Grade 9

From Delilah to Cleopatra, from Anne Boleyn and (bloody) Queen Mary, to Calamity Jane, Typhoid Mary and more, the 26 notorious women analyzed here all have rotten reputations. But were these… Read More →

When Jessica is diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, she finally understands why her best friend is her dog and why she breaks out in a sweat whenever she interacts with others. She hopes… Read More →

One of the most spectacular professional baseball players of all time, Barry Bonds has broken more records and achieved more sports goals than any other player in the history of the game,… Read More →

Considered one of the greatest American writers, Herman Melville leaves the sea behind in this short story collection to write about Wall Street offices, the Galapagos Islands, a sinister… Read More →

Two boys, best friends, are torn between opposing sides of bloody war in 1862. Johnny is white, and Chaska is part Dakota. The boys have seen whites treat the Dakota with injustice and… Read More →

In the 1880s, science witnessed a major shift: Charles Darwin proposed his theory of evolution. People dug up the first dinosaur fossils. And the field of paleontology—the study of ancient… Read More →

In North America, mosquito bites are usually only a nuisance. But in areas such as Africa and Southeast Asia, the bite can be deadly. There, many mosquitoes transmit a disease called… Read More →

Are they really the perfect couple? Paige, cheerleading captain at Southside High, and Ty, star running back, appear to be the perfect couple. But when they have their first fight, Ty… Read More →

The prize: $10 million The rules: Be the first to complete ten tasks assigned by the Benefactor. Do not ask questions. Do not tell anyone what you're doing. Do not fail. The consequences:… Read More →

Seventeen-year-old Mason is content with his slacker lifestyle. That is, until he learns his absentee mother is a member of the Evonian royal family. Suddenly, everything changes—Mason… Read More →

When he was seven, Charlie Porter never intended to become the world's youngest published author. He just wanted his father to stop crying. So he told him a story about a talking beetle—a… Read More →

Hannah's sister, Alexis, has been acting different lately. For one thing, she's constantly on her phone when she never used to care that much about it. But after Hannah discovers that Alexis… Read More →

Becoming homeless happens—but how does it feel when it happens to you? Being homeless is a devastating and life-changing experience that happens to thousands of young people every year.… Read More →

Becoming part of a gang happens—but how does it feel when it happens to you? Being part of a gang is a dangerous and life-changing experience that happens to thousands of young people every… Read More →

When Janine Collins was six years old, she was the only survivor of a suicide bombing that killed her parents and dozens of others. Media coverage instantly turned her into a symbol of hope,… Read More →

Running away is the only option. Benito's father, Xavier, had been in Iraq for more than a year. When he returns, Benito's family life is not the same. Xavier suffers from… Read More →

King Hrothgar of Denmark has a problem: though his land prospers, his great mead-hall is plagued nightly by a horrible beast, Grendel, that pillages and kills his men. Leaving his home in… Read More →

The Sharp sisters are bold, bright, sassy, stylin', and fierce. As the daughters of mayoral candidate Stanley Sharp, all eyes are on them as they attend high school. Every choice they make… Read More →

Being in a band is Stelle's salvation. It is her escape from the chaotic clutter at home and her mother's depression. Even though she is able to lose herself for a few hours, pounding away on Read More →

“So much has happened in the years since AIDS first emerged. Whereas once an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence, today patients can live long and full lives. But . . . [AIDS] remains a highly Read More →

Aboriginal snowboarder Jax has it made. He's in his last year at Podium Sports Academy and he's got a sponsorship from a big snowboarding company in the bag. But then his older brother,… Read More →

With number one albums in multiple countries and five Grammys under her belt, Billie Eilish has become a pop sensation. Billie was a promising young dancer until musical success came… Read More →

What do giant squids, mantis shrimp, and fireflies have in common? These animals, along with a wide range of creatures, are able to give off light; this is called bioluminescence. Different… Read More →