Book picks similar to
Hoop City by Scott Blumenthal


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A Bear Named Trouble


Marion Dane Bauer - 2005
    He loves animals, and even imagines himself inside their bodies, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel. Meanwhile, a young brown bear is wandering through the woods near Anchorage, alone and hungry. One night, while searching for food, the bear crosses paths with Jonathan, who eagerly follows him onto the zoo grounds.But when the bear accidentally kills Mama Goose, Jonathan’s favorite zoo creature, the boy loses the empathy he had felt earlier. He wishes that the bear—now nicknamed Trouble—would meet the same fate as his beloved goose, and he impulsively takes steps to make sure that happens.Based on an actual incident, and told in alternating chapters from the bear’s and Jonathan’s points of view, this is both an involving animal story and a thought-provoking investigation into the consequences of one’s actions.

The Orpheus Obsession


Dakota Lane - 2005
    But she can't escape the realities. At home there's a depressed mother who often won't emerge from bed. And a dad who's not in the picture. There are two best friends but a stifling pack of aspiring glamour girls. Fortunately there's Zoetrope Zallulah Moon, modish older sister extraordinaire, living a bus ride away in New York City.Visiting Moon one summer weekend when the heat won't relent, Anooshka hears rock singer Orpheus's music. She's immediately entranced by his sound. His lyrics seem to echo her mood and light a spark in her core. After meeting the shy, approachable Orpheus by chance, Anooshka can't shake him from her head. And his Internet diaries keep signaling that they share a magnetic synchronicity. Soon Orpheus expresses an interest in her, and like the Greek mythological heroine Eurydice, Anooshka descends deep into a mesmerizing underworld -- until she reaches a place where fantasies topple and the unspoken finally makes itself heard.Dakota Lane's tantalizing, allegorical tale follows a teen's obsession as it transforms into empowering self-discovery.

Yours Truly, Skye O'Shea


Megan Shull - 2003
    Yours Truly, Skye O'Shea is capers starring sixth-grader Skye.

The House Without a Christmas Tree


Gail Rock - 1974
    In 1946 a ten-year-old girl tries to understand and overcome her stern father's objections to having a Christmas tree in the house.

The Pack


Elisa Carbone - 2003
    He refuses to sit in chairs, stares at her with spooky eyes, and has scar-covered skin. But soon Becky’s revulsion turns to fascination. The National Institutes of Health is studying Akhil, but he won’t say why—until something happens that makes him swear Becky and her friend Omar to secrecy. Suddenly Becky isn’t sure what’s more shocking—Akhil’s secret, or the chilling reason why he must reveal it. Elisa Carbone weaves a tale of intrigue that will enthrall any reader.

Canned


Alex Shearer - 2006
    He's an oddball (his mother prefers to call him "clever"), and his collection is as strange as everything else about him. Fergal Bamfield collects tin cans.Then one day he finds a can without a label. What could be in it? Peaches, soup, perhaps revolting spam? But instead it's something gruesome: a human finger. Then Fergal finds another can, this time containing a one-word message, HELP! Now Fergal and his friend Charlotte are knee-deep in an adventure, and they're about to learn something horrible: Everybody has an expiration date.

Ironman


Chris Crutcher - 1995
    The rage he feels gives him the energy as a triathlete to press his body to the limit, but it also translates into angry outbursts toward his teachers.Now dangerously close to expulsion from school, Bo has been assigned to Anger Management sessions with the school "truants." With an eclectic mix of hard-edged students, Bo may finally have to deal with his long-brewing hatred for his father -- before it eats away at him completely.

The Long Winter: Little House on the Prairie #6


Mustbe Interactive - 2014
    When the supply train doesn't arrive, Almanzo Wilder and his brother realize something must be done. They begin an impossible journey in search of provisions, before it's too late.

One Hundred Years of Solitude: Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez (SparkNotes Literature Guide)


SparkNotes - 2002
    Geared to what today's students need to know, SparkNotes provides chapter-by-chapter analysis; explanations of key themes, motifs, and symbols; and a review quiz and essay topics. Lively and accessible, these guides are perfect for late-night studying and writing papers.

Free Fall: A Thriller


John Parrish - 2017
    They thought that they had planned for everything. They didn’t plan on one small town sheriff, Mathew McKenna. Sheriff McKenna is visiting his niece when he suddenly finds himself in the middle of the worst terrorist attack in history. McKenna will need all his strength and courage to save his niece and the lives of those around him. If he fails, then millions of people will die. Washington is in crises. What can they do? Should they implement the Twenty-Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States making the Vice President the Acting President?Liberty, the first orbital city, is having its 10-year anniversary party! The President of the United States and his family will be attending. Everyone will be there.Washington watches in horror as the terrorist attack unfolds. All options for them are gone. All eyes turn to Sheriff McKenna. He is their only hope.Can Sheriff Mathew McKenna lead a small group of survivors that includes his niece, the First Lady of the United States (who did a tour of combat duty...as a Navy SEAL), and save the city? Can McKenna save the President of the United States? Or will they all die? Will millions of innocent lives be lost? If you love action filled thrillers, then get this novel and join Sheriff Mathew McKenna and an amazing cast of characters, as they fight for each other, fight to save a city, and fight to stay alive. “...this book was excellent, a real page-turner. Well written fun read.” (5-star review). “Started one night late, finished the next morning.” (5-star review). “...the ending is the best ending I have read in a long time. Do yourself a favor and read this book.” (5-star review).