the giver

The Giver is a 1993 American Young-adult fiction-Dystopian novel by Lois Lowry. It is set in a society which at first appears as a utopian society but then later revealed to be a dystopian one as the story progresses." (Wikipedia)

Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden

This novel takes place in WWI and focuses on three Cree Indians, even though only two of them narrate. Xavier and Elijah, although exposed to the nuns and their teaching methods, know the ways of the bush. Due to this, when they sign up to fight alongside the Canadians in France, they become great assets to their Battalion. They face not only the Germans and the Huns as their enemies, but the weather, each other, and their inner conflicts as well. Can they triumph?

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Jonas's world is perfect.  Everything is under control.  There is no war or fear of pain.  There are no choices.  Every person is assigned a role in the Community.

When Jonas turns twelve, he is singled out to receive special training from The Giver.  The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and pleasure of life.  Now it's time for Jonas to receive the truth.  There is no turning back.

Ghost of Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

Alone in the wilderness, Cole found peace.

But he's not alone anymore.

Cole Matthews used to be a violent kid, but a year in exile on a remote Alaskan island has a big way of changing your perspective. After being mauled by a Spirit Bear, Cole started to heal. He even invited his victim, Peter Driscal, to join him on the island and they became friends.

But now their time in exile is over, and Cole and Peter are heading back to the one place they're not sure they can handle: high school. Gangs and violence haunt the hallways, and Peter's limp and speech impediment make him a natural target. In a school where hate and tension are getting close to the boiling point, the monster of rage hibernating inside Cole begins to stir.

Ben Mikaelsen's riveting saga of survival and self-awareness continues in the sequel to his gripping Touching Spirit Bear. This time, he weaves a tale of urban survival where every day is a struggle to stay sane. As the problems in his school grow worse, Cole realize that it's not enough to change himself. He has to change his world.

Ender's Shadow By Orson Scott Card

Andres "Ender" Wiggin was not the only child in the Battle School; he was just hte best of the best. Here is the story of another of those precocious generals, the one they called Bean-the one who became Ender's right hand, his strategist, and his friend.

Beans's past was a battle just to survive on the streets of Rotterdam. He was a tiny child with a mind leagues beyond anyone else's. Bean's desperate struggle, and his remarkable success, brought him to the attention of the battle School's recruiters, those people scouring the planet for leaders, tacticians, and generals to save Earth from the threat of alien invasion. Bean was sent to orbit, to the Battle School. And there he met Ender...

the shorter novel of Herman Melville.

For anyone interested in the not-so-often read novellas of Melville, this is a great little collection. The titles include "Benito Cereno," "Bartleby the Scrivener," "The Encantadas, or Enchanted Isles" and "Billy Budd, Foretopman." The introduction is full of information about Melville and gives an excellent overview of the nuances of his work.