Summer Readings of a Jr. High/High School English Teacher

Finished reading:

The Black Stallion by Walter Farley: Reading level below 7th grade. Not a lot of advanced vocabulary to challenge the reader. Still, horse lovers and reluctant readers would do well with it.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan: Inspiring historical novel that captures the imagination and isn't predictable. Smoothly introduces Spanish words in the flow of the dialogue and narrative. Reading level 7th grade and below.

Resistance by Anita Shreve: I wouldn't suggest this for students because of some explicit content. Shreve is one of my favorite authors, and her historicals are generally my favorites. The setting in Belgium is a change from the usual French Resistance stories, but the plot is nothing new.