Literature

In one of the most popular and highly praised YA novels of 2016, Nicola Yoon tells the story of two teens who meet and fall in love over the course of a single day in New York City. Learn these words and see why this book shines. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue-Natasha, Multiverses-Daniel, The Waitress-Daniel, Joe-Epilogue

Using journal entries, memos, letters, and dialogue, award-winning author Avi pokes fun at high school, politics, and the media. This satirical novel demonstrates that truth is always subjective. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-4, Chapters 5-8, Chapters 9-12, Chapters 13-15, Chapters 16-19

Colson Whitehead's reimagining of African-American history, The Underground Railroad, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction on April 10, 2017. The novel had previously won the National Book Award this year as well. Even in the vocabulary from this small excerpt the reader gets a sense of Whitehead's vision and the care with which he portrays his characters. Here are 17 words from an excerpt from "The Underground Railroad".

Nobel laureate Derek Walcott died on March 17, 2017. Born on St. Lucia to two schoolteachers, he grew up realizing that "if you learned poetry, you shouted it out." Read this list aloud to hear his lyrical rhythms of the sea of life.

Enter the world of the UnDead through these words from eyewitness accounts presented by Bram Stoker. This list focuses on Dracula. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-4, Chapters 5-10, Chapters 11-16, Chapters 17-22, Chapters 23-27 Here is a link to the full text: Dracula

According to both human and divine laws, which of the characters developed by William Shakespeare can measure up? This list focuses on restraint. Here are links to our lists for the play: Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, Act 4, Act 5 Here is a link to the full text: Measure for Measure

Translated by F.P. Walter, these words from the narrator created by Jules Verne will guide you through an underwater tour of the world. This list focuses on monsters. Here are links to our lists for the novel: First Part: Chapters 1-8, First Part: Chapters 9-16, First Part: Chapters 17-24, Second Part: Chapters 1-7, Second Part: Chapters 8-14, Second Part: Chapters 15-23 Here is a link to the full text: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Thomas Hardy defended his main character with the subtitle "A Pure Woman," but this did not prevent Victorian censors from deleting some of the words in this list. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Phase the First, Phase the Second, Phase the Third, Phase the Fourth, Phase the Fifth, Phase the Sixth, Phase the Seventh Here is a link to the full text: Tess of the d'Urbervilles

In the final book of Rick Riordan's Olympians series, Percy is nearly 16 and faced with choices that will affect not only himself but his entire world. Learn these words from Percy's final adventure. Here are links to our lists for Book 5 of the pentalogy: Chapters 1-4, Chapters 5-8, Chapters 9-13, Chapters 14-18, Chapters 19-23 Here are links to our lists for the "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" series: The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, The Last Olympian

Reporting on a Martian invasion, these words from the narrator created by H.G. Wells gripped readers' imaginations in terrifying and inspiring ways. This list focuses on intelligence. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Book 1: Chapters 1-7, Book 1: Chapters 8-12, Book 1: Chapters 13-17, Book 2: Chapters 1-4, Book 2: Chapters 5-10 Here is a link to the full text: The War of the Worlds

Through a first-person narrator whose identity is questionable, Margaret Atwood speculates on what America would be like if it were governed by a totalitarian theocracy. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-12, Chapters 13-23, Chapters 24-30, Chapters 31-39, Chapters 40-46

Images of medieval England were popularized by Walter Scott through his portrayal of knights, kings, and outlaws. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-8, Chapters 9-17, Chapters 18-27, Chapters 28-36, Chapters 37-44 Here is a link to the full text: Ivanhoe: A Romance

Confronting adversity in rural Georgia, the characters created by award-winning author Alice Walker find strength in God and sisterhood. Here are links to our lists for the epistolary novel: Preface-page 53, pages 54-110, pages 111-167, pages 168-225, pages 226-288

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie describes lives falling apart from religious, political, and familial conflicts in Nigeria. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Palm Sunday-page 54, pages 55-109, pages 110-181, pages 182-253, After Palm Sunday-The Present

What can a young child know about the actions and desires of adults? Find out through the words of the omniscient narrator created by Henry James. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Introduction-Chapter 8, Chapters 9-16, Chapters 17-24, Chapters 25-31 Here is a link to the full text: What Maisie Knew

Echoes of folktales and history surround the war-torn lives of three children Pam Munoz Ryan connects with a magical harmonica. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Germany, Pennsylvania, California-New York

Khaled Hosseini shines the light on two Afghan women whose lives and goals merge through an abusive husband. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4-Afterword

"Monster" tackles justice, mystery, and a teenager's personal experience. Learn these words from award-winning author Walter Dean Myers's book. Here are our lists for this novel: Pages 1-172, Pages 172-281

Award-winning author Jerry Spinelli used these words to describe the issues surrounding a homeless orphan in a racially divided town. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Before the Story-Part I, Part II, Part III

In eight different stories, award-winning writer Richard Peck shows how summers with Grandma are adventures that can never be forgotten. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Prologue-1930, 1931-1933, 1934-1942

These terrifying words from Edgar Allan Poe deliver a sentence of death. Here are links to our lists for other texts by Poe: The Tell-Tale Heart, The Purloined Letter, The Cask of Amontillado, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Black Cat, The Raven. To sharpen your knowledge of Poe some more, proceed here.

Learn the words used by Charles Dickens to criticize 19th century English industrial society. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Book the First, Book the Second, Book the Third Here is a link to the full text: Hard Times

Wise up with these words so you can also give a hoot about the events in this whodunit by Carl Hiaasen. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1-4, Chapters 5-8, Chapters 9-12, Chapters 13-17, Chapter 18-Epilogue

With these words, identify attitudes of love and marriage in the comedy by William Shakespeare. This list focuses on fun. Here are links to our lists for the play: Induction, Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, Act 4, Act 5 Here is a link to the etext: The Taming of the Shrew

Multiply your vocabulary with these 3 lists of 43 words each. Then you'll know the logic of the narrator developed by Mark Haddon. Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 2-103, Chapters 107-181, Chapters 191-233