Contact Us

Cathy Wellington

Secondary English Curriculum Developer
[email protected]
(425) 456-4158


Purpose and Process Overview

The purpose of novel adoption at the secondary level is to:

  • Select new titles that offer multiple perspectives
  • Reflect underrepresented voices in our current curriculum
  • Provide opportunities for critical thinking and build empathy for others’ lived experiences

We are Currently Piloting a New Novel Adoption Process

The individual schools listed below will convene a Novel Review Committee of certificated staff, students and parents to consider each novel.

This committee will:

  1. Follow the procedures of the Materials Adoption Process for Approved Additional Materials
  2. If the novel meets those criteria and grade level needs, the team will write an adoption proposal making a recommendation to the Instructional Materials Committee based on evidence gathered during the process

Novels Currently Under Consideration

Bellevue High School

  • Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
    Course: American Literature 11th Grade Choice Book
  • Atonement by Ian McEwan
    Courses: Senior College Level English, AP English, Senior English

Interlake High School

  • The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen
    Course: Advanced Learning IB Lit/Lang HL1, IB Lit/Lang HL1

Newport High School

  • Atonement by Ian McEwan
    Courses: Senior College Level English, AP English, Senior English
  • Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
    Course: Honors Sophomore Composition and Literature
  • The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore
    Course: American Literature 11th Grade Choice Book

*The Novel Review Committee may determine these are high quality novels that meet the review criteria but may be a better match for a different grade level.


The Bellevue School District acknowledges that we learn, work, live and gather on the Indigenous Land of the Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Duwamish and Snoqualmie Tribes. We thank these caretakers of this land, who have lived and continue to live here, since time immemorial.