High school can go by in a blink of an eye. Why not check out this 11th grade reading list to keep you productive and spend your time wisely?
It’s always good to broaden your perspectives and learn more things, so read whenever you have the time.
If you don’t think you have the motivation to finish a book, the first step is to just check it out.
After you find something that sounds slightly interesting, then go check it out at the library or your school.
Half of the success is having the book with you and the other half is cracking it open.
Once you start reading and get more interested, reading will be easier for you!
This post is all about 11th grade reading list.
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11th Grade Reading List
1. A Death in the Family by James Agee
Curl up on your couch or bed for a book to hit you in some feels
A Death in the Family goes through the journey of what happens when a member of the family is lost.
Even though there are no twists or fantasy or cool plots, this one makes you feel the feels.
Get ready to reminisce and spend more time with your family.
This book is 339 pages long.
2. Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis
If you are into something more lighthearted and fun, then Lucky Jim is a great read.
It dives into Jim Dixon, a lecturer who wants to secure his job, and the conflicts that he has with professor Welch.
In a series of interesting events, learn about how Jim ends up at the university.
This book is 256 pages long.
3. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Get a glimpse of how Shukov, the main protagonist goes through a day in the Soviet camp system.
You will learn about how bad the conditions in the camp are and how both the guards and prisoners suffer within this confinement.
If you want to explore themes of unjust punishment and the struggle for human dignity, then this book will be for you.
This book is 234 pages long.
4. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey
If you want to go in for a crazy ride and I mean crazy then check out One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
The story unfolds in a psychiatric hospital where there is a tyrannical power from Nurse Ratched, the antagonist.
Normal patients are diagnosed as insane and confined with electroshock treatments and lobotomy.
When Randle McMurphy enters the ward, he changes the imbalance of power and sets out a series of rebellious movements from the patients to overthrow the unruly treatments.
This book is 320 pages long.
5. Carrie by Stephen King
If you haven’t read the book before, you might have watched the movie.
It tells the story of Carrie White, who has a super-religious mother and is bullied by her peers at high school.
Things escalate quickly and become gory as the bullies mess with the wrong person.
Carrie has super telekinesis powers which cause a series of disasters to unleash.
If you are in for a book of revenge, conflict, and gore, then Carrie will be a great book for you.
This book is 199 pages long.
6. Even If We Break by Marieke Nijkamp
Ok, so if you enjoy horror stories and problematic books, then this one will be great for you.
It tells the tale of five friends who struggle with their issues and you read it through their perspectives.
Be warned that there are themes like violence, abuse, self-harm, and darker topics.
This book is 320 pages long.
7. City of Thieves by David Benioff
Set in the context of Russia during World War II, it tells the tale of Lev and Koyla who gets assigned the job of finding a dozen eggs.
This quest for eggs leads to a series of adventures and dangers as you learn how the story plays out.
There’s growing up, corruption, and fighting as you navigate the book.
If you are interested in themes of survival, war, and growing up, then you should check out this story.
This book is 258 pages long.
8. You Should See Me In a Crown by Leah Johnson
If you are in for breaking some barriers and supporting LBGT+, this story is for you.
It highlights the story of Liz, who is queer and wants to run for prom queen to get a money award for college.
Stuck between hiding her real sexuality and struggling with homophobic and hate speech, read on to discover how Liz overcomes these obstacles.
There’s friendship, mending relationships, and coming out all wrapped in this book.
This book is 336 pages long.
9. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
Don’t miss this autobiography of Frederick Douglass as he recalls the events of his enslavement and journey to freedom.
Explore the life of Frederick Douglass and the hardships, journeys, and obstacles he had to endure to reach freedom.
There are themes of the journey to freedom, the struggle for independence, and the conflict with slavery.
This book is 76 pages long.
10. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Dive in for a legacy of how Henrietta Lacks, an African American lady’s cells became a key component to medical advancement and research.
It also explores the dark side of con artists and evil advances from certain media groups who want to extract information about the Lacks family.
Read on to discover how Rebecca Skloot was able to approach the Lacks family and write about Henrietta Lacks.
This book is 381 pages long.
11. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
It centers around the protagonist, Amir, who loves writing and tries to fix the mistakes he made.
Hassan is Amir’s best friend, but a series of jealousy and conflicts drive them apart.
The Kite Runner delves into themes of father and son relationships, guilt, and redemption.
It does involve some sexually explicit content and strong language.
This book is 371 pages long.
12. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway’s books are mostly classics so you can’t go wrong reading his stories.
The Old Man and the Sea dive into a tale about struggles, pride, and determination through fishing.
Read on to discover how Santiago, a fisherman encounters many obstacles in his fishing journey.
This book is 127 pages long.
Interested in more book recommendations? Check out Must-Read High School Freshman Reading List.
13. Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale by Art Spiegelman
If you like images and illustrations, then this book might be for you.
Maus depicts the story of the Holocaust, Jews, and Nazis.
This is a good book to read if you want to learn about the events of the Holocaust through the lens of a survivor.
If you enjoy this first book, there is also the second part of this series.
This book is 159 pages long.
14. A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
This story opens up about a Black family, the Youngers who get $10,000 from insurance for Mr. Younger’s death.
It unravels the conflicts between each of the family members who want to pursue a different dream.
Some want to purchase a house, others want the money to go towards tuition and one for investment in a liquor store.
Explore how the Youngers deal with this sum of money and what obstacles they face along the way.
A Raisin in the Sun depicts themes of following dreams, battling racial discrimination, and the relationship between family.
This book is 162 pages long.
15. Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman
If you are sciencey and love reading about physics or Einstein, this book is perfect for you!
It comes through the lens of what Alan Lightman imagines Albert Einstein may have dreamed of leading up to his special theories and papers.
Learn about each of these dreams and get a glimpse of what may have possibly been Einstein’s thoughts on his revolutionary findings.
This book is 144 pages long.
16. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
A glass castle may sound like a wonderful place, but this book is far from depicting the ideals.
It talks about the story of how a family wanders, steals, and lives in a difficult situation because of their circumstances and an alcoholic father.
The parents’ selfishness and the children’s attempt to escape this life play into the conflicts and hardships that they endure.
Read on to discover how it all plays out and the series of problems that each character has through their difficult life, bad habits, and depressing situations.
This book is 289 pages long.
17. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Read the story of how Nathan Price, a Baptist preacher, tries to promote Christianity in the Belgian Congo with his family.
In this new place, the family is faced with many challenges and explores themes of religion, different beliefs, and assimilation.
The new environment affects all members of the family and discovers if they can fit in or not.
This book is 576 pages long.
18. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
If you are interested in dystopian stories, then Never Let Me Go is a great read for you.
It dives into a story about human cloning, organ donation, and experiments.
The story centers around three friends Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy as they learn about the realities of the program and the secrets behind the cloning.
Explore themes of humanity, the importance of memory, and self-identity.
This book is 288 pages long.
19. Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi
This book is a great read for anyone who has a different perception of their future than their parents.
It tells the story of Scott Ferdowsi, who has no idea what he wants to do, and his parents who try to persuade him to pick a lucrative major.
Go on Scott’s journey to discover how he finds himself, the path he takes, and the adventures he makes.
Down and Across is a nice book for lost high school students who are starting to apply to college, but have no sense of direction on what they want to do with their lives.
The book touches on themes of discovering yourself, trying out new things, and growing up.
This book is 336 pages long.
Hopefully, this 11th grade reading list has some books that you are interested in.
This post was all about 11th grade reading list.
