10th Grade level Reading Book by American Author?

My teacher is getting annoyed with my cl because we can't stay focused for more than 2 minutes while we're reading because the books she picks for use are all really old and boring. The first book we read was The Crucible by Arthur Miller, which we never finished and the second book we are reading is another play write that is called " A Street Car Named Desire" i can't remember his last name it begins with a T Anyways these books are both very old and boring and my teacher has ADHD so we can't make the littlest bit of noise or she gets distracted and if we get bored and start dozing off she yells and gets mad but even if she isn't mad she yells all the time it's just how she talks and it is annoying. (THE REAL BEGINNING OF MY QUESTION) We made a deal with her that if we find a book that is by an American Author and is at least a 10th grade reading level then we can read it instead. So i was wondering if you had any books in suggestion. we are really into action books that involve gangs for example the outsiders, but the outsiders she says in a 9th grade reading level so we can't read it. but if you have any books in mind similar to it then please share.