal values such as
courage and honor in contemporary society. short, Lewis’ argument is in favor of what he terms the ‘Tao‘,
that is, the “practical principles known to all men by Reason” or in other words “the doctrine of objective
value, the belief that certain attitudes are really true, and others really false.” In rejecting this Tao Lewis
argues that mankind has created “men without chests.” They have done away with basic axioms of
morality and virtue in attempt to create their own system.
3. Habits of Mind: Intellectual Life as a Christian Calling – James Sire
Sire shoots down the theory that to be a Christian and an intellectual is oxymoronic. What does it mean
to be an intellectual? he asks. What does it mean to think well and responsibly? He examines how to
cultivate intellectual virtues and disciplines in the ongoing pursuit of knowledge. He defines what an
intellectual is--one who is in love with ideas is the short explanation--and ultimately challenges Christians
to accept the responsibility to "think well." An intellectual, he notes, must be fairly intelligent, have access
to a good education, and be able to communicate effectively. A Christian intellectual is all that and, in
addition, directs every act and every thought to the glory of God. More than that, Christian intellectuals
must do as they say--hypocrisy is not an option--and must act on what they claim to know to be the truth.
The qualities of an intellectual mind include a passion for truth, a passion for holiness, and constancy,
patience, and perseverance
4. How Long, O Lord: Reflections on Suffering and Evil – D.A. Carson
This work deals with perhaps the most vexing question that has ever faced the human race, the question
of suffering. This is not a book that's really meant to comfort someone who is in the grips of suffering, but
rather a book that is meant to provide a Christian foundation for suffering BEFORE the suffering comes so
that Christians will have a better basis for coming to grips with it.
5. From God to Us: How we got our Bible – Norman Geisler
The Bible was written in multiple languages by dozens of authors whose lives spanned a period of more
than fifteen hundred years. How did it all come together? Best-selling author Norman Geisler thoroughly
answers this question and many more. Major topics addressed include: theories of inspiration, the
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SUMMER READING BOOK SELECTION LIST/SUMMARIES: Grades 9-12
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process of canonization, major manuscripts and recent discoveries, textual criticism, Greek and Latin
translations, and modern English translations.
6. Hinds Feet on High Places – Hannah Hurnard
Much-Afraid had been in the service of the Chief Shepherd, whose great flocks were pastured down in
the Valley of Humiliation. She lived with her friends and fellow workers Mercy and Peace in a tranquil little
white cottage in the village of Much-Trembling. She loved her work and desired intensely to please the
Chief Shepherd, but happy as she was in most ways, she was conscious of several things which hindered
her in her work and caused her much secret distress and shame. Here is the allegorical tale of MuchAfraid, an every-woman searching for guidance from God to lead her to a higher place
7. That Incredible Christian – A.W. Tozer
Tozer discusses why the Holy Spirit is given, the Divine Indwelling, the fact that we are saved “to” as well
as “from,” the need for Divine illumination, and the sanctification of our minds. The book is simply wellwritten and challenging; consisting of 41 short (3 page) essays taken from Alliance Witness editorials.
8. Peace Child – Don Richardson
In 1962, Don and Carol Richardson risked their lives to share the gospel with the Sawi people
of New Guinea. Peace Child told their unforgettable story of living among these headhunting
cannibals who valued treachery through fattening victims with friendship before the slaughter.
God gave Don and Carol the key to the Sawi hearts via a redemptive analogy from their own
mythology. The peace child became the secret to unlocking a value system that existed
through generations over centuries, possibly millenniums, of time. This new edition of Peace
Child will inspire a new generation of readers who need to hear this unforgettable story and
the lessons it teaches us about communicating Christ in a meaningful way to those around
us.
9. Evidence Not Seen – Darlene Deibler Rose
This is the true story of a young American missionary woman courage and triumph of faith in
the jungles of New Guinea and her four years in a notorious Japanese prison camp. Never to
see her husband again, she was forced to sign a confession to a crime she did not commit
and face the executioner's sword, only to be miraculously spared.
10. Cry the Beloved Country – Alan Paton
The book, by white South African writer Alan Paton, begins with the story of a black South
African priest, Stephen Kumalo, who goes to search for his lost son, Absalom. Kumalo is a
quiet, unassuming man who relies on his faith to get him through tough circumstances. And
when he finds that his son has been arrested for the murder of a white activist for racial
equality, and is scheduled to be executed, he begins working for reconciliation and justice.
11th Grade (Classics / Christian Fiction) Book Options
1. Prophet – Frank Peretti
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John Barrett, anchorman for the city's most-watched newscast, is a man suddenly lost in a town he
thought he owned. His comfortable world is being jarred to the breaking point. He's caught his producer
fabricating a story and lying to cover her tracks-and she seems to be hiding something much bigger. His
supposedly professional and objective colleagues have descended into a dogfight over the meaning of
truth. His father's "accidental" death suddenly isn't looking so accidental. And John's estranged son, Carl,
has returned to get the truth about the man behind the TV image. All of these events pale in comparison
to the mysterious voices that John is hearing.
2. The Promise – Chaim Potok
Reuven Malter lives in Brooklyn, he’s in love, and he’s studying to be a rabbi. He also keeps challenging
the strict interpretations of his teachers, and if he keeps it up, his dream of becoming a rabbi may die.
One day, worried about a disturbed, unhappy boy named Michael, Reuven takes him sailing and cloudwatching. Reuven also introduces him to an old friend, Danny Saunders–now a psychologist with a
growing reputation. Reconnected by their shared concern for Michael, Reuven and Danny each learns
what it is to master and use knowledge to make one’s own way in the world.
3. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
Pip, an orphan boy adopted by a blacksmith's family, has good luck and great expectations, and then loses
both his luck and his expectations. Through this rise and fall, however, Pip learns how to find happiness.
He learns the meaning of friendship and the meaning of love and, of course, becomes a better person for
it. One of Dickens' finest novels, this is a gripping tale of crime and guilt, revenge and reward.
4. Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
When two sisters appear to be deserted by the young men they had intended to marry, the stage is set
for a delicious comedy of manners that not only showcases Austen's perception, humor and incomparable
prose, but offers a splendid glimpse of upper and middle-class English society of the early 19th century.
Sense and Sensibility are represented through the sisters: Elinor, the older sister, represents qualities of
"sense": reason, restraint, social responsibility, and a clear-headed concern for the welfare of others. In
contrast, Marianne, her younger sister, represents qualities of "sensibility": emotion, spontaneity,
impulsiveness, and rapturous devotion.
5. Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck's novel The Grapes of Wrath tells the specific story of the Joad family in order to illustrate
the hardship and oppression suffered by migrant laborers during the Great Depression. It is an explicitly
political tract that champions collectivist action by the lower classes over expressions of individualist selfinterest and chastises corporate and banking elites for shortsighted policies meant to maximize profit
even while forcing farmers into destitution and even starvation.
6. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee
A black man is charged with the rape of a white girl in the Deep South, Alabama in the 1930s. Through the
young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the
irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice,
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violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice—but
the weight of history will only tolerate so much. Lee tells two deftly paired stories: one focused on lawyer
Atticus Finch's defense of an unjustly accused man, the other on his bright, bratty daughter's gradual
discovery of her own goodness.
7. Purgatorio – Dante Alighieri
Purgatorio relates the second part of poet/narrator Dante Alighieri's depiction of his fictional journey
through the divine realms. Having told of his experiences in Hell in Inferno, Dante now relates his
experiences cleansing himself in Purgatory as he prepares to visit Heaven. As a text, Purgatorio has always
played second fiddle to the far more violent and bitter Inferno. However, Purgatorio introduces an
important topic largely ignored in Inferno – Dante’s childhood love for a woman named Beatrice.
8. Paradiso – Dante Alighieri
Paradiso relates Dante's journey through the last of the Divine Realms: Heaven (or Paradise). In
comparison to the first two cantiche of the Divine Comedy, Paradiso focuses much more on theological
doctrine than on plot or politics. So the theological discussions in Paradiso are considered tests to weed
out weaker readers in the hopes that only the best, like Dante, will stick around long enough to see God
in the end.
9. Perelandra – C.S. Lewis
In these fantasy stories for adults, we encounter magical creatures, a world of wonders, epic battles, and
revelations of transcendent truths. Perelandra, the second novel in Lewis's science fiction trilogy, tells of
Dr. Ransom's voyage to the paradise planet of Perelandra, or Venus, which turns out to be a beautiful
Eden-like world. He is horrified to find that his old enemy, Dr. Weston, has also arrived and is putting him
in grave peril once more. As the mad Weston's body is taken over by the forces of evil, Ransom engages
in a desperate struggle to save the innocence of Perelandra!
10. The Unvanquished – William Faulkner
Set in Mississippi during the Civil War and Reconstruction, The Unvanquished focuses on the Sartoris
family, who, with their code of personal responsibility and courage, stand for the best of the Old South's
traditions. We see Confederates and Yankees, raids and skirmishes and armies – if not all-out battles –
firsthand.
11. The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
The exemplary novel of the Jazz Age, F. Scott Fitzgeralds' third book, The Great Gatsby (1925), stands as
the supreme achievement of his career. The story of the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby and his love for
the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, of lavish parties on Long Island at a time when, The New York Times
remarked, "gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession," it is an exquisitely crafted tale of
America in the 1920s that resonates with the power of myth. A novel of lyrical beauty yet brutal realism,
of magic, romance, and mysticism.
11th Grade (Non-Fiction / Apologetics) Book Options
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1. Papa Prayer – Larry Crabb
A revolutionary conversational approach to talking with and enjoying God. The PAPA Prayer is centered
on knowing God and building a relationship with Him. The goal is not praise nor thanksgiving, and certainly
not petition, for which we evangelicals are famous. Many of our personal and corporate prayer times are
often a list of wants and needs as if we are sitting on Santa’s lap as a child before Christmas. Sure there
are a few sentences praising God and thanking Him, but the majority of time is spent listing off requests.
However good and needed these requests may be, Crabb suggests that prayer is not about that at all. It
is not about making our life on earth as comfortable as possible, nor praying for everything to go right; it
is about us coming to God as we are and relating to Him.
2. Jungle Pilot – Russel Hitt
This is edge-of-your-seat reading, a story about the adventure-filled life of aviator and missionary Nate
Saint who was martyred in the jungles of Ecuador in the mid 1950s. Author Russell Hitt writes expressively
of Saint's life, his work, and his laserlike persistence, through deep peril, in the service of the Lord. Jungle
Pilot is an inspirational example of how one life challenged an entire generation of Christians.
3. God in the Dock – C.S. Lewis
48 essays comprise God in the Dock. Here Lewis addresses himself both to theological and ethical
questions. But whether he is discussing "Evil and God," "Miracles," "The Decline of Religion," or "The
Humanitarian Theory of Punishment," his insight and observations are thoroughly and profoundly
Christian. Drawn from a variety of sources, the essays were designed to meet a variety of needs, and
among other accomplishments they serve to illustrate the many different angles from which we are able
to view the Christian religion.
4. Autobiography of George Muller
George Muller begins his autobiography from his early childhood, at which time he confesses to being a
shallow and misbehaving child. However, when a classmate invites him to a neighbor's bible study in his
home, Muller begins to desire a sincere Christian lifestyle. Ultimately, Muller becomes known as a man of
prayer who created and led an orphanage for the abandoned children of Britain.
5. Problem of Pain – C.S. Lewis
Why would an all-loving, all-knowing God allow people to experience pain and suffering? In this elegant
and thoughtful work, C. S. Lewis questions the pain and suffering that occur every day and how this
contrasts with the notion of a God that is both omnipotent and good. An answer to this critical theological
problem is found within these pages.
6. Knowing God – J.I. Packer
A lifelong pursuit of knowing God should embody the Christian's existence. According to eminent
theologian J.I. Packer, however, Christians have become enchanted by modern skepticism and have joined
the "gigantic conspiracy of misdirection" by failing to put first things first. Knowing God aims to redirect
our attention to the simple, deep truth that to know God is to love His Word. Each chapter is so specific
in focus (covering topics such as the trinity, election, God's wrath, and God's sovereignty), that each
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succeeding chapter's theology seems to rival the next, until one's mind is so expanded that one's entire
view of God has changed. Packer points the reader to the true character of God with his theological
competence and compassionate heart. The lazy and faint-hearted should be warned about this timeless
work--God is magnified, the sinner is humbled, and the saint encouraged.
7. How to Read Slowly – James Sire
James Sire has written an engaging and practical book on reading comprehension. The title is somewhat
of a misnomer since the book has nothing to do with the actual speed of reading but rather the process
of comprehending what we read. He covers the genres of non-fiction, poetry, and fiction with especially
helpful advice on how to read them. The last chapters are dedicated to the different contexts of reading
and when and what to read. This short book takes a particular approach to reading in that it teaches the
reader to determine the world view of the author. The author approaches this from a particularly Christian
point-of-view, but maintains that wide reading is necessary and profitable to developing a world view to
which we are committed.
8. The Hiding Place – Corrie Ten Boom
A true story of the Ten Boom family who, during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands, upon seeing what
was happening to their Jewish neighbors and friends, asked themselves this age old question "If not
us,...who; if not now,...when?" They answered it, ultimately at great cost. Here is a book aglow with the
glory of God and the courage of those whose life was transformed by it.
9. Eternity in Their Hearts – Don Richardson
Don Richardson examines what he has learned about primitive groups of people, and compares it
with what he reads in the Bible, and concludes that God has prepared these groups of people to
receive the message of Jesus Christ. He sees this as the fulfillment of God's covenant with
Abraham. Richardson tells the stories of many groups from around the world, examining their
religious practices and beliefs, trying to find some common thread with Christianity.
10. Brave Companions: Portraits in History – David McCullough
Brave Companions is a volume of seventeen previously published articles, biographies, and
stories about diverse Americans and significant events selected to inspire Americans to shake
off their ambivalence towards and fight their ignorance of history, which has much to teach.
12th Grade (Classics / Christian Fiction) Book Options
1. Atlas Shrugged – Ayn Rand
This is the story of a man who said that he would stop the motor of the world—and did. Was he a destroyer
or the greatest of liberators? Why did he have to fight his battle, not against his enemies, but against
those who needed him most, and his hardest battle against the woman he loved? What is the world’s
motor—and the motive power of every man? This novel presents an astounding panorama of human
life—from the productive genius who becomes a worthless playboy—to the great steel industrialist who
does not know that he is working for his own destruction—to the philosopher who becomes a pirate—to
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the composer who gives up his career on the night of his triumph—to the woman who runs a
transcontinental railroad—to the lowest track worker in her Terminal tunnels.
2. This Present Darkness – Frank Peretti
The small town of Ashton is the unexpected setting for an epic clash between good and evil as a Christian
preacher and a news reporter unearth a plot to take over their small community, and eventually the world.
Unseen supernatural forces engage in spiritual warfare, as armies of angels and demons wage battle with
groups of Christians and New Agers, influencing what they cannot see by the power of prayer.
3. Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
Jane’s Austen’s delightfully scathing satire on class, pride, and proper behavior is as beloved today as it
was when first published in 1813. The long road that the quick-witted, sharp-tongued Elizabeth Bennet
and the haughty Darcy travel from mutual disdain to unfulfilled longing and finally to love and marriage is
beset with obstacles in the form of Elizabeth’s insufferable mother, irrepressible younger sister, and
Darcy’s own secret pain. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen has captured not only the frivolous sensibilities
of early-nineteenth-century provincial England, but also the hearts and minds of anyone who has loved
outside of social expectations and aspired to a happiness beyond mere propriety.
4. A Tale of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
The story is set in the late 18th century against the background of the French Revolution, though the novel
offers more drama than accuracy. The scenes of large-scale mob violence are especially vivid. The
complex plot involves Sydney Carton's sacrifice of his own life on behalf of his friends Charles Darnay and
Lucie Manette. While political events drive the story, Dickens takes a decidedly antipolitical tone,
lambasting both aristocratic tyranny and revolutionary excess--the latter memorably caricatured in
Madame Defarge, who knits beside the guillotine. The book is perhaps best known for its opening lines,
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," and for Carton's last speech, in which he says of his
replacing Darnay in a prison cell, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far
better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.”
5. The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas
A famous swashbuckling adventure. When hot-blooded young d'Artagnan comes to Paris to seek his
fortune, he finds himself challenged to a duel with not one, but three of the King's Musketeers. But Athos,
Porthos and Aramis are to become his greatest friends, and companions in dangerous adventure when he
becomes embroiled in the intrigues of the Court and the beautiful, evil Lady de Winter.
6. For Whom the Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway
The story explores Robert Jordan, a young American in the International Brigades attached to an
antifascist guerilla unit in the mountains of Spain. It tells of loyalty and courage, love and defeat, and the
tragic death of an ideal. The novel is set in the spring of 1937, at a time when the war had come to a
standstill, a month after German troops razed the Spanish town of Guernica. At this point, the Republicans
still held out some hope for victory and were planning a new offensive. For Whom the Bell Tolls explores
themes of wartime individuality, the effects of war on its combatants, and the military bureaucracy’s
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impersonal indifference to human life. Most important, the novel addresses the question of whether an
idealistic view of the world justifies violence.
7. Ben Hur – Lew Wallace
Judah Ben-Hur lives as a rich Jewish prince and merchant in Jerusalem at the beginning of the 1st century.
His old friend Messala arrives as commanding officer of the Roman legions. They become bitter enemies.
Because of an unfortunate accident, Ben-Hur is sent to slave in the mines while his family is sent to leprosy
caves. As Messala is dying from being crushed in a chariot race, he reveals where Ben-Hur's family is. On
the road to find them, Ben-Hur meets the Christ as he is on the road to Golgotha to be crucified. That day
changes Ben-Hur's life forever, for that is the day he becomes a believer.
8. The Invisible Heart: An Economic Romance – Russell Roberts
A love story that embraces the business and economic issues of the day. The Invisible Heart takes a
provocative look at business, economics, and regulation through the eyes of Sam Gordon and Laura Silver,
teachers at the exclusive Edwards School in Washington, D.C. Sam lives and breathes capitalism. He thinks
that most government regulation is unnecessary or even harmful. He believes that success in business is
a virtue. He believes that our humanity flourishes under economic freedom. Laura prefers Wordsworth
to the Wall Street Journal. Where Sam sees victors, she sees victims. She wants the government to protect
consumers and workers from the excesses of Sam's beloved marketplace. While Sam and Laura argue
about how to make the world a better place, a parallel story unfolds across town. Erica Baldwin, the
crusading head of a government watchdog agency, tries to bring Charles Krauss, a ruthless CEO, to justice.
The Invisible Heart give the reader a richer appreciation for how business and the marketplace transform
our lives.
9. Pilgrim’s Progress – John Bunyan
This is not a devotional classic; it is a dangerous tale. It is a call to the high stakes of every Christian's
journey. Don't pick it up expecting quaint amusement- it is a story woven through with undeniable truth,
great cost, and overwhelming joy. Faith, Hope, Mercy, Envy, Ignorance, Guilt: These are not abstract
concepts, but the names of vividly imagined, sharply drawn human characters encountered by Christian,
the hero of The Pilgrim’s Progress. In John Bunyan’s seventeenth-century allegory of the soul’s search for
salvation, each step along the way becomes a dramatic rendering of an inner state of the human psyche.
As Christian journeys from “the wilderness of this world” to the glory of the Celestial City, he confronts a
seemingly endless array of temptations, threats, and dangers, including the nearly irresistible allure of
material splendor at Vanity Fair; the crushing psychological burden of depression and despair in the Slough
of Despond; and the fear and uncertainty that eats away at faith in Doubting Castle.
10. That Hideous Strength – C.S. Lewis
That Hideous Strength is the third novel in Lewis's science fiction trilogy. Set on Earth, it tells of a terrifying
conspiracy against humanity. The story surrounds Mark and Jane Studdock, a newly married couple. Mark
is a sociologist who is enticed to join an organization called N.I.C.E., which aims to control all human life.
Jane, meanwhile, has bizarre prophetic dreams about a decapitated scientist, Alcasan. As Mark is drawn
inextricably into the sinister organization, he discovers the truth of his wife's dreams when he meets the
literal head of Alcasan, which is being kept alive by infusions of blood. Jane seeks help concerning her
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dreams at a community called St. Anne's, where she meets their leader—Dr. Ransom. The story ends in a
final spectacular scene at the N.I.C.E. headquarters where Merlin appears to confront the powers of Hell.
11. Moby Dick – Herman Melville
A masterpiece of storytelling and symbolic realism, this thrilling adventure and epic saga pits Ahab, a
brooding sea captain, against the great white whale that crippled him. More than just the tale of a hairraising voyage, Melville's riveting story passionately probes man's soul. Moby-Dick represents the
ultimate human struggle. This is a novel that appears bizarre to the point of being unreadable, but proves
to be infinitely open to interpretation and discovery.
12th Grade (Non-Fiction / Apologetics) Book Options
1. What Darwin Didn’t Know – Geoffrey Simmons
Darwin might have thought twice about publishing his theories if he had had access to today’s medical
and microbiological discoveries. Drawing on years of research, Dr. Simmons demonstrates that the
almost infinite complexity of the human anatomy simply could not have developed by chance. For
example: the body runs on “battery power”...from the hundreds of mitochondria in each cell. The two
sexes—evolutionary theory cannot explain why they exist. Every cell is its own pharmacist, chemist,
and metallurgist. Accessible, clearly presented, and utterly fascinating, What Darwin Didn’t Know
shows the human body to be a marvelous system constructed by an infinitely wise Designer.
2. Autobiography of George Whitefield – J.C. Ryle
Who were the men that revived religion in England a hundred years ago? What were their names, that
we may do them honor? Where were they born? How were they educated? What are the leading facts in
their lives? What was their special department of labor? Of all the spiritual heroes of a hundred years ago,
none saw so soon as George Whitefield what the times demanded, and none were so forward in the great
work of spiritual aggression. Multitudes of 'the humble poor' believed, and members of the aristocracy
heard the message of grace. An outstanding biography, popularly written, and with an urgent message
for the present day.
3. Miracles – C.S. Lewis
An impeccable inquiry into the proposition that supernatural events can happen in this world. C. S. Lewis
uses his remarkable logic to build a solid argument for the existence of Divine intervention.
4. Beautiful in God’s Eyes – Elizabeth George
Guiding women through Proverbs 31, beloved Bible teacher Elizabeth George shows how God defines
beauty and reveals how His “plan for success” is totally achievable. Insightful and practical, this book
reveals how women can make each day meaningful and delight in what God accomplishes through them.
Readers will discover how to experience progress towards goals, manage daily life more effectively, tap
into unlimited energy, and apply God’s principles to relationships. Women will feel greater confidence
and enjoy rich dailyrewards as they realize who they are in Christ and what they can do when they follow
His formula for true beauty.
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5. Everlasting Man – George Chesterton
Here is the book that converted C. S. Lewis from atheism to Christianity. This history of mankind, Christ,
and Christianity is to some extent a conscious rebuttal of H. G. Wells' Outline of History, which embraced
both the evolutionary origins of humanity and the mortal humanity of Jesus. Whereas Orthodoxy detailed
Chesterton's own spiritual journey, this book illustrates the spiritual journey of humanity, or at least of
Western civilization. A book for both mind and spirit.
6. Wild at Heart – John Eldridge
God designed men to be dangerous, says John Eldridge. Simply look at the dreams and desires written in
the heart of every boy: To be a hero, to be a warrior, to live a life of adventure and risk. Sadly, most men
abandon those dreams and desires-aided by a Christianity that feels like nothing more than pressure to
be a "nice guy." It is no wonder that many men avoid church, and those who go are often passive and
bored to death. In this provocative book, Eldridge gives women a look inside the true heart of a man and
gives men permission to be what God designed them to be-dangerous, passionate, alive, and free!
7. The Savage My Kinsman – Elisabeth Elliot
In January of 1956, the world recoiled in shock with the news. Five American missionaries had been
speared to death in the Ecuadorian jungles by Auca Indians-reportedly the most savage tribe on earth.
Years later, it became clear that what had seemed to be the tragic ending of those missionaries' dreams
was only the first chapter of one of the most breathtaking missionary stories of the twentieth century.
"The Savage, My Kinsman" tells the story, in text and pictures, of Elisabeth Elliot's venture into Auca
territory three years after the death of her husband, Jim Elliot. Elisabeth and her daughter Valerie, then
three years old, returned to the jungle along with Rachel Saint, the sister of one of the other slain men.
The linguistic work of these women brought Christ's message of salvation to the tribe that had killed their
loved ones.
8. Kon Tiki – Thor Heyerdahl
Kon-Tiki is the record of an astonishing adventure -- a journey of 4,300 nautical miles across the Pacific
Ocean by raft. Intrigued by Polynesian folklore, biologist Thor Heyerdahl suspected that the South Sea
Islands had been settled by an ancient race from thousands of miles to the east, led by a mythical hero,
Kon-Tiki. He decided to prove his theory by duplicating the legendary voyage. On April 28, 1947,
Heyerdahl and five other adventurers sailed from Peru on a balsa log raft. After three months on the open
sea, encountering raging storms, whales, and sharks, they sighted land -- the Polynesian island of Puka
Puka.
9. Up From Slavery – Booker T. Washington
Up from Slavery is the 1901 autobiography of Booker T. Washington detailing his work to rise from the
position of a slave child during the Civil War, to the difficulties and obstacles he overcame to get an
education at the new Hampton University, to his work establishing vocational schools—most notably the
Tuskegee Institute in Alabama—to help black people and other disadvantaged minorities learn useful,
marketable skills and work to pull themselves, as a race, up by the bootstraps. He reflects on the
generosity of both teachers and philanthropists who helped in educating blacks and Native Americans. He
describes his efforts to instill manners, breeding, health and a feeling of dignity to students. His
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educational philosophy stresses combining academic subjects with learning a trade (something which is
reminiscent of the educational theories of John Ruskin). Washington explained that the integration of
practical subjects is partly designed to reassure the white community as to the usefulness of educating
black people.
10. Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell says success depends not only on brains and drive, but on where we come from — and
what we do about it. He enlightens readers on successful MLS players as well as the accomplishments of
Bill Gates and the Beatles. Gladwell argues that the true story of success is very different, and that if we
want to understand how some people thrive, we should spend more time looking around them-at such
things as their family, their birthplace, or even their birth date. And in revealing that hidden logic, Gladwell
presents a fascinating and provocative blueprint for making the most of human potential.
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