Books You Might Like:
Books for Guys Who Hate to Read
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.
After a plane
crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness,
learning to survive with only the aid of a hatchet given him by his mother, and
learning also to survive his parents' divorce.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level 5.7
Brian's winter by Gary Paulsen.
Instead of being
rescued from a plane crash, as in the author's book Hatchet, this story
portrays what would have happened to Brian had he been forced to survive a
winter in the wilderness with only his survival pack and hatchet.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.9
Brian's hunt by Gary Paulsen.
Two years after
having survived a plane crash into the Canadian wilderness, a sixteen-year-old
returns to the wild to befriend a wounded dog and hunt a rogue bear.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.9
Guts : the
true stories behind Hatchet and the Brian books by Gary Paulsen.
The author
relates incidents in his life and how they inspired parts of his books about
the character, Brian Robeson.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 6.5
Son of the mob by Gordon Korman.
Seventeen-year-old
Vince's life is constantly complicated by the fact that he is the son of a
powerful Mafia boss, a relationship that threatens to destroy his romance with
the daughter of an FBI agent.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.8
The glass cafŽ,
or, The stripper and the state : how my mother started a war with the system
that made us kind of rich and a little bit famous by Gary Paulsen.
When
twelve-year-old Tony, a talented artist, begins sketching the dancers at the
Kitty Kat Club where his mother is an exotic dancer, it sparks the attention of
social services.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.6
Godless by Pete Hautman.
When
sixteen-year-old Jason Bock and his friends create their own religion to
worship the town's water tower, what started out as a joke begins to take on a
power of its own.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.1
Jude by Kate Morgenroth.
Still reeling
from his drug-dealing father's murder, moving in with the wealthy mother he
never knew, and transferring to a private school, fifteen-year-old Jude is
tricked into pleading guilty to a crime he did not commit.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.2
Kissing the
rain by Kevin Brooks.
Fifteen-year-old
Moo Nelson, shy, overweight, and bullied by his classmates, finds his life spinning
out of control after he witnesses a car chase and a fight that results in a
murder.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.1
A midsummer
night's dork by Carol
Gorman.
Jerry Flack,
recently-elected sixth-grade president, organizes an Elizabethan festival at
school but accepts a challenge from a bully that may mean he will once again be
considered a "dork."
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 3.8
The afterlife by Gary Soto.
A senior at East
Fresno High School lives on as a ghost after his brutal murder in the restroom
of a club where he had gone to dance.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.2
Puppies, dogs,
and blue northers : reflections on being raised by a pack of sled dogs by Gary Paulsen.
Gary Paulsen,
author of such Newbery Honor Books as Hatchet and The Winter Room, focuses here
on Cookie, his longtime companion and lead dog in the iditarod, the grueling
Alaskan cross-country sled race.
Beardance by Will Hobbs.
While
accompanying an elderly rancher on a trip into the San Juan Mountains, Cloyd,
an Ute Indian boy, tries to help two orphaned grizzly cubs survive the winter
and, at the same time, completes his spirit mission.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.7
Wild Man
Island by Will Hobbs.
After
fourteen-year-old Andy slips away from his kayaking group to visit the
wilderness site of his archaeologist father's death, a storm strands him on
Admiralty Island, Alaska, where he manages to survive, encounters unexpected
animal and human inhabitants, and looks for traces of the earliest prehistoric
immigrants to America.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.1
Leaving
Protection by Will Hobbs.
Sixteen-year-old
Robbie Daniels, happy to get a job aboard a troller fishing for king salmon off
southeastern Alaska, finds himself in danger when he discovers that his
mysterious captain is searching for long-buried Russian plaques that lay claim
to Alaska and the Northwest.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.2
Offsides : a
novel by Erik E.
Esckilsen.
Tom Gray, a
Mohawk Indian and star soccer player, moves to a new high school and refuses to
play for the Warriors with their insulting mascot.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.6
On the run by Michael Coleman.
When a persistent
youth offender is caught yet again, he is sentenced to community service as the
partner to a blind runner.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.6
The Schwa was
here by Neal Shusterman.
A Brooklyn
eighth-grader nicknamed Antsy befriends the Schwa, an "invisible-ish"
boy who is tired of blending into his surroundings and going unnoticed by
nearly everyone.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.0
Bucking the
Sarge by Christopher Paul
Curtis.
Deeply involved
in his cold and manipulative mother's shady business dealings in Flint,
Michigan, fourteen-year-old Luther keeps a sense of humor while running the
Happy Neighbor Group Home For Men, all the while dreaming of going to college
and becoming a philosopher.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.8
The teacher's
funeral : a comedy in three parts by Richard Peck.
In rural Indiana
in 1904, fifteen-year-old Russell's dreams of quitting school and joining a
wheat threshing crew are disrupted when his older sister takes over the
teaching at his one-room schoolhouse after mean old Myrt Arbuckle "hauls
off and dies."
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.7
The curious
incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon.
Despite his
overwhelming fear of interacting with people, Christopher, a mathematically-gifted,
autistic fifteen-year-old boy, decides to investigate the murder of a
neighbor's dog and uncovers secret information about his mother.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.4
Prep by Jake Coburn.
A one-time tag
artist, Nick tries to come to terms with the death of a friend, to protect the
brother of his would-be girlfriend, to escape the violence of wealthy New York
City prep-school hoods, and to figure out who he really is.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.4
Tribes by Arthur Slade.
For Percy, the
loss of his father and the suicide of his best friend build to a head during
the last week before high school graduation.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.1
America : a
novel by E.R. Frank.
America, a
runaway boy who is being treated at Ridgeway, a New York hospital, finds
himself opening up to one of the doctors on staff and revealing things about
himself that he had always vowed to keep secret.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 3.6
Three clams
and an oyster by Randy
Powell.
During their
humorous search to find a fourth player for their flag football team, three
high school juniors are forced to examine their long friendship, their
individual flaws, and their inability to try new experiences.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.1
The rag and
bone shop : a novel by
Robert Cormier.
Trent, an ace
interrogator from Vermont, works to procure a confession from an introverted
twelve-year-old accused of murdering his seven-year-old friend in Monument,
Massachusetts.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.7
The buffalo
tree by Adam Rapp.
While serving a
six-month sentence at a juvenile detention center, thirteen-year-old Sura
struggles to survive the experience with his spirit intact.
Accelerated Reader
Reading Level - 5.2
Stormbreaker :
an Alex Rider adventure
by Anthony Horowitz.
After the death
of the uncle who had been his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex Rider is coerced
to continue his uncle's dangerous work for Britain's intelligence agency, MI6.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.1
Point blank :
an Alex Rider adventure by
Anthony Horowitz.
Fourteen-year-old
Alex continues his work as a spy for the British MI6, investigating an
exclusive school for boys in the French Alps.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.8
Monster by Walter Dean Myers
While on trial as
an accomplice to a murder, sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon records his
experiences in prison and in the courtroom in the form of a film script as he
tries to come to terms with the course his life has taken.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.1
The outsiders by S.E. Hinton.
Rivalry between
rich and poor gangs in 1960s Oklahoma leads to the deaths of three teenagers
and intense soul-searching for one of the youths involved, a sensitive fourteen-year-old
writer named Ponyboy.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.7
Cirque du
freak by Darren Shan.
Two boys who are
best friends visit an illegal freak show, where an encounter with a vampire and
a deadly spider forces them to make life-changing choices.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.8
Cirque du
freak : the vampire's assistant by Darren
Shan.
After traveling
with Mr. Crepsley, the vampire who made him into a half-vampire, Darren returns
to the freak show known as the Cirque du Freak and continues to fight his need
to drink human blood.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.2
Cirque du
freak : tunnels of blood
by Darren Shan.
Darren, Evra, and
Mr. Crepsley leave the Cirque Du Freak and get a taste of the city, but when
corpses drained of blood are discovered, Darren and Evra must confront a
dangerous creature of the night.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.2
Phineas Gage :
a gruesome but true story about brain science by John Fleischman.
The true story of
Phineas Gage, whose brain had been pierced by an iron rod in 1848, and who
survived and became a case study in how the brain functions.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 7.4
Books about being in a band
Geniuses of
crack : a novel by Jeff
Gomez.
A Virginia rock
band travels to Los Angeles to record their first CD and the novel describes
their experiences. They meet slimy producers, neurotic actors, gold-digging
women and discover a launderette which is an oasis of peace.
For those
about to rock : a road map to being in a band
by Dave Bidini.
Prepares the
reader for a job as a member of a rock band.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 7.6
Cherokee Bat
and the Goat Guys by
Francesca Lia
Block.
With their
parents away, four young people form a rock band that becomes wildly popular,
carrying them into a "freer" life than they can cope with.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.0
Fat kid rules
the world by K.L. Going.
Seventeen-year-old
Troy, depressed, suicidal, and weighing nearly three hundred pounds, gets a new
perspective on life when Curt, a semi-homeless teen who is a genius on guitar,
asks Troy to be the drummer in a rock band.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.7
A hip-hop
story by Heru Ptah.
Rappers Flawless
and Hannibal are reaching for the same dream: to be the best hip-hop artist in
their generation, but along they way, they must battle industry honchos, crazy
fans, and each other.
Rock star,
superstar by Blake
Nelson.
When Pete, a
talented bass player, moves from playing in the high school jazz band to
playing in a popular rock group, he finds the experience exhilarating even as
his new fame jeopardizes his relationship with girlfriend Margaret.
Just say no! :
a novel by Omar Tyree.
Best friends
Darin and John, college students from Charlotte, North Carolina, have a hard
time resisting temptations in the world of R&B when John becomes a singer
on the way to stardom and Darin, fresh from a career-ending football injury,
agrees to become his manager.
The
commitments by Roddy
Doyle
Take a group of
fame-starved, working-class Irish youths who call themselves The Commitments,
give them a paradoxical passion for the music of Sam Cooke and Otis Redding,
and a mission - to bring Soul to Dublin - and you have the makings of one of
the most engaging and believable novels about rock ÔnÕ roll ever written.
Jimi Hendrix by Rita J. Markel.
Discusses the
childhood, young adulthood, musical career, and death of Jimi Hendrix,
considered by many to be the world's greatest rock-and-roll guitarist.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 7.7
Jim Morrison by Jon E. Lewis.
A brief biography
of the legendary "Doors" singer known for his fast-paced and
excessive lifestyle.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 7.4
Elvis Presley edited by James D. Torr
A collection of
seventeen essays that examine Elvis Presley's life, career, and influences, as
well as his impact on music and on U.S. culture. Also includes a chronology, a
selected bibliography, discussion questions, and a collection of primary source
documents.
The Grateful
Dead by Sean Piccoli.
Portrays the
popular touring band the Grateful Dead, led by Jerry Garcia, who achieved a
devoted following of Deadheads and gained fame for their lengthy,
improvisational songs.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 8.8
John Lennon
& Paul McCartney : their magic and their music by Bruce Glassman.
A biography of
Lennon and McCartney, the songwriting team that fueled the Beatles, focusing on
their relationship and how they worked together as a team.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 8.8
Lives of the
musicians : good times, bad times (and what the neighbors thought) written by Kathleen Krull ; illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt.
The inside
stories of twenty famous musicians are presented in fascinating and humorous
detail.
Books About
Cars - Fiction
Overdrive by Eric Walters.
When Jake is
involved in a street-racing accident, he struggles to do the right thing.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 3.7
The car by Gary Paulsen.
A teenager left
on his own travels west in a kit car he built himself, and along the way picks
up two Vietnam veterans, who take him on an eye-opening journey.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.8
Trapped in the
sixties by Susannah Brin.
Johnny thought
his life was getting pretty boring, but then he finds a classic GTO in his
barn, and after he restores it he finds himself on a wild ride to the past.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.3
Turn left on
green : a novel of stock car racing
by
Clyde Bolton.
Sportswriter Beth
Barrett and racecar driver David Marlow fall in love as she follows the racing
circuit through Talladega, Rockingham, and more, but a disgruntled
ex-sportswriter who lost his job to Beth and a ruthless owner out to sabotage
David may make their love impossible.
Taking the
wall : stories by Jonis
Agee.
A collection of
short stories by Jonis Agee in which racecar drivers, pit crews, mechanics, and
their families try to balance their careers and family lives.
Young guns by Kent Wright and Don Keith.
Jodell Bob Lee,
his glory days long over, recruits a talented new driver in an attempt to put
together a winning racing team.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 6.5
Fastback Beach by Shirlee Smith Matheson.
When Miles is put
on probation for stealing a car, he learns about hot rods and rebuilding cars.
When the project is stolen, Miles has to face up to his friends.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 3.9
White
lightning by Kent Wright
& Don Keith.
Jodell Bob Lee,
looking for a life outside his grandfather's moonshine business, gets hooked on
racing stock cars.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 6.3
From a Buick 8
: a novel by Stephen
King.
Eighteen-year-old
Ned, having taken to hanging out at the barracks of state police Troop D in
rural Pennsylvania after the death of his father, Trooper Curtis Wilcox, becomes
obsessed with learning the truth about a 1954 Buick Roadmaster--apparently a
conduit to the underworld--the squad has had secreted in a locked shed since
1979 when its owner mysteriously disappeared.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.8
Christine by Stephen King.
Arnie Cunningham,
a bookish and bullied high school senior, becomes obsessed with a 1958 Plymouth
he is restoring named Christine.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 6.6
Race of the
hours by Carl Henry
Rathjen.
Roy Hammond faces
hazzards and hope as the big race approaches.
Green thirteen by Margaret and George Ogan.
Jim Justin's
racing career blooms and the future looks good for him until the 500 Miler at
the Ontario Motor Speedway.
Books About
Cars - Nonfiction
Kustom
painting secrets by Jon
Kosmoski.
How to paint your
car-motorcycle-truck-street rod
How to custom
paint & graphics by
Jon Kosmoski and
Timothy Remus.
Custom painting
techniques
Automotive
cheap tricks and special F/X by Craig Fraser
Demonstrates
several custom painting techniques and ideas.
How to build
horsepower. 1, [Methods
for building
horsepower in any engine] by David Vizard
Methods for
improving horsepower is discussed.
A world of
wheels. Cars of the sixties : have you got a tiger in your tank? by Michael Sedgwick.
Describes
automobiles built around the world during the 1960s, discussing the development
of cars as luxury, or escape machines, and provides color photos of various
models and detailed line drawings of their engines and other parts.
Auto audio :
choosing, installing, and maintaining car stereo systems by Andrew Yoder.
Classic
American cars by Quentin
Willson
Contains color
photographs and information about sixty classic American automobiles built
between 1943 and 1978.
Formula one
racing by Richard Huff.
Story of three
stars of Formula One racing, the fastest sport in the world.
Accelerated
Reader--Level 6.9
Demolition
derby by Richard Huff.
Surveys the
history of demolition derby competition and types of vehicles, various events,
and tactics involved.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 7.2
Crashes &
collisions by Michael
Benson.
Describes some of
the most famous crashes and collisions in auto-racing history, from 1909 to the
present.
Accelerated
Reader--Level 6.3
American
motorsports: the definitive illustrated guide edited by David Phillips
Presents a
historical overview of motorsports in America, and looks at the drivers, teams,
competitions, and famous circuits related to NASCAR, Indy car, sports cars,
drag racing, off-roading, and dirt track racing.
Fantastic
finishes : NASCAR's great races by Jim Gigliotti.
Reviews several
NASCAR races that are memorable for the drivers, the competitiveness, and/or
the tactical maneuvering that made them exciting.
Accelerated Reader
Reading Level - 5.2
Dirt track
daredevils : the history of NASCAR by Bob Woods.
Surveys important
people and events throughout the history of NASCAR.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 5.6
NASCAR's most
wanted : the top 10 book of outrageous drivers, wild wrecks, and other oddities by Jim McLaurin
Presents stories
from NASCAR racing.
The wildest
ride : a history of NASCAR (or, how a bunch of good ol' boys built a
billion-dollar industry out of wrecking cars) by Joe Menzer
Presents the
history of NASCAR.
Stock car race
shop : design and construction of a NASCAR stock car by William Burt.
Discusses what
goes in to the design of a stock car.
Books About
Motorcycles
Choppers by Mike Seate.
Explores the
history of the customized motorcycles known as choppers from their origins to
the rebirth of their popularity in the early twenty-first century, introduces
some of the modern masters of chopper customization, and includes color
photographs.
Ten days in
the dirt : the spectacle of off-road motorcycling by Russ Rohrer.
Presents
full-color illustrated photographs depicting the world of off-road motorcycling
and features some of the sport's best off-road riders including Ricky
Carmichael, Chad Reed, and Geoff Aaron.
Harley-Davidson
: the ultimate machine by
Tod Rafferty.
History of the
Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Motorcycle
detailing made easy : the secrets for making any bike look its best by David H. Jacobs, Jr.
What is
detailing? -- Tools and materials -- Initial wash -- Engine and exhaust --
Wheels, tires, and rear assembly -- Frame, suspension, and stands -- Fenders,
fairing, and windshield -- Fuel tank -- Seat, saddlebags, and extras -- Final
inspection -- Rider accessories -- Road trips and storage -- Overview.
The Indian :
the history of a classic American motorcycle by Tod Rafferty.
Presents the
history of the Indian motorcycle
Motorcycle
drag racing by Martin and
Kate Hintz.
Describes
motorcycle dragsters and their sport; includes a history.
Accelerated
Reader Reading Level - 4.5
Motorcycle
racing for beginners by
I. G. Edmonds.
Discusses aspects
of motorcycle racing such as bike selection, riding techniques, and types of
competitions.
Motorcycles by Jeff Savage.
A look at the
history of the sport of motorcycle racing and all its variations, as well as at
the machines and personalities involved.
Accelerated
Reader--Level 7.5