Grade 10 Reading List
This collection features vocabulary lists that cover the 10th grade recommended texts found in Florida's B.E.S.T. Standards.
A Raisin in the SunIn the 1940s, a working class African-American family in Chicago must decide how to best spend a ten-thousand dollar insurance payout.
A Tale of Two CitiesSet in both London and Paris, this novel brings the French Revolution vividly to life.
Common SenseIn this pamphlet, Paine urges the American colonists to fight for independence from Great Britain and form a new government. Read the full text here.
Fahrenheit 451In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury imagines a dystopian future in which firemen burn banned books and people are constantly bombarded with mindless entertainment. This classic novel is as powerful and relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1953.
FrankensteinIn this groundbreaking novel, Dr. Victor Frankenstein works feverishly to bring an inanimate creature to life — but when he finally succeeds, he is horrified by what he has unleashed.
Lord of the FliesWhen they are marooned on a deserted island, a group of schoolboys attempts to form a new society.
The Tragedy of MacbethIn this tragedy, Macbeth's belief in a prophecy and his ambition to become king lead to murder and madness.
A Midsummer Night's DreamIn this comedy, two Athenian couples and a troupe of actors become unwitting pawns in a squabble between a fairy king and queen.
Of Mice and MenSet during the Great Depression, Steinbeck's classic novel tells the story of shrewd, scheming George and loyal, childlike Lennie. The two farm workers dream of owning their own land but must struggle merely to survive.
Prometheus UnboundFirst published in 1820, this lyrical drama tells the story of how Prometheus is freed from his imprisonment after he defies the gods by giving fire to humans.
PygmalionIn this play inspired by the Greek myth of Pygmalion, Professor Henry Higgins bets that he can transform Eliza Doolittle, a poor flower seller, into a cultured and genteel lady.
The CrucibleThis scathing dramatization of the Salem Witch Trials is also an allegory of Senator Joseph McCarthy's pursuit of Communists in the 1950s.
The Red Badge of CourageHenry Fleming is a young Union private during the Civil War. After fleeing from battle, he'll do anything for a second chance to prove his bravery.
The Scarlet LetterAfter having a child out of wedlock, Hester Prynne is shunned by her Puritan community and forced to wear a scarlet "A" on her clothing — but Hester is not the only one who has transgressed. This classic novel explores guilt, sin, and hypocrisy.
The Souls of Black FolkW.E.B. Du Bois explores the struggles and triumphs of generations of African Americans in this collection of essays.
Uncle Tom's CabinAbolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote this influential novel to call attention to the horrors of slavery.
William Jennings Bryan's "A Cross of Gold" SpeechJuly 8, 1896On July 8, 1896, William Jennings Bryan, a former Congressman from Nebraska, rose to address the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. In his now famous "A Cross of Gold" speech, Bryan called for the coinage of silver currency to gold currency at a ratio of 16 to 1. In those days, all money was either gold or backed by gold actually held by the government. Bryan’s "bimetallism" proposal would have created inflation or "cheap money" to aid the poor farmers and workers who were his supporters. Business leaders and the Republicans opposed it. Considered one of the greatest political speeches of all time, Bryan’s fiery delivery mesmerized the convention and led to his nomination as the Democratic candidate for president. Read the full text here.
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