Kellee

Student Voices: Recommendations from Connor A., Sami B., Bruna D., Julianna F., and Sarah C.

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Recommendations

“New Manga Recommendations for Manga Readers” by Connor A., 8th grade

Are you a manga reader that is tired of always getting the same manga recommendations? Do you always get recommendations like One Piece, My Hero Academia, and Dragon Ball Z? In this blog post, I will be giving recommendations for new manga that are underrated and not commonly spoken of or recommended. I will venture into many different types of manga with original storylines and power systems.

  • Gachiakuta by Kei Urana: For manga readers looking for something original, that also rounds back to the impact people can have on our world, I would definitely recommend Gachiakuta. This unique story is about a boy named Rudo, who’s dad is a criminal. Rudo has always loved trash and wondered why people throw things away, while living in a socially outcast neighborhood of a floating city. After being accused of murder, Rudo is thrown into the “pit” and looks to uncover the secrets of vital instruments (Jinki), the cleaners, and the pit itself, while seeking revenge on those who cast him there.

  • DanDaDan by Yukinobu Tatsu: For manga readers looking for a new genre of manga, I would recommend DanDaDan. This series is really interesting, as it mixes sci-fi, japanese spirits, and a twisted romance. This cool story starts when a nerdy and unpopular boy who believes in aliens, meets a popular girl who believes in spirits. Both are sent to a location to prove that the thing that they believe in exists. Things take a wrong turn and both gain powers, and are sent on a mission.

  • Blue Lock by Muneyuki Kaneshiro: For manga readers who are not into sports manga, but still looking for something new, I would recommend Blue Lock. This manga series is absolutely amazing. I could not see myself reading sports manga until I read this. The story takes place when a high school striker named Yoichi Isagi loses his high school match to the champions bracket because he did not have the guts to shoot, and passed instead. The next day, Isagi gets an invitation to a facility named “Blue Lock” aiming to create the world’s best striker to represent Japan in the national league. The catch is: anyone who loses at blue lock will never be able to have a soccer career in Japan.

  • Fire Force by Atsushi Ohkubo: For manga readers looking for something cool and fun to read, I would recommend Fire Force. This manga was created by the same author as Soul Eater, and his former assistant was Kei Urana who created Gachiakuta. This manga takes place in a world where the most probable cause of death is spontaneous human combustion. Shinra Kusakabe, has always dreamed to be a hero but is dubbed a devil by his peers. Shinra joins Special Fire Force Company 8, looking to fight fire monsters called infernals, and to become a hero.

  • My Hero Academia Vigilantes by Hideyuki Furuhashi: This spin-off series to My Hero Academia is actually really good! Manga readers that are looking for a cool series would love this. Our story starts with a young man named Koichi, who has a weak quirk. He learns about vigilantes, heroes that fight without licenses, and decides that even with his quirk he wants to become a hero. He meets a man named “knuckleduster” who doesn’t even have a quirk, but is acting as a vigilante, and begins to fight crime.

“Recommended Series” by Sami B., 7th grade

Throughout the school year, I saw many kids check out books. But one common thing I found was many kids preferred series books rather than ones on their own. Whenever they asked where to find books they mostly asked about books in a series. These were the most recommended from many students.


Shadow Children series

At the beginning of the story, the government created a law saying that “parents can only have two children.” When Luke Garner was born, they forced him to leave his home. He was so mad at the law, he decided to help others like him to change the law. According to “Among the Betrayed” a girl named Nina Idi who’s also an illegal child shows how she has to go through the same thing. 


Dork Diaries series

Across the series Nikki Maxwell uses her diary to explain her life in middle school. Each diary explains how Nikki goes through different problems, relationships, pains and mainly her adventures within her school year.


Raina Telgemeier memoir series

Each and all books show how Raina goes through her toughest parts of life:

Smile: After an accident with her teeth, Raina has to try to survive middle school, not so good friends and now headgear and braces. 

Sisters: Raina’s family have to go through a trip across the country but there are many fights between Raina and her sister. 

Guts: During fifth grade, Raina does not feel good. Also she tends to get nauseous when she sees or hears something that can gross her out. 

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Dog Man/ Cat Kid Comic Club series

Dog Man: Follow Dog Man, a man-dog hybrid, across many adventures that contains adventure, laffs, love and jokes that will keep you entertained and will make you keep reading others like this. Cat Kid Comic Club: Join Lil’ Petety, Molly, Flippy and his family of toads as they explore literacy in comics and their solutions to their problems.


Spy x Family series

During an important mission, Twilight has to be undercover as a family man. He has to adopt a child with telepathic powers and marry a woman who is a secret assassin. Can they live together as a fake family without getting their secrets loose

“7 Books I Read and Loved This Year” by Bruna D., 7th grade

The book Four Eyes is about Rex’s first year of middle school and he found out he has to use glasses and he was scared of people making fun of him but his mom couldn’t afford an expensive glasses so his mom had to buy this very cheap and ugly glasses and then people at school called him four eyes but in the end he found out its okay to be different.

The book Pizza Face is about Rex’s first day of 7th grade and he had a BIG pimple in the center of his forehead because of puberty and then it started growing more and more and then people started calling him pizza face until he went to the dermatologist but he didn’t only deal with acne he deals with friendships.

The book Allergic is about this girl that she dreamed of getting a puppy and then in her birthday she finally got what she wished for but little did she know she was allergic to fur pet, she got so sad and she tried  everything possible to get a dog without fur but still its didn’t work but then she had an idea what if she get a animal without fur but her mom did not let her so she had to get with her knowing.

The book Squished is about this girl who lives in a large family and she feels squished but her 6 siblings and she saves money to make her own room in the basement because she doesn’t want to share a room with her siblings.

The book I Heart You, You Haunt Me is about this girl’s boyfriend who dies but his spirit is always with her and they kiss and do everything even though he is a ghost.

The book Two Tribes is about this girl who wants to learn more about her culture and her religion so she wants to live with her dad who is very religious but did not tell her mom. 

The book Ghosts is about this girl who moves and has a hard time to get used to her new town and that town people say there are ghosts but she doesn’t believe them until she sees one.

“My Favorite Books for Middle School” by Julianna F., 7th grade

Middle school is fun, and reading awesome makes it even better!

One of my favorite books is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling. It’s about a boy named Harry who finds out that he’s a wizard! He goes to Hogwarts School, where he makes friends, learns magic, and fights against bad guys. I really like how the story is all about friendship, courage and a little mystery!

Second one that I love is The Giver by Lois Lowry. It’s about a boy named Jonas who lives in a world where everything is the same, and there are no colors or feelings. When he becomes Receiver of Memory. He learns about real things like love and sadness, which makes him think a lot about his life. This book is different from others, but that makes it really cool!

Third, I have to share Wonder by RJ. Palacio. It’s about a boy named Auggie who looks different and is going to school for the first time. The story is told from different people’s perspectives, and it shows how some people can be really nice, while others might not be. I love this book because it tells us to appreciate our differences and be kind to everyone, no matter what. 

Fourth, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is an awesome adventure about a twelve-year-old boy named Jackson. He finds out that he is actually a demigod, which means his dad is Poseidon, the god of the sea! When Percy is accused of stealing Zeus’s lightning bolt, he has to go on a super cool quest across the country to find the ral thief and stop a big fight between the gods. This book is full of action, funny moments, and it teaches us about friendship and being brave. I think it’s a must-read for everyone who loves adventures!

Lastly, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is a really important story about a girl named Starr Carter. She sees her best friend, Khalil, get shot by a police officer, and it changes her life forever. Starr has to deal with tough stuff, like being in a neighborhood where things are dangerous and going to a fancy school where she feels different. This book talks about important issues like race and standing up for what is right. It makes you think and helps you understand how to be brave and find your voice. I think everyone should read it!

These are just a few of my favorite books, and I think every middle schooler should read them!

“Books I Love So Much, I’d Love to Live in Them” by Sarah C., 8th grade

Harry Potter is one of my favourite books the magical world of magic could you imagine living among witches and wizards and going to a Hogwarts studying everything about potions and magic AND I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO FLY ON A HIPPOGRIFF and get my house selected by the sorting hat. One thing I would definitely do is go to Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes and buy as much candy as I could!

I don’t think there is anything really special about Washington, but in folks you have the chance to live among vampires and werewolves going to the same school and the CULLENS and maybe even become a vampire or a werewolves and talk to Jacob every single day… I would definitely prefer being a vampire. Can you imagine being young forever? AMAZING!

Can you imagine going into a to a whole new country AND moving with your father that you have never met before while in the process of change falling in love,  that offers an enchanting escape into a world of romance and adventure, where everything is about to become and new experience and you life will get turned upside down.

If for one day I could live the life of lara jean that would be PERFECT. Can you imagine fake-dating PETER KAVINSKY? There is a lot of thing I would do to get a Peter Kavinsky in my life. Their love story is just the cutest thing ever. I would love falling cutely in love like Lara Jean. Plus, come on, who doesn’t wish sometimes they also had sent love letters.

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their recommendations of books they loved reading!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 7/14/25

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Wednesday: Student Voices: Looking At Characters from Favorite Books from Omayma H., Abigail D., Cassie W., Ethan S., and Gabriela T.

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

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Kellee

I am taking a bit of a break from IMWAYR during this summer though I will be sharing some amazing Student Voice posts during that time, so please check them out! OH, and please keep linking up, checking out Ricki’s updates when she posts, and commenting on others in the community 📖💙

My next update will be August 11th, and I look forward to sharing what I read during the rest of the summer (because that’ll be the first day back to school for my students 😲!), but you can always you see what books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This is my week off; I’ll update you all next week.

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Wednesday: Student Voices: Recommendations from Connor A., Sami B., Bruna D., Julianna F., and Sarah C.

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Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

 Signature andRickiSig

1. Ms. Yingling  3. Jane @ Raincity Librarian  
2. Myra @ GatheringBooks  4. June Reading  

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Student Voices: Looking At Characters from Favorite Books from Omayma H., Abigail D., Cassie W., Ethan S., and Gabriela T.

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Looking at Characters from Favorite Books

“Top Ten Favorite Book Couples” by Omayma H., 8th grade

Romance in books is special. Readers feel connected to characters as they experience love and challenges. Whether it’s enemies to lovers or friends to lovers, here are my top 10 favorite book couples. (Note: These couples are NOT in order.  I can’t pick!)

Powerless – Kai and Paedyn
Trope: Enemies to Lovers

Kai and Paedyn come from two different social classes. Kai, the prince and the future Enforcer of Illya, and Paedyn, an illegal ordinary, who lives in the slums. They aren’t supposed to meet, not when Peadyn is supposed to be hiding from Kai and his job as the enforcer to get rid of all ordinaries. But when Kai gets into trouble in the slums, Paedyn saves him without really knowing who he is, and that results in her getting chosen for the purging trials, all because she saved the prince. Now, Kai and Paedyn have to compete in the trials against each other. But instead of becoming rivals and hating each other, they form a relationship of teasing, pretend hatred, and care. They help each other through the trials, slowly falling for each other at the same time. Despite a small problem that happens in their relationship, Kai and Paedyn grow to trust and love each other through the trilogy. Facing challenges to be with each other, but always caring for each other.

The Cruel Prince – Cardan and Jude
Trope: Enemies to Lovers

Fae and mortal, prince and outcast. Carden and Jude were enemies from the beginning, ever since Jude and her sisters were brought to faerie when they were small. Carden, the youngest and meanest of the kings’ children, had always seemed to have something against Jude. Though during the progression of the series, Jude and Carden get closer as they work together and fall in love. Their relationship is filled with heartfelt words, filled with adorable nicknames, confessions, and teasing. Not to mention supporting each other all the time. Their sharp banter hints at a growing attraction. Cardan’s harshness hides sensitivity, while Jude’s strength draws him in. Their journey shows that love can develop even in rivalry.

The Selection – Maxon and America
Trope: Friends to Lovers

Maxon and America’s relationship starts as a friendship. They get to know each other during the Selection competition. America enters the Selection for other reasons, but begins to have real feelings for Maxon. Maxon is kind, understanding, and supportive. America struggles with her feelings and her past. They share sweet moments and face challenges together. They learn to trust each other. Their relationship is built on friendship, respect, and a growing romantic bond as they navigate their world. Both of them face hard challenges, but are always there for each other. Filled with sweet first times and love like no other.

The Inheritance Games – Jameson and Avery
Trope: Friends to Lovers

Jameson and Avery’s relationship begins as a friendship. They work together to solve puzzles and uncover secrets in a game set by Jameson’s grandfather for Avery’s inheritance. As they spend time together, they develop a strong connection and trust. Jameson is protective and supportive of Avery, while she brings out his softer side. Their bond grows as they face challenges, leading to deeper feelings for each other. No matter what challenges they face, both of them stay by each other’s side and help each other no matter what. 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians – Percy and Annabeth
Trope: Friends to Lovers

Percy and Annabeth’s relationship begins as a friendship, but it slowly develops into something deeper. They face many adventures and challenges together as demigods, supporting and protecting each other along the way. Their bond is built on trust, loyalty, and mutual respect. They also share a lot of playful banter, which adds a fun dynamic to their connection. Over time, their feelings grow, and they become a strong couple, always there for one another through thick and thin. 

Shatter Me – Aaron and Juliette
Trope: Enemies to Lovers

Aaron Warner and Juliette’s relationship is intense and complicated. At first, they are enemies, with Warner being a powerful figure who represents the world Juliette is trying to escape. However, as they spend more time together, they start to understand each other’s struggles. Warner reveals his softer side, showing he cares for her deeply, while Juliette learns to trust him. Their relationship evolves from hatred to a deep emotional connection, filled with passion and support as they face challenges together. At the end, they become a strong couple who help each other heal and grow.

Once Upon a Broken Heart – Jacks and Evangeline
Trope: Enemies to Lovers

Jacks and Evangeline’s relationship starts with them as enemies. Jacks is mysterious and often manipulative, while Evangeline is strong and wants to protect herself and her loved ones. As they spend time together, they begin to understand each other. This leads to unexpected feelings between them. Despite the tension and challenges they face, their connection grows stronger. They learn to trust and care for one another, turning their rivalry into a romantic relationship.

Caraval – Julian and Scarlet
Trope: Enemies to Lovers

Julian and Scarlet have a strong friendship that grows into a romantic relationship. They start by supporting each other and face challenges together. As they spend time together, their trust in each other deepens, and they develop romantic feelings. Throughout their journey, they help each other grow and overcome obstacles. Even though their relationship has some problems like lies and hidden secrets, they learn to trust each other.

Keeper of the Lost Cities – Keefe and Sophie
Trope: Friends to Lovers

Keefe and Sophie are close friends with a complicated relationship. They start as friends and build a strong bond based on trust and support. Keefe is playful and brings fun to their friendship, while Sophie is serious and focused on her tasks. Their differences balance each other. They understand one another and help each other with challenges. As they go on adventures together, their feelings for each other deepen. Overall, their relationship includes friendship, loyalty, and growing emotions. Keefe had feelings for Sophie from the beginning, and even so, Sophie was oblivious to it all and had her own crush. And despite it not being him (and also feeling all her emotions, which makes it harder), Keefe always supported her and was happy for her no matter what. And when she finally realized her feelings for him, Sophie did not wait to tell him, hoping he still felt the same, which started this relationship.

Carval – Donatella and Legend
Trope: Enemies to Lovers

Donatella and Legend have a complicated relationship that changes throughout the story. At first, they seem like enemies because they have different goals and backgrounds. As they spend more time together, they start to understand each other better. Tella sees that Legend is more than just mysterious and manipulative, and Legend appreciates Tella’s strength and determination. Their relationship has tension and challenges, but they learn to trust and care for each other despite their differences.

“Thoughts on Characters from my Favorite Graphic Novels” by Abigail D., 7th grade

The Tryout by Christina Soontornvat

I’m making my thoughts on  Christina because I love her story and how much of a good impact she made in this book. She’s the kind of girl with confidence in everything she does which I admire so much.

Ghost by Raina Telgemeier

I’m making my thoughts on Catalina because I love how much she inspired her little sister. I’ve noticed this in every book but this one is my favorite yet. I enjoy their relationship and how Raina was the best role model she could be.

Logan Likes Mary-Anne! by Ann M. Martin

I’m making my thoughts on Mary-Anne because at first in the story she was really shy around new people but as the story went on she progressed to be herself more and even when she would be embarrassed she always had someone by her side and Mary-Anne wasn’t afraid.

The Squad by Christina Soontornvat

I’m making my thoughts on Megan because when Christina was going through a really hard time in this book, Megan stood by her side and never left. She was an amazing friend toward Christina which I love most about Megan.

Drama by Raina Telgemeier

I’m making my thought on Cassie because I love how she has a love and passion for theater/drama because it suits her incredibly well which makes the story so much better, In my opinion when you can see that in a story the actually have a passion for what they do, it makes the story 10x better.

Sisters by Raina Telgemeier

I’m making my thoughts about Amara because while they were on a road trip they all got to spend quality time with each other and even though it got to a point where they got tired of each other, Amara was always making the story more and more interesting for me.

Smile by Raina Telgemeier

I’m making my thoughts on Raina because when her teeth got ruined, she thought that she didn’t look pretty and she was in a lot of pain but later in the story she learns that she’s pretty no matter what and doesn’t let that define who she is. Meanwhile her teeth end up looking so much better in the end!

Guts by Raina Telgemeier

I’m making my thoughts about Raina’s mom because in this book Raina was so afraid of sickness and she was very overwhelmed but her mom was by her side attempting to make her feel better and was really trying to the best of her abilities for her daughter.

Real Friends by Shannon Hale

I’m making thoughts on Jen because I feel like her perspective on things is real and genuinely takes things seriously. She has a whole group of friends but doesn’t know if some of them could be real or not is a big determination that is important to realize.

New Kid by Jerry Craft

I’m making thoughts on Jordan because when he moved to a whole new place and school he was very shy and didn’t have any friends but soon enough he made friends. I love how he also had an amazing passion for drawing and how much he admired it.

“10 Characters I’d Be Friends With in Real Life” by Cassie W., 8th grade

Percy Jackson from Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

Percy would do absolutely anything for his friends, he is very funny, and his mom is arguably the best book mom out there. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with him?

Molly Frost from Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone

Molly stands up and does something when her friends aren’t being treated right. I want to be more like Molly and speak up more.

Apollo/Lester Papadopoulos from The Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan

Lester is dramatic and sassy,(I mean when you get cast down to Earth from Mount Olympus, who wouldn’t be?) which is a lot like me, so I think we would have fun together.

Marlee Tames from The Selection by Kiera Cass

Marlee is a very fun and happy person to be around. She knows how to turn a bad situation into a good one. I really like being around people that are happy, so me and Marlee would have lots of fun together.

Taylor Jewel from The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Taylor is a very good friend to Belly. Even when they are fighting, Taylor still loves Belly and helps her through her problems. I would love to have Taylor as a friend.

Hazel Levesque from The Heroes of Olympus

Hazel is very sweet and she has been through a lot, so I really want to be her friend and comfort her.

Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Annabeth is very smart and she likes designing things. I also like design, so we could talk about design and she could help me with Geometry.😭

Bianca Di Angelo from The Titan’s Curse

Bianca is someone who would do anything for her brother, and I would also do anything for my family. I think our brothers would get along well because my brother likes Pokemon and Nico likes Mythomagic.

Bronwyn Rojas from One of Us is Lying

Bronwyn would not give up until she found out how Simon died. I also like investigating things and figuring out how things happen.

Harper Lancaster from 12 to 22

Harper is a big fan of Taylor Swift and likes makeup. I also like those things, so I think we would have a good time together.

“Books That I’d Want to Be the Main Character In” by Ethan S., 7th grade

The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown

The main character in this book is so interesting, she was able to lead a whole group of fish and whales and basically the whole ocean to destroy a ship that was producing a lot of pollution which was killing a lot of sea life. I would want to be Roz (the main character) in this because I would want to know how it would feel when your whole family is dyeing and you had to do something to stop it. 

Wings of Fire: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland

I’d love to be the main character in Wings of Fire because getting to be Clay, a dragon with a big heart and hidden strength, sounds amazing. He’s brave even when he’s scared, and he cares deeply about his friends, which I really admire. Being part of a secret prophecy and going on wild adventures would make life so exciting. I think it would be incredible to discover who I really am while helping save the world. Plus, flying and breathing fire? That’s just awesome.

The Liars Society by Alyson Gerber

I’d like to be the main character in The Liar Society because Kate is fearless, clever, and never gives up, even when the truth is buried deep. She’s willing to risk everything to solve a mystery and stand up for her best friend, which I really admire. Being in her shoes would be intense, but also thrilling—I love the idea of uncovering secrets and outsmarting people who think they can get away with lies. Kate’s loyalty and determination make her someone I’d want to be. Plus, who wouldn’t want to wear a pink hair ribbon and take down a secret society?

A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga

I’d love to be the main character in A Rover’s Story because getting to explore Mars and learn new things every day sounds incredible. Even though I’m a robot, I start to feel emotions, which makes me unique—and I think that’s something really special. I’d get to help people by sending back important information, and that would give my journey a real purpose. It might be lonely out there, but I’d still feel connected to the humans who believe in me. Being curious, brave, and learning what it means to care—that’s the kind of adventure I’d want to have.

“Top 5 Best Book Characters” by Ethan S., 7th grade

While reading books, there is always that one character that gets you attention. Whether it’s for their good acts and intentions, or even for their sense of humor, these characters are often loved by all. Here are my top 5 favorite book characters:

  1. Celeste Newsome – The Selection series

Although Celeste is one of the main “villains” in the first book, she has grown a lot throughout the series. She has shown guilt by what she has done wrong, and changed to be a better person after the selection, even though life had other plans for her.

  1. Cammie Morgan – Gallagher Girl series

Cammie is a brave, smart character, who is determined to do everything for what she believes in. She and her friends use what they learned to protect their sisterhood and investigate Cammie’s first love.

  1. Lina – Love & Gelato

Lina shows how good her heart is by attending to her deceased mother’s last wish, even though it was something she did not want to do. By moving to Tuscany with her long lost father and visiting Italy with her new friend ren, she shows bravery to end up discovering a secret that will change everything she knows.

  1. Melody Brooks – Out of My Mind (series)

Melody is the definition of bravery and determination, after everything she went through. Diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, her life started out as a challenge since the beginning. It was hard for her to make friends because of her disability, but even then, she was able to prove herself into making a national TV competition. She says that although her body might be broken, she is not.

  1. Paedyn – Powerless

Paedyn is brave and fights for her survival everyday. Being an ordinary, she has to live in the shadows and steal in order to survive. After making a good deed, she is given the place in the Purging trials, a deadly battle that could make her rich, or dead. She sacrifices everything and goes to these trials, where unexpected things happen.

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at characters in books they love!

Student Voices: Impact of Author Visits from Leonardo V., Faten I., and Mia G.

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Impact of Author Visits

“2023 vs. 2024 vs. 2025 Author Visits” by Leonardo V., 8th grade

As the 2024-2025 school year comes to a close, some of us will be saying our goodbyes as 8th graders will move on to high school and remember all the memories we made in middle school. One of those memories we made were the 3 author visits. They are fun days where we meet an author in person and learn about their books and about themselves! Which one was the best overall though? I will be answering this question with mine and other opinions from around the school!

2023 Author Visit: Christina Diaz Gonzalez

About Author Christina Diaz Gonzalez

The 2023 author visit (2024-2025 8th graders first one) invited Christina Diaz Gonzalez to HCMS. She had the most diverse options for books out of the 3 authors with the most genres. In HCMS, she is most known for the book Invisible and Concealed [We’ve been very lucky because she visited our two-way dual language program in 2022 then we won a] a virtual author visit in 2023 in the 2023-2024 school year [also]! She is also visiting the school again for the 2025-2026 author visit,  so the next generation can see our 1st one!

“I think it was very fun and it was a very new experience for me” Valiya T.

2024 Author Visit: Jerry Craft

The Horn Book | Read Jerry Craft's 2020 Coretta Scott King Book Award Author Acceptance Speech American Library Association ALA Virtual Book Award Celebration

The 2024 author visit (2024-2025 8th graders second one) invited Jerry Craft to HCMS. He is the author that visited HCMS that got the most awards like the John Newberry medal. In HCMS he is most known for the “New Kid” series. He also made a special appearance in the house meeting after that to play basketball. He does have the least amount of books out of the 3 though. 

“It was really fun and I’m really thankful that I got to meet him. Being the really successful author that he is, and all the advice he gave us for the future, it was a great time for me.” Raegen B.

2025 Author Visit: George O’Connor

George O'Connor | Authors | Macmillan

The 2025 author visit (2024-2025 8th graders final one) invited George O’ Connor to HCMS. He has the longest series out of the 3 authors which is called “Olympians” George O’ Connor is also best known for that same series in HCMS. He was the author who explained all of his books in depth and also explained the most about himself and gave a good lesson. 

“I liked his visit because I feel like I got to know his background on why he started writing his books in the first place.” Ellie M.

Conclusion

 All the author visits has their (mainly) highs and (rarely) lows and have a place in our hearts, and we should thank Ms. Moye for coordinating these! To all the next author visits and beyond!

“The Impact of Author Visits” by Faten I., 7th grade

Sometimes we get so lost in such a good book, but we never look at the magic behind it. We never really pay attention to how the author came up with the idea of the book, what inspired them to start writing, or even what their life was like. Sometimes we don’t even pay attention to the author at all! 

But HCMS decided to change that. Every year, we have authors come and visit our school. These authors share their background, what inspired them to start writing, how they came up with the ideas of their books and so much more! 

For example, last year (2024) we had Jerry Craft come and visit our school. To prepare for this, everyone and their ELA classes read his book New Kid. We also decorated the library with posters, we decorated the doors, and we displayed art from Mr. Gomez’s (art teacher) class in the front office. When Jerry Craft came some language arts came in and Jerry had a presentation about his past, books, what inspired him to make books, drew some drawings for us, told us about his journey, and even played in our staff vs students basketball game! 

This whole experience impacted so many kids and I  because we got to see an author talk about his life and what inspires him. We have some very talented artists in our school who took some of his art advice and benefited from him. He also inspired many students by pushing them to read more!

So many students and I were so amazed by the fact that one minute we were reading his book and the next minute he was right in front of us! He really did inspire students a lot especially with his drawings. He taught us so much about books, diversity, he even taught me how to draw a background which actually saved me in art. I loved this experience so much! 

This year we had George O’Connor, and I learned SO much! I never really knew anything about Greek mythology, but his presentation and the events, and decorations we had for him taught me so much!

Before George O’Connor came we prepared for him by making and hanging up posters, door decorating, having his books on display, hanging up some of Mr. Gomez’s kid’s artwork, making paper cutouts of characters from some of his books, and we even had an Olympians night where you could play games based on the Greek goddesses, purchase food drinks, and get stamps for each station you complete! I was so glad because this year as a student literacy leader I was able to help with all of this and it was so much fun.  

When Gorge O’Connor first came many students including myself knew nothing about Greek Gods or him, but throughout his presentation he shared a lot and taught us a lot. He taught us about his past, his drawing techniques, his school life, how he was when he was a kid, what inspired him to start writing books, and so much about the Greek gods. 

This experience was so cool because it taught me and other students that even if we think we  can’t do something we always can, you just have to have faith and try. He also taught me and others  so much about Greek mythology, and gods and goddesses which we all found so cool. Gorge gave a lot of kids fun memories by signing books and bookmarks for them, talking with them, showing us cool activities, etc.!  

Overall I think author visits should continue because they benefit me and many kids in so many ways and have big impacts!

“How Yearly Author Visits Impact Students” by Mia G., 7th grade

Careers

Yearly Author visits are really helpful to students when it comes to choosing careers. Many authors like to introduce careers like publishing, arts, writing, and more which can make a student feel a type of connection with that career. When authors come to schools and talk about their story/background on how they became authors it can motivate students making the idea of becoming an author or another career related to it feel more real to them.

Encourages to Read

Most of the time Author Visits encourage students to start reading by discussing their books, their characters and themes of the book making students feel more interested in their books. This motivates students to start reading more not only specific author books but similar books from different authors or by discovering which genres they like. Authors also let students ask questions which makes them more interested in reading.

Understanding the process of writing

Authors often share their process like everything they have had to go through to be where they are right now; they share their success and the challenges they have gone through over the years. This can make the students learn to understand the process of writing and make them clearly  understand that everything takes time.

Participation

Authors often let students ask questions  out loud and tell them their thoughts, questions or opinions. This activity helps students to communicate in front of a lot or a group of people making them more confident in speaking out loud

Conclusion

In conclusion, Yearly author visits benefit students in many good ways which can have a big impact on them!

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at our yearly author visits!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 6/30/25

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Thursday: Sofia’s YA Book Nook: The Bletchley Riddle by Rita Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “What Would It Take to Love a Snake” by Sunya Mara, Author of Embrace the Serpent

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

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Kellee

I am taking a bit of a break from IMWAYR during this summer though I will be sharing some amazing Student Voice posts during that time, so please check them out! OH, and please keep linking up, checking out Ricki’s updates when she posts, and commenting on others in the community 📖💙

My next update will be August 11th, and I look forward to sharing what I read during the rest of the summer (because that’ll be the first day back to school for my students 😲!), but you can always you see what books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This is my week off; I’ll update you all next week.

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Wednesday: Student Voices: Impact of Author Visits from Leonardo V., Faten I., and Mia G.

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Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

 Signature andRickiSig

1. Ms. Yingling  3. Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction  5. Graphic Novels  
2. Max @ Completely Full Bookshelf  4. Najla @ GatheringBooks  

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Author Guest Post: “What Would It Take to Love a Snake” by Sunya Mara, Author of Embrace the Serpent

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“What Would It Take to Love a Snake”

.I’ve always been afraid of snakes. They give me the primordial heebie-jeebies—a fear so deep in my blood that I’m sure my ancestors are recoiling, too. But, one day, I saw this king snake in my backyard — an enormous, black-and-white striped, insanely long creature — and for some reason, a little voice in my head said: what would it take to love a snake?

I had been tinkering with this idea of a girl who made magic jewelry, but it was at that moment that Embrace the Serpent really had a spark. Jewels and snakes go together often in fairytales—there are too many examples to name, but I’m particularly fond of “The Snake Prince” and “Muchie-Lal”—and I started wondering why. Why do fairytale serpents have bejeweled palaces? Why does a queen’s ruby necklace turn into a snake, and the snake into a prince? Why does a bride have to embrace a hundred-headed snake for an entire night without letting go, to save her bridegroom? Why do they go together, the things we covet and the things we fear?

One thought kept nagging at me. It’s a simple one: both snakes and jewels are found deep in the earth, hidden from sight.

That idea inspired me. That something could be lurking just beneath your feet—something that could be wonderful, or dangerous. And you can’t know which it is unless you’re brave enough to seek it out, to reach into the dark, the unknown, and take hold of it.

Saphira, the main character in Embrace the Serpent, is a girl who’s so afraid of the world that she lets someone else take the credit for the magical jewelry she makes. But, she doesn’t realize that her work is so extraordinary that powerful people are paying attention, including the Serpent King. That idea, of being afraid to claim your work as your own, and therefore limiting yourself to a cage of your own making—that became the crux of Saphira’s character.

She’s tested when the Serpent King sends his cleverest huntsman to find the best jewelsmith in the world, and he realizes that the unassuming little apprentice is the true genius behind these extraordinary works. Unfortunately, his scrutiny leads others to discover her, and sets of a chain of events that leads to Saphira making a dangerous deal with the Serpent King: she’ll help him, if he’ll give her the means to hide forever.

And that’s where the unlikely romance begins. As they journey together, pretending to be newlyweds, they begin to see each other as more than a means to an end. Both Saphira and the Serpent King have something to hide, and I wanted to capture the feeling of guarded people slowly opening up to each other, and finding that under the fear, there’s something to love.

Who we love shows us who we are. And sometimes who we really are is a surprise to ourselves—in a good way. Sometimes being loved changes the beloved.

That feeling of transformation—of becoming stronger because you have something or someone to be strong for—was the thing I most wanted to explore with this story.

Some of the books and movies that have been a touchstone for this story include Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen—all these have one thing in common, which is that the main character undergoes a radical transformation because they found a reason to be braver in loving someone else. I found those stories powerful, especially in the context of a world that seems increasingly self-centered and fearful.

Fear can be good, because it keeps us alive, but it also can keep us stagnant. You can only be sure no one will hurt you if you’re all alone, that you’ll never say something wrong if you never speak at all, and that nothing horrible can happen to you if you never leave the house—but centering fear seems like such a shame, when there are so many wonderful things to embrace instead.

That, I think, is what Embrace the Serpent is about. It came out of me as an antidote to fear. It reminded me of the power of delight, of choosing to be strong enough to care. I hope that if you choose to give Embrace the Serpent a chance, that Saphira and the Serpent King’s love story will take care of you the way it took care of me.

And, the funny thing is, I still think about that king snake. In a way, it gave me this book, and the adventure of writing it. It changed me for the better, and I’m grateful to it.

And I wonder, what would it take for you to love a snake?

Published June 24th, 2025 by HarperCollins

About the Book: “An exquisite jewel of a book.” —Ava Reid, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning

In this sweeping romantic fantasy, a dangerous deal binds a young jeweler’s apprentice to the mysterious Serpent King in a marriage of convenience, thrusting her into a deadly game between the cunning, fearsome ruler and his rebellious huntsman. Perfect for fans of The Wrath & the Dawn and Once Upon a Broken Heart!

The Serpent King is the most eligible bachelor in the land: a monster with dark and terrible magic and the ruler of the last free kingdom. Riches and power await his future bride—but so does a life forever trapped in the games of court.

That fate is eighteen-year-old Saphira’s worst nightmare. Ever since the Empire made her an orphan, she’s found freedom in being invisible. So despite her rare gift for harnessing the magic in gemstones, she lets an unscrupulous jewelsmith take credit for her increasingly sought-after work.

But when the king sends his most clever huntsman to find the best jewelsmith of all, the spotlight lands on Saphira. Faced with choosing between falling into the Empire’s grasp or marrying a monster, she chooses the latter — even if it means getting increasingly caught between her cold, serpentine husband and his cunning, handsome huntsman.

About the Author: Sunya Mara grew up in six different cities across five different states and now calls Los Angeles home. She studied film and business at the University of Southern California and went on to write and illustrate at Kobe Bryant’s Granity Studios. When not telling stories, she spends her time haunting old movie theaters and staring at museum walls.

Thank you, Sunya, for sharing your fear that became power in this post!

Author Guest Post: “Scared Safe: How Horror Literature Can Comfort Young Readers” by Ann Dávila Cardinal, Author of You’ve Awoken Her

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“Scared Safe: How Horror Literature Can Comfort Young Readers”

When people learn what kind of young adult novels I write, I often get the comment, “Oh, I can’t read horror. I’m too scared!” I always respond with, “Oh, me too! I’m so afraid, I’m medicated!” I usually get a confused look in reply, “But . . .you write horror?”

I know, it doesn’t make a lot of sense at first glance, but I’ve always loved scary stories, even when I was quite young. My three older brothers usually had Creature Features on, a weekly television broadcast of cult horror movies, and my mother was always reading some gothic horror novel or another, so I was right there asking them all my questions, peeking at the screen from between my fingers. Yes, these things gave me nightmares, but no, that didn’t stop me. After many years of being a horror fan, I began my writing career with a young adult novel about the Latine boogeyman entitled Five Midnights. From that point on, I was hooked. After writing in this genre for over ten years and meeting a lot of other writers and readers, I’ve come to realize that a lot of us are like this: these stories scare us too, but we also find comfort from reading, watching, or listening to tales of the macabre. I have a theory why, at least in my own case.

Like many childhoods of that time, mine had its traumas. I was the fifth of five children, with sixteen years between me and my eldest sibling, and for five of my first eight years my father was dying of ALS. As you can imagine with all that was going on for my fairly large family, I often went unnoticed, quietly sitting in the background as my brother George watched Invasion of the Body Snatchers, or listening in on conversations about my father’s disease that were not appropriate for my young years. After my father passed, with only two of us kids left at home, my mother turned to alcohol for comfort. Me? I started buying horror comics, reading about dolls that came alive at night and killed their owners, corpses that rose from the grave to exact revenge. I was drawn to these dark tales because they made my difficult life seem bearable, particularly those that featured kids who, like me, had no autonomy, no voice, but when faced with the most unimaginable horrors they managed to triumph in the end. Weird as it was, those stories made me believe that there was hope, because though my young life sucked, at least there weren’t zombies breaking down the front door of our home. I am clearly not alone in this response; in fact, I came to find that it is supported by studies as well.

In his paper entitled, “Scaring away anxiety: Therapeutic avenues for horror fiction to enhance treatment for anxiety symptoms,” behavioral scientist Coltan Scrivner, PhD states, “Horror media may provide a unique avenue for individuals to manage anxiety by offering controlled exposure to fear, opportunities for cognitive engagement, and experiences of mastery over negative emotions.” He goes on to talk about the benefits of “scary play” for juveniles, “Much of human play takes place in the cognitive playground of a fictional world. Through fictional play, people can learn what a particular situation looks like and imagine how they would react and deal with it. As with more physical types of play, cognitive play with fiction can also serve as a rehearsal for negative emotions and how to manage them.” So, horror stories give young readers an opportunity to practice their responses to trauma in a safe and fictional environment.

During a recent interview I was asked how writing horror for teens differs from writing horror for adults. My answer is always the same: hope. When you’re writing for young people, you’re writing for a vulnerable population. You have responsibility toward your readers. With adults, you don’t have to consider audience at all, you just write. And in the case of adult horror, it can be as dark, violent, or disturbing as you’d like. But with young people, I feel that even the darkest stories should end with a certain amount of hope, and, perhaps, agency for the young protagonists. But along the way, the road can be pretty dark: today’s youth can take it.

In any young adult novel, it is partially our job as writers to throw as many roadblocks at our main characters as possible, sometimes in the form of trauma or truly horrific things, because, put simply: conflict makes for a more interesting story. The more conflict, the better. No one wants to read about someone’s perfect life, because I don’t believe anyone actually has one. It would seem empty. I often think about the first time I read the Lord of the Rings. I couldn’t stand the fact that Frodo and Sam continued to encounter unspeakable evil for thousands of pages, and I gnashed my teeth for hours at a time. I was like, “Just let them throw the damn ring into the fire already!” But it kept me turning pages. No one wants to read a version where they’re magically flown to Mount Doom, Frodo doesn’t have an internal battle with evil but rather just tossed it into the lava, middle earth is saved in the first fifteen minutes, and there was much rejoicing. Rather, it is the act of overcoming that elevates a tale to one that we love and reread over and over. And it is these kinds of stories that almost always end with hope.

So, whether or not you are someone who enjoys horror, you will probably encounter a student or other young person who expresses interest in books of the scary persuasion. What I’d like to ask of you, is this: don’t assume about the child is drawn to these kinds of stories because they are receding into darkness, but rather consider that they might be trying to claw their way out of it, and books of this kind help them do just that. Because in the darkness of horror, young readers often find the light they need to face the real world.

I certainly did. And I turned out alright. (Well, more or less. 😉

Published June 17th, 2025 by HarperCollins

About the Book: Fans of You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight and Your Lonely Nights Are Over will love this thrilling YA horror about a string of disappearances and “accidental” drownings in the Hamptons, the changing relationship between two best friends, and their desperate attempt to not be the next victims of a Lovecraftian monster terrorizing the coastline.

Gabi should be thrilled to be visiting his best friend for the summer. But with its mansions, country clubs, and Ruth’s terrible new boyfriend, Frost Thurston, the Hamptons is the last place he wants to be. And then Gabi witnesses a woman being dragged under the ocean by what looks like a tentacle . . .

When no one—not the police or anyone else—seems to care, Gabi starts to wonder if maybe the beachside town’s bad vibes are more real than he thought. As the number of “accidental” deaths begins to climb, the Thurston family name keeps rising to the top. And what’s worse is that all the signs point to something lurking beneath the water—something with a hunger for blood.

Can Gabi figure out how the two are intertwined and put an end to the string of deaths . . . before becoming the water’s next victim?

About the Author: Ann Dávila Cardinal is a writer and part-time bookseller with an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her young adult horror novels include You’ve Awoken Her, Breakup from Hell, and Five Midnights and its sequel, Category Five. Ann lives with her husband in a little house with a creepy basement and is always on the lookout for parts of monstrous creatures floating in the Vermont rivers as Lovecraft wrote about. Visit her online at anndavilacardinal.com. 

Thank you, Ann, for sharing the research behind the need for horror!