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Independent Novel Project

In an attempt to round out your knowledge of fiction and non-fiction prose, I’m asking
you to read three books this year: two novels and one non-fiction text. You will have a choice of
your authors/titles, but I have listed some titles below that fit nicely with some of the work we
are doing in English. This is a great opportunity for you to expose yourself to some fantastic
pieces of writing. Along with reading a novel, you will be evaluated on your knowledge of the
text by:
 Annotating your book (use the notecard categories for both fiction/nonfiction
respectively)
 Demonstrating your understanding of the work through choice assignments (fiction)
 Completing a Nonfiction Notecard evaluation of the text (non-fiction)
The idea here is to prove to me – beyond a shadow of a doubt – that you read the novel—and
read it well. Note: using Sparknotes would be an exceptionally poor life choice; you’ll basically
be sabotaging your grade for the assignment and possibly the class. Also, this assignment is a
GIFT. Treat it as such; don’t mock my generosity by trying to cheat your way out of this grade
buffer.
You are welcome to choose any book on the list below; the list I’m providing is hardly
exhaustive, so if you have a title in mind other than what you see check with me. I would
strongly recommend researching the novels. You will have approximately eight weeks to read
each book, so budget your time accordingly. Plan on purchasing a new copy of your chosen
book (as always, PLEASE let me know if you need help with a book; I can help!).
Since I’m giving you VERY little direct instruction in regards to this assignment, my
evaluation of your work will be pretty generous. IF you follow the directions for each
component, complete the assignment to the BEST OF YOUR ABILITY (which becomes pretty
obvious), and turn it in on time, I will give you full points. My ultimate goal is to expand your
exposure and knowledge of literature and give you a chance to test your literary analysis wings
in anticipation of your senior year.

Requirements:
nd th
 For your 2 or 4 quarter novels, you have the following from which to choose to
complete at the end of book:
 Literary Notecard (you can always do this, and it may come in handy senior
year!)
 One-pager (11x17 paper please)
 Artistic Theme Presentation
 Movie Review (You will need to make sure a movie was made of your novel)
 Writing an original test of your novel
 Your choice (teacher approval needed)

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 For your 2nd or 4th quarter nonfiction text, you will need to complete a nonfiction
notecard (see below) at the end of the book. This will be done in class, and you may use
your annotations.

 Your 3rd quarter novel must be a “work of literary merit”. In addition, everyone will
complete a LITERARY NOTECARD (see below) during class at the end of the novel, and
you may use your annotations.

Reading/Annotation Due Dates:

Your annotations for each text will be checked three times (most on Mondays); plan on
having a third of your book annotated by each of the following due dates. Also, please be aware
that once you finish them, I will keep your books until the end of the year, but I WILL GIVE
THEM BACK. Don’t panic. You will be reunited with your beloved texts.

Novel/NF 1a: December 13th

Novel/NF 1b: January 10th, 2022!!!
Novel/NF 1c: January 27th/28th (end of semester 1)
Novel 2a: February 21st
Novel 2b: March 14th
Novel 2c: March 28th
Novel/NF 3a: April 25th
Novel/NF 3b: May 16th
Novel/NF 3c: May 31st (Tuesday after Memorial Day)

Literary/Nonfiction Authors and Titles

From Unit 1

Literature
Author Title Lexile
Anderson, Laurie Halse Catalyst 580L
Anderson, Laurie Halse Speak 690L
Black, Holly and Cecil Castellucci
Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd N/A
(Editors)
Butler, Octavia Kindred 580L
Christie, Agatha And Then There Were None 570L
Cormier, Robert The Chocolate War 820L
Crutcher, Chris Athletic Shorts: Six Short Stories N/A
Crutcher, Chris Whale Talk 1000L
Dahl, Roald The Umbrella Man and Other Stories 860L

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Danticat, Edwidge (Editor) Butterfly's Way: Voices from the Haitian Dyaspora in the N/A
United States
Feinstein, John Foul Trouble 770L
García, Cristina Dreaming in Cuban 940L
Gould, Steven Jumper 770L
Grover, Linda Legarde The Dance Boots N/A
Haddon, Mark The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time 1090L
Hinton, Susan E. The Outsiders 750L
Hinton, Susan E. Rebeldes 780L
Kidd, Sue Monk The Secret Life of Bees 840L
Knowles, John A Separate Peace 1030L
Martinez, Victor Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida 1000L
McCaffrey, Ann Dragonflight 940L
McCarthy, Cormac All the Pretty Horses 940L
McCarthy, Cormac Todos los hermosos caballos N/A
McDaniel, Lurlene Hit and Run 610L
Montgomery, Lucy Maude Anne of Green Gables 710L
Mukasonga, Scholastique Our Lady of the Nile N/A
Murphy, Julie Dumplin' 710L
Myers, Walter Dean Slam! 750L
Ng, Celeste Everything I Never Told You 870L
Nye, Naomi Shihab Habibi 850L
Paolini, Christopher Eragon 710L
Ryan, Pam Munoz Esperanza Rising 750L
Ryan, Pam Munoz Esperanza renace 740L
Spinelli, Jerry Stargirl 590L
Steinbeck, John Tortilla Flats N/A
Tan, Amy The Joy Luck Club 930L
Trueman, Terry Stuck in Neutral 820L
Wesselhoeft, Conrad Dirt Bikes, Drones, and Other Ways to Fly 590L
Nonfiction/Informational Text
Author Title Lexile
Álvarez, Julia Once Upon a Quincenera: Coming of Age in America N/A

Beyer, Ramsey Little Fish: A Memoir of a Different Kind of Year N/A

In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over
Bonney, Grace N/A
100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs
Huebner, Mark and Brad Wilson Sports Bloopers: All-star Flubs and Fumbles N/A
Jiminez, Francisco The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Farm Child N/A
Jiminez, Francisco Cajas de carton N/A
Knisley, Lucy Relish: My Life in the Kitchen 970L
Myers,Walter Dean Just Write: Here’s How! 970L

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Yep, Lawrence (Editor) American Dragons: Twenty-Five Asian American Voices 990L

From Unit 2
Levithan, David The Realm of Possibility NP
Lorde, Audre The Collected Poems NP
Millay, Edna St. Vincent Renascence and Other Poems NP
Myers, Walter Dean Here in Harlem: Poems in Many Voices NP
Myers, Walter Dean Street Love NP
Neruda, Pablo The Essential Neruda: Selected Poems NP
Oliver, Lauren Delirium 920L
Rostand, Edmond Cyrano de Bergerac NP
Sánchez, Erika L. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter HL730L
Sexton, Anne The Complete Poems NP
Silko, Leslie Marmon Ceremony 890L
Literature
Soto, Gary Buried Onions 850L
Author Title Lexile
Soto, Gary Cebollas enterradas N/A
Bruchac, Joseph Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War 910L
Wilde, Oscar The Importance of Being Earnest
Two NP
Wilder, Thornton
Cisneros, Sandra OurHouse
The Townon Mango Street NP
870L
Wilson, August
Cisneros, Sandra LaFences
casa en Mango Street NP
890L
Zindel,Hart
Crane, Paul TheComplete
The Effect of Gamma
Poems Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds NP
NP
Nonfiction/Informational
Cummings, E.E. Text Selected Poems NP
Author Emily
Dickinson, Title
The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson Lexile
NP
Ackroyd,Neil
Gaiman, Peter Shakespeare: The Biography
Coraline N/A
740L
Giovanni,
Angelou,Nikki
Maya Ego-Tripping
I Know Why and
the Caged
Other Poems
Bird Sings
for Young People NP
1330L
Goldman,
Anothony,William
David and Stephanie The Princess Bride 870L
Langston Hughes: Harlem Renaissance Writer 710L
Kuligowski
Green, John The Fault in Our Stars 850L
Beah, Ishmael
Grimes, Nikki A Long
Bronx Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
Masquerade 920L
670L
Engle, Margarita
Hansberry, Lorraine AEnchanted Air:Sun
Raisin in the Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir 1120L
NP
Heiligman, Deborah
Hart, Moss and George S. Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers 900L
You Can't Take it With You NP
Lau, Alan Chong
Kaufman Blues and Greens: A Produce Worker's Journal N/A
Heppermann,
Perry, Imani Christine Poisoned
The Radiant
Apples:
andPoems
Radicalfor
Life
You,
of Lorraine
My PrettyHansberry NP
N/A
Rodriguez,
Hughes, Luis
Langston Always Poems
Selected Runningof Langston Hughes 830L
NP
Rodriguez, Luis La vida loca: el testimonio de un pandillero en Los Angeles N/A
Soto, Gary Living Up the Street 1140L
Woodson, Jacqueline Brown Girl Dreaming 990L

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From Unit 3

Literature
Author Title Lexile
Doyle, Arthur Conan The Hound of the Baskervilles 980L
Lowry, Lois The Giver 760L
Alvarez, Julia Return to Sender 890L
Austen, Jane Pride and Prejudice 1070L
Chbosky, Stephen The Perks of Being a Wallflower 720L
Fitzgerald, F. Scott The Great Gatsby 820L
Flores-Galbis, Enrique 90 Miles to Havana 790L
Orwell, George 1984 950L
Roth, Veronica Divergent HL700L
Sachar, Louis Holes 660L
Twain, Mark Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 980L
Twain, Mark The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 950L
Vizzini, Ned Be More Chill HL700L
Nonfiction/Informational Text
Author Title Lexile
Balko, Radley and Tucker The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist: A True Story of
N/A
Carrington Injustice in the American South
Barry, Dave My Teenage Son’s Goal in Life is to Make me Feel 3,500 Years N/A
Old
Bhutto, Benazir Daughter of Destiny: An Autobiography N/A

Bilas, Jay Toughness: Developing True Strength On and Off the Court N/A

Called to Rise: A Life in Faithful Service to the Community that

Brown, David O. Created N/A
Me
Bruchac, Joseph Jim Thorpe, Original All-American 950L
Cham, Jorge and Daniel Whiteson We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe 1110L
Crowe, Chris Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till 1210L
Case
Kaye, Cathryn Berger Going Blue: A Teen Guide to Saving our Oceans and 1170L
Waterways
Chasing Space: An Astronaut's Story of Grit, Grace, and Second
Leland, Melvin 1020L
Chances
McCormick, Patricia Plot to Kill Hitler: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Pastor, Spy, Unlikely N/A
Hero
Morgan, Genevieve Undecided: Navigating Life and Learning After High School N/A
Platt, Richard Crime Scene: The Ultimate Guide to Forensic Science 1190L
Pollan, Michael The Omnivore's Dilemma 930L

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Prinstein, Mitchell J. Popular: The Power of Likability in a Status Obsessed World N/A
Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the
Sheinkin, Steve 890L
Vietnam War
Sheinkin, Steve Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football N/A
Team
Hidden Figures: The Untold True Story of Four African-
Shetterly, Margot Lee 1120L
American Women Who Launched Our Nation Into Space
Vernon, Naomi ReNa A Teen’s Guide to Finding a Job N/A
Watts, Duncan Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age N/A
Nonfiction/Informational Text
Author Title Lexile
Baldwin, James The Fire Next Time 1300L
Fisher, Antwone Quenton Finding Fish 1080L
Freedman, Russell Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott 1110L

From Unit 4

Literature
Author Title Lexile
Alexie, Sherman The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian 600L
Blum, Jenna Those Who Save Us N/A
Bray, Libba A Great and Terrible Beauty 760L
Burns, Olive Ann Cold Sassy Tree 930L
Cheva, Cherry She’s So Money 920L
Condie, Ally Matched 680L
Danticat, Edwidge Behind the Mountains 940L
Draper, Sharon Tears of a Tiger 700L
Ellison, Ralph Invisible Man 950L
Ellison, Ralph El hombre invisible N/A
Erdrich, Louise Tracks 780L
Forman, Gayle If I Stay 830L
Gibbons, Kaye Ellen Foster 870L
Green, John Paper Towns 850L
Hornby, Nick Fever Pitch 1340L
Ihimaera, Witi Whale Rider N/A
Kluger, Steve Last Days of Summer 900L
Kogawa, Joy Obasan 990L
Salinger, J.D. Catcher in the Rye 790L
Salinger, J.D. El guardian entre el centeno N/A
Sánchez, Erika L. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter HL730L
Stockett, Kathryn The Help 730L

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Stockett, Kathryn Criadas y señoras N/A

Taylor, Mildred D. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry 920L
Jenkins, George, Sampson Davis,
We Beat the Street: How a Friendship Pact Led to Success 860L
and Rameck Hunt
Jermaine, Suzanne Freedom's Sons: The True Story of the Amistad Mutiny 1030L
Lewis, John and others March: Book One GN760L
Lewis, John and others March: Book Two GN850L
Litwack, Leon F. Trouble in Mind: Black Southerners in the Age of Jim Crow N/A
Margolick, David Elizabeth and Hazel: Two Women of Little Rock N/A
Moody, Anne Coming of Age in Mississippi 870L
Marching for Freedom: Walk Together Children and Don't You
Partridge, Elizabeth 960L
Grow Weary
Williams, Jay Life Is Not an Accident N/A
Wright, Richard Black Boy 950L
Simeon's Story: An Eyewitness Account of the Kidnapping of
Wright, Simeon and Herb Boyd 1050L
Emmett Till

Annotating Requirements
For Fiction: Use the categories found on the literary notecard (see attached) to annotate your
novels. I’m not expecting to see annotations on every page, but if three pages have passed and
you haven’t written anything, you may not be paying attention. I also expect to see some pages
that are COVERED in writing.

For Nonfiction: Use the categories found on the nonfiction notecard (see attached) to annotate
your nonfiction texts. As with the novels, you don’t need to annotate every page, but do engage
the text on a regular basis. This is also an occasion when you CAN use your colored pens. Go
nuts!

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Note Card Template

You’ll complete your note card – COMPLETELY FILLED AND WRITTEN IN INK – a week
after the novel is due. It will be 5”x8” and will printed on cardstock (see sample on the back).

Literary Notecard (fiction)

(front) (back)

Nonfiction Notecard (nonfiction)

(front)(back)

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One Pager
One option you have to demonstrate your understanding of the novel you chose is to
create a “One Pager”. When creating a One Pager, your goal is to share relevant visuals and key
words to clearly and concisely convey the most important elements of your reading.
You’ll be using half a piece of posterboard for this assignment (I have it for you), and
format it based on the diagram below:

The requirements for your One-Pager are as follows:

 9 Independent Sections:
 A border that includes words and images to represent the main themes – not
motifs! – of the work, and your full name written in small letters in the bottom
right-hand corner
 One box containing key, cited quotations (three minimum), as well as symbols to
represent them (two each minimum).
 One box describing the author’s writing style with accompanying images (two
minimum).
 One box with words and images (equal numbers of each, three minimum)
representing two main characters
 One box connecting this novel to another text you have read, including an
explanation of their relationship and an image to represent it
 One box connecting this novel to what is going on in world today, including an
explanation of their relationship and an image to represent it.
 One box describing figurative language usage in the novel (three minimum) and
images to represent them (three minimum).
 One box depicting one pivotal moment in the novel.
 One box listing motifs from the novel (four minimum) with images to represent
them (four minimum)

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 Design Requirements:
 Each box is labeled with it’s component (ex: Motifs)
 Color is used throughout; markers, colored pencils, crayons, whatever works best,
but use them intentionally and use them well.
 It’s clean – all your sketch lines have been traced over, the posterboard isn’t
crumpled or folded, it looks like a final, finished draft
 The space is used well – the layout is thought-through and purposeful
 It looks professional – it looks like you’ve invested time and effort into this, not
like you threw it together last night. Or, heaven forbid, last period.
 No pencil – feel free to write in pencil first if you want to get your spacing
correct, but then trace over it & erase
***Note: if you would like, you may use existing images, but remember: anything that isn’t
open-source material (clip art) needs to be cited in a Works Cited page, which you can attach to
the back. And be careful how you attach these images as well. I’d better not see any tape, or
glue, or sloppily attached scraps of paper.
You have a great deal of creative control over this project, and the idea is to be creative.
You can cut/paste/attach/glue to your posterboard, incorporate other pieces of paper or use
different mediums other than pens… seriously, you can have a lot of fun with this (that’s the
idea), just make sure it meets the content requirements and looks professional. I’ll be hanging
your One Pagers up so others can see you work. 😊

Examples:

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Novel Project – Artistic Analysis

For your artistic analysis of your novel, please complete the following steps by the time you’ve
finished your novel.

Part I:
As you read your novel, identify the three most significant themes and find at least three
examples of each from the plot or dialogue in your text, and remember to keep these points in
mind:

 A claim or theme is a statement of the author’s opinion.

 It cannot be phrased as a “vs.” (as in “innocence vs. experience”) because a statement of
contrast does not clarity the author’s opinion about it.
 It cannot be phrased as a single word (as in “innocence”) because a single word cannot
reflect an opinion; it can suggest only a subject (what they writer is writing about, not
what he thinks about it).
 If you need help, fit your statements of claim/theme into this framework: William
Shakespeare (author) believes revenge is a counterintuitive behavior that leads to
misunderstanding, violence, and tragedy (what he thinks).

Part II:
Identify at least three universal observations to quote from your text. Use correct citation
conventions, including page numbers, quotation marks, etc. Also identify the speakers.

 Definition: A universal quotation addresses the nature of the human condition and will
be useful again and again in conversation, essay writing, etc.
o Example: “Get thee to a nunnery,” (Hamlet 3.1) is not a universal statement of
the human condition, and it’s unlikely you will have lots of opportunities to use
that line.
o Example, “There are more things in heaven and earth . . . than are dreamt of in
your philosophy” (Hamlet 1.5) is a universal observation that reflects human
perception and might be useful to memorize for use in various other contexts.
***Note: do NOT rely on Spark Note for your quotations—they use important quotations, not
universal ones.

Part III:
Create a work of art that shares one of the themes from your reading. It cannot be a picture
of the setting or character—it must be your vision of your writer’s claim/theme. Consider the
following mediums:

 visual (oil, charcoal, etc.)

 literary (short story or poem),
 choreographic (dance routine)

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 musical (instrumental solo and/or lyrics)

***Note: do NOT rely on Spark Note for your claims/themes—they use important ideas, not
claims/ themes.

Part IV:
Prepare a five-minute presentation to share with the class, including the following
components:

 title of the novel and author’s background, 30 seconds (to reflect research)
 general plot or content summary, 30 seconds (to reflect conciseness)
 the theme tied to your artwork and three quotes as evidence, 1 minute/theme
 three universal quotations, 30 seconds (to reflect understanding of the concept of
universality
While 2/3 of the class is completing their novel notecards, you will have the period to practice
your presentation in front of your peers. Presentations will generally be scheduled about a week
after the completed novels are due.

Presentation Tips:
 Use notecards, not full sheets of paper for your notes.
 Make real notes—do not write a script; you’re being asked to present in front of live
beings, not read an essay.
 Do not read your notes. Refer to them only as necessary or to quote—you should know
your content well. You are the expert.
 Dress professionally.
 Make eye contact with your audience.
 Do not chew gum or lean on furniture as you speak.
 Be sure you can correctly pronounce and know the definition for every word you plan to
use, including quotations and words in languages other than English.
 Practice ahead of time; you need to stay at the 5-minute mark, give or take 30 seconds.
If you’re nervous and rush through the presentation, you won’t be able to score as well as
you could!

Halka’s dance art project for Little Women by Louisa May Alcott:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th6ZWSyMN1U

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--The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

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--The Great Gatsby by F. Scott

Fitzgerald

--The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

--Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

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