Novel

Author Guest Post: “Why I Write About Messy Teens—And Why We Should Honor the Mess Inside of Us All” by Jen Ferguson, Author of A Constellation of Minor Bears

by
Share

“Why I Write About Messy Teens—And Why We Should Honor the Mess Inside of Us All”

One of the lies we tell each other is that the point of living is we’re supposed to get it all together. First off, I don’t know exactly what it is, and I worry it is maybe, act in a manner benefitting the patriarchy or the government, or even like what many older cis, het white people want everyone else to act like: speak English (but the right English), get a job (but the right job), work hard (but the right kind of hard), and don’t question why the work you do never results in exactly what you were told it would—in fact, stop asking questions entirely. I worry together means that an individual does this alone. I worry that all is never achievable, but it’s the thing we’re faced with, the thing we’ll fail at again and again, and worse yet, believe that we’ve failed, believe that we haven’t worked hard enough, haven’t done this simple thing everyone else seems to be doing.

And I worry that when we tell ourselves these lies as teachers, in our home life, our community life, and our school life, that we’re doing the work of socializing teens toward something we all know, in our hearts, doesn’t work well, and isn’t designed to work well for the large majority of us.

I am a teacher too.

I fight against telling my students this get it all together narrative, this hard-work-is-rewarded narrative, this we-live-in-a-meritocracy narrative every day.

After all, we know life is easier for everyone involved if young people would, for example, learn to submit their work on time.

But submitting things on time won’t save them, not really.

#

So, with this lie—get it all together—in mind, I write about messy teens. Teens who get to remain messy. Whose identities are hybrid, this-plus-this-plus-this, or whose identities are flexible the way gender identity is for many young people, or, for example, whose identities are radically changing the way a person’s perception of self needs to change after a 30-foot uncontrolled fall to the ground results in a traumatic brain injury. I write about teens who learn to love their mess. Teens who grow with their mess or into their mess, instead of getting it all together in the way that (Western ideas about) character development, as well as other power structures, might tell us we ought do see done in a novel.

My characters don’t always have the words or the skills to handle the world around them. But that is not their fault.

The world, it can be what’s wrong, what needs to change, too.

#

Let’s turn to my new book filled with messy teens, A Constellation of Minor Bears, out from HarperCollins’ Heartdrum imprint.

Meet Molly Norris-Norquay, an overachieving fat, maybe queer, Métis and white seventeen-year-old high school graduate, who is walking away from her life as fast as her feet can carry her 60-liter hiking pack and all the things she’ll need to successfully complete the Pacific Crest Trail.

At her high school graduation, the afternoon before her flight to San Diego, California, she says: “The anger inside me pulses like it has its own veins and arteries. The noise, the pressure, is overwhelming. A breeze brushes tulle against my heated skin. I want to crush something or run a 5K race or sit down in the grass and have a big cry, a full-fledged temper tantrum, and I have no idea which.”

I could tell you about Molly’s white brother Hank and his messiness, how he’s recovering from a sports-related traumatic brain injury, or about Hank and Molly’s best friend Tray and how he might look like he’s under control, behaving, following the rules, but he’s awfully messy too. And I could tell you about Brynn, another fat hiker, how she’s on the trail for the right reasons but walking away from her life at the same time.

Instead, I want to stay with Molly’s anger.

In A Constellation of Minor Bears, Molly gets to be angry, gets to be frustrated with her brother, her best friend, her parents, with other hikers, and the world at large, gets to be wrong and double-down, and she also gets to be right and wrong at the very same time. Molly is doing an incredible thing—walking 2,650 miles, from the US/Mexico border to the US/Canada border through mountain ranges in California, Oregon and Washington.

But she’s also barely managing it most days.

And if she’s learning anything, together, means relying on her community, her friends no matter the mess between them.

On the trail, all, means getting up and doing this hard thing over again. But sometimes all means taking a zero day—a day where a hiker walks exactly zero miles. Sometimes all means you leave the trail entirely, without finishing. Sometimes all means you find another trail.

#

I want to return to the idea that the characters I write about aren’t always able to handle the world around them, and the idea that supposes this is not their fault. Instead, it’s systems, power structures, the world around them that needs to change.

This is a critical perspective for activists who fight for a world where BIPOC and queer and trans people’s lives are full and rich and unencumbered by systems of power that tell us we are less, that tell us we don’t fit, that legislate against us, that encourage violence in word and action against us.

This perspective is foundational for fat and disability activism too. Bodies change throughout our lives. Bodies are messy in so many delightful ways. If living is anything, it’s the embodied experience of constant change, of becoming, of re-becoming.

I want to allow those of us who live in these messy, imperfect, most excellent bodies to not to have to tame ourselves, or shape ourselves to fit the world, but for the world to open up to all of us, to recognize living is not about containing our messiness, but existing in relationship with our mess and the world and all the other living and not-living things around us.

When messy teens grow up to be adults who get it all together we lose part of what makes us human.

Long live messy teens.

Long live the messy adults we become.

#

I’ll leave you with a short writing challenge for your students to play with in order to embrace mess.

  • Create a messy character. What makes them messy? How is their messy different from everyone else’s? Spend a few minutes here. Orchestrate a mess.
  • Now, get your character into trouble. What is the perfect trouble for their mess? Not to “fix” them, but to challenge your character.
  • They don’t need to get rid of their mess by the end of the story. See what parts of their mess they want to keep, what parts help them against their trouble, what parts of their mess should be celebrated.
  • Okay, now for the hard part: take a risk or two! Your risk should be something you consider risky. For example, if you always write in the first person (“I”) maybe you could try writing in the 2nd person (“You”). Your risk can be a content one too: what’s the story you’ve told yourself you aren’t brave enough to tell? What happens if you tell a story with a character you’re familiar with but you set it on a space station orbiting Mars or in a wheat field full of strange bugs or somewhere else that challenges your storytelling brain?
  • But really, your job here, today is to have some fun! Play, embrace the mess inside us and around us.

<3 Jen

Published September 24th, 2024 by Heartdrum

About the Book: Award-winning author Jen Ferguson has written a powerful story about teens grappling with balancing resentment with enduring friendship—and how to move forward with a life that’s not what they’d imagined.          

Before that awful Saturday, Molly used to be inseparable from her brother, Hank, and his best friend, Tray. The indoor climbing accident that left Hank with a traumatic brain injury filled Molly with anger.

While she knows the accident wasn’t Tray’s fault, she will never forgive him for being there and failing to stop the damage. But she can’t forgive herself for not being there either.

Determined to go on the trio’s postgraduation hike of the Pacific Crest Trail, even without Hank, Molly packs her bag. But when her parents put Tray in charge of looking out for her, she is stuck backpacking with the person who incites her easy anger.

Despite all her planning, the trail she’ll walk has a few more twists and turns ahead. . . .

Discover the evocative storytelling and emotion from the author of The Summer of Bitter and Sweet, which was the winner of the Governor General’s Award, a Stonewall Award honor book, and a Morris Award finalist, as well as Those Pink Mountain Nights, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year!

About the Author: Jen Ferguson is Michif/Métis and white, an activist, an intersectional feminist, an auntie, and an accomplice armed with a PhD in English and creative writing. Visit her online at jenfergusonwrites.com.

Thank you, Jen, for celebrating the messiness!

Author Guest Post: “Serving Students with Service” by Gayle Forman, Author of Not Nothing

by
Share

“Serving Students with Service”

When my oldest daughter was in middle school, she was required to complete a certain number of community-service hours to graduate. She could satisfy these by doing any number of things, volunteering at a pet shelter, tutoring younger children, hosting a bake sale and donating the proceeds to a cause. It’s a lovely idea—service as part of education—but why, I now wonder, was the community and the service considered separate from the classroom, separate from the academic part of her education?

Particularly when so many of the things she was learning in the classroom were, once you unpeeled a layer or two, indelibly linked to the idea of community and service. So many of the great movements of our time have been powered by community groups collectively pushing for change or resisting tyranny, be it abolitionists working to end slavery or resistance groups smuggling Jews out of Nazi-dominated Europe, both of which were things my middle schooler was learning about in her history and ELA classes. And it’s movements such as these that continue to be the engine for change, be it Greta Thunberg inspiring an international coalition of young people to push for climate or the Parkland students to prevent future school shootings.

It’s important that schools encourage service as an element of education but why not incorporate the idea of contributing and improving communities into the curriculum, showing how historical movements are not merely things that happened in the past, ancient ideas encased in marble, but a living breathing continuum that today’s young people will carry forward?

In Not Nothing, 12-year-old Alex initially volunteers at an assisted living community called Shady Glen, because of a court order—service as assignment. But after he meets a 107-year-old resident named Josey and begins to hear Josey’s wartime story of resistance—namely his love story with Olka, a woman who rose to the occasion of her life to become a hero who saved many lives—Alex begins to connect the historical to the personal, the then to the now. In doing so, he becomes inspired by the idea of rising to the occasion of his own life. If Olka could do it, could he? Could anyone? The answer, he learns, is a resounding yes.

Recognizing the power of Josey’s story, Alex and fellow volunteer Maya-Jade begin interviewing other elderly residents at Shady Glen, asking them to recount examples of when they “beat the odds. Accomplished something they didn’t think they could. When they rose to the occasion of their own lives.”

The pair learn about history through those who’ve lived it, and uncover quotidian and extraordinary acts of heroism in the people around them: There’s the understudy opera singer who wows an audience disappointed that star diva is ill, the man who dropped out of college for two years to help run his family’s farm when his father died, the woman who defied her discouraging family and went on to open a chain of successful restaurants, the young Navy seaman who rediscovered his first love his life—a fellow seaman—50 years on, when the world had opened up to allow their kind of love.

The stories are fictional but they mirror the kinds of stories I’ve heard when I’ve asked older people to share remarkable moments of their lives. They are meant to represent the wisdom that is out there, waiting to be shared.  At one point, after Maya-Jade interviews her own grandmother, she asks why her grandmother never told that story before. “I have,” replies her grandmother. “You just never listened.”

What would happen if we listened, if we asked, if we brought community service into the curriculum as the two-way street service nearly always is, benefitting the giver and the recipient. Could this deepen education and release history from its marble bust allowing young people to see today’s challenges as part of a continuum and feel empowered— both individually and collectively—to meet these challenges?

Educators, perhaps more than anyone else, invite young people to rise to the challenge each and every day. As an author, I am honored and humbled to help them in this life-changing work.

Published August 27th, 2024 by Aladdin

About the Book: “The book we all need at the time we all need it.” —Katherine Applegate, Newbery Award–winning author of The One and Only Ivan

In this multigenerational middle grade novel of hope, compassion, and forgiveness from #1 New York Times bestselling author Gayle Forman that is as timely as it is timeless, a boy who has been assigned to spend his summer volunteering at a senior living facility learns unexpected lessons that change the trajectory of his life.

Alex is twelve, and he did something very, very bad. A judge sentences him to spend his summer volunteering at a retirement home where he’s bossed around by an annoying and self-important do-gooder named Maya-Jade. He hasn’t seen his mom in a year, his aunt and uncle don’t want him, and Shady Glen’s geriatric residents seem like zombies to him.

Josey is 107 and ready for his life to be over. He has evaded death many times, having survived ghettos, dragnets, and a concentration camp—all thanks to the heroism of a woman named Olka and his own ability to sew. But now he spends his days in room 206 at Shady Glen, refusing to speak and waiting (and waiting and waiting) to die. Until Alex knocks on Josey’s door…and Josey begins to tell Alex his story.

As Alex comes back again and again to hear more, an unlikely bond grows between them. Soon a new possibility opens up for Alex: Can he rise to the occasion of his life, even if it means confronting the worst thing that he’s ever done?

About the Author: Award-winning author and journalist Gayle Forman (she/her/hers) has written several bestselling novels, including those in the Just One Day series, Where She Went, and the #1 New York Times bestseller If I Stay, which has been translated into more than forty languages and was adapted into a major motion picture. Her first middle grade novel, Frankie & Bug, was a New York Times Best Children’s Book of 2021. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family.

Thank you, Gayle, for this call to service!

Author Guest Post: “Tackling the Blank Page with the WHY Method” by Christine Virnig, Author of A Bite Above the Rest

by
Share

“Tackling the Blank Page with the WHY Method”

I’m extremely lucky to be able to run two writing clubs at the library where I work—one for TEENs and one for 9–12-year-olds. It’s so fun to sit there and soak in the young writers’ enthusiasm, their energy, their creativity. But while some of them are bursting with ideas, others have a hard time getting started. They stare at the blank page in front of them and don’t know where to begin.

I very much commiserate with this can’t-figure-out-how-to-start group. I also have the hardest time coming up with ideas. Nothing ever seems unique enough, interesting enough, engaging enough to bother turning it into a book that anyone but my mom would want to read. So how do I move beyond the blank page to get at least SOMETHING written down? I use what I call the WHY method.

What is this magical WHY method? It’s nothing more than starting with a shred of an idea—such as a character (like a girl with a peanut allergy), a place (like a haunted woods), a villain (like a vomit-breathed math teacher), or a theme (like evolving friendships)—and then asking myself “why, why, why, why” until I finally have enough of an idea to start writing. To walk you through this WHY method, let’s use my debut middle grade novel, A Bite Above the Rest, as an example.

The shred of an idea I started with was a character who just popped into my head one day: a boy who was walking around with a wooden stake in his back pocket because he was terrified he was about to encounter a vampire or witch or werewolf. I named this boy Caleb, I declared him to be eleven years old, and then I started asking why.

Why is Caleb afraid he’ll run into a vampire or werewolf or witch? Does he simply have a vivid imagination, so he sees a bat and thinks VAMPIRE or sees a full moon and thinks WEREWOLF? Or does he live in a world known to contain vampires and witches, and everyone around him is similarly terrified. OR… is he afraid he’ll run into a werewolf or witch because he’s seen them, and yet nobody else is afraid? That last option intrigued me the most… but I still needed to ask more why questions to flesh out the idea.

Why is nobody around him afraid? Are the vampires and werewolves somehow invisible to everyone but my main character? Are the creatures hiding, and my main character is the only who’s ever encountered them?  OR… does everyone around him also see the monsters, but they don’t perceive them as scary? Again, I went with option number 3. And then I asked why yet again.

Why doesn’t anyone else see the vampires or witches as scary? Are most werewolves and vampires friendly, and my character is alone in being afraid of them? Is everybody but Caleb a monster, so of course they aren’t afraid of each other? OR… what if everyone else just thinks the witches and vampires are regular people wearing costumes? Option three was the most compelling to me, but I had to keep going with the whys…

Why do people think the monsters are just regular humans in costumes? Is there a haunted house in town that employs oodles of costumed workers? Does my main character live in an alternative universe where costumes are as ho-hum as jeans and a t-shirt? OR… what if he finds himself in a Halloween tourist town—the Halloween equivalent of the North Pole? It can be a place where Halloween decorations are kept up all year long; where the bakery bursts with mouth-watering, pumpkin-flavored treats; where the library’s mascot can be something ridiculous… like a Book Banshee. How cool would that be?!? I only needed to ask one more why before I was ready to start writing.

Why does my main character come to this town in the first place?  Was he born there? Is he a tourist? Is he visiting his grandma for a week? OR… has he just moved there? As an outsider (and an anxious, fearful one at that), he’ll be more likely to notice things about the town that others overlook. That others take as “normal.”

I went with option three, and BOOM. After asking just five why questions, I had my character, my setting, and the start of an adventure. Did I have it all figured out? Not at all! Why, I still didn’t know if the vampires and werewolves were just costumed humans—and Caleb had it all wrong—or if they were actual monsters (and honestly, I didn’t figure out the answer to this question until I was half way through writing the first draft). But nonetheless, these why questions were enough to get me started. They allowed me to fill up that first blank page with something other than a blinking curser.

So, when you have students who can’t decide what to write—when they’re frustrated and stuck and just want to give up—maybe have them try the WHY method and see if it helps them too. Why does that hedgehog talk? Why do the woods feel spooky? Why did that girl’s best friend just call her a name? Why? Why? Why?

And hopefully, all these why questions will help them fill their blank pages too!

Published August 6th, 2024 by Aladdin

About the Book: A boy moves to a Halloween-themed town only to realize there may be more to the tourist trap than meets the eye in this fast-paced romp of a middle grade novel perfect for fans of The Last Kids on Earth and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library!

When Caleb’s mom decides they are moving to her childhood home in Wisconsin, Caleb is not thrilled. Moving schools, states, and time zones would be bad enough, but Mom’s hometown is Samhain, a small and ridiculously kitschy place where every day is Halloween.

Caleb is not a fan of Halloween when it only happens once a year, so Halloween-obsessed Samhain is really not the place for him. How is he supposed to cope with kids wearing costumes to school every single day? And how about the fact that the mayor is so committed to the bit that City Hall is only open from sundown to sunup to accommodate his so-called vampirism? Sure enough, Caleb becomes an outcast at school for refusing to play along with the spooky tradition like the other sixth graders. Luckily, he manages to find a friend in fellow misfit Tai, and just in time, because things are getting weird in Samhain…or make that weirder.

But there’s no way the mayor is an actual vampire, and their teacher absolutely cannot really be a werewolf—right? Caleb discovers Samhain is so much stranger than he ever could have imagined. As one of the only people who realizes what’s happening, can he save a town that doesn’t want saving?

About the Author: Christine Virnig (she/her/hers) is a fan of books, candy, spooky stories, poop jokes, and coffee…in no particular order. As a former physician, Christine now spends her days writing books, reading books, and working at a library where she is surrounded by books. Christine lives in southern Wisconsin with her husband, two daughters, a ridiculous number of dust bunnies, and one incredibly lazy cat. You can visit her on the web at ChristineVirnig.com.

Thank you, Christine, for this hint on how to get started when being taunted by that blank page!

Author Guest Post: “On Writing the Unexpected Narrator” by Jordan Kopy, Author of Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters

by
Share

“On Writing the Unexpected Narrator”

My debut middle grade novel, Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters, follows the adventures of one Theodora Hendrix, who isn’t your average ten-year-old: her best friend is a talking, top-hat-wearing tarantula named Sherman. She reads torat cards (think tarot cards, but magical). Oh, and she lives in a haunted mansion full of monsters, breaking Headquarters’ Number One Rule: Keep Monsters Hidden from Humans.  When a series of anonymous letters threatens to reveal her secret, Theodora must follow a series of clues to track down the source. If she fails, Theodora will be sent to live with humans (the horror, the horror!) and her family will end up in the Deepest, Darkest Prisons of Transylvania. Forever.

Like many authors, I’m often asked where I got the idea for this book. The story goes like this: my mom and I were watching one of our favorite movies, “My Cousin Vinny”.  Fred Gwynne, who played the judge, also played Herman Munster on “The Munsters”, a black and white television show from the 1960s. That fact must have been in my head – probably because my mom mentioned it a dozen-odd times – when I went to sleep, because I woke up the next morning with the idea for a story about a ten-year-old girl being raised by a bumbling family of monster superheroes. I jumped out of bed and grabbed my laptop; two hours later, I had written the book’s opening chapters. Over the next few days, I outlined the plot – at least, I knew where the story started and how it ended, sketched out my ensemble cast of characters, and sorted out the book’s main themes. But what I hadn’t sorted out was my narrator.

Choosing the narrator is one of the most critical decisions an author makes when crafting their story, as this is the vehicle by which your tale is relayed to your reader. There’s much to consider:

For starters, who is the narrator – who’s telling us this story? It can be anyone, really – the main character, a third party, an animal sidekick…When thinking through the various options, considering point of view can be super helpful: most novels typically employ first or third person point of view. In first person, the narrator is directly involved in the story, sharing the events that occurred according to their own recollection or experience, using “I” or “we” to describe the action. A well-known example of this is the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. In third person, the narrator isn’t directly involved in the story, using “he”, “she”, or “they” to describe the action. Third person is often (but not always!) omniscient, meaning that the narrator is all-knowing. A (very!) well-known example of this is the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Along with point of view, the narrator’s perspective – i.e., their individual perceptions of and interactions with the world at large – should also be considered: a narrator whose perception differs from that of the main character will provide a different experience than one in which a similar worldview is shared. Together, point of view and perception can help to define the best narrator for a given tale; the former tells us the “what”, the latter the “how”.

I had no clear sense of my narrator when I first started writing Theodora Hendrix and the Monstrous League of Monsters. So, I started thinking about perspective and point of view – and kept waffling between the two. I liked the intimacy of first person as it allows readers to experience events with the main character – a technique which is particularly successful with young readers who can, perhaps, more easily envision themselves in that character’s shoes. In contrast, I liked the omniscience of third person as allows the narrator to hint at things yet to come which the main character couldn’t possibly know; this works especially well in novels in which there’s some degree of mystery, which I knew my story would have. In the end, I decided to take a (perhaps not so small) risk and combine the two. The result is a rather unexpected narrator:

In the prologue and the epilogue, my narrator’s point of view is first person. He often breaks the fourth wall, speaking directly to the reader. He’s also mysterious: he declines to introduce himself at the beginning of the tale, stating that his identity is for him to know and “for you to find out”; it is only on the very last page that he finally reveals himself. In contrast, the main body of the novel is largely relayed in deep third person, where the narrator closely mimics Theodora’s perspective. To bridge the gap between the two, he occasionally interrupts the story, breaking the fourth wall to share his own thoughts and insights directly with the reader.

To make this process a little less painful going forward, I’ve made myself a “narrator checklist” which I peruse whenever I begin a new manuscript. Some of the questions I consider are:

  1. Who is telling this story? Is it one person or multiple people?
  2. Why are they telling it and not someone else?
  3. Where do they stand in relation to the story – are they directly involved in the action or observing it from the outside?
  4. What information do readers need to follow the plot, and who can best convey this to them?
  5. Comparatively, what information should be withheld or obscured or obscured from readers, allowing for potential misdirection?

Sometimes, choosing a narrator is a matter of trial and error. If the plotting is tight, the characters well-developed, and the pacing appropriate, it may be worth taking another look at your narrator. Changing the point of view and perspective can feel more than a little overwhelming, but it’s worth it in the end: the right narrator can make all the difference.

Published July 16th, 2024 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

About the Book: If you think monsters don’t exist, just ask Theodora Hendrix. The start of a brilliantly funny new series, perfect for fans of Amelia Fang.
The first rule of the Monstrous League of Monsters is: Keep monsters hidden from humans. But when zombie George and his cat companion Bandit find an abandoned baby, they can’t leave her to be eaten by hobgoblins. So they spirit her home where she quickly becomes part of the family. Fast-forward ten years, and young Theodora doesn’t seem too scarred by her monstrous upbringing. But now a series of anonymous letters suggest that someone is about to reveal their secret. If Theodora doesn’t act fast, she may lose her family for ever…

“Readers will be irresistibly drawn into the captivating world of Kopy‘s monster-filled middle-grade novel, where the promise of tantalizing secrets sets the stage for adventure. …a delightful blend of whimsy and mystery … lively characters and light mystery, the narrator imparts a particularly mischievous charm, with cheeky asides…With playful, comical illustrations reminiscent of the Addams Family that vividly bring the scenes and characters to life, this delightful, cheeky romp is ideal for those who relish eerie tales with a humorous twist.” – Booklist

About the Author: Jordan Kopy is a born and raised New Yorker who now lives in London with her husband and poorly behaved (but lovable) cat. A financial services professional by day (no idea how that happened), Jordan spends her nights with ghouls, witches, and the occasional evil hag. She’s also the author of Theodora Hendrix and the Curious Case of the Cursed Beetle and Theodora Hendrix and the Snare of the Shadowmongers.

Thank you, Jordan, for this post looking at the process of choosing a narrator!

Student Voices: Book Editorials from Cooper T. & Trinity P., 8th grade, and Talia N., 7th grade

by
Share

Book Editorials

“What’s the Difference Between Single Books and Series?” by Cooper T., 8th grade

Character Development

From personal experience, I have enjoyed reading series over single books because of the connection you make with the characters. Getting to know the characters personally throughout 3+ books helps me to get engaged with the plot and series in and of itself. Many series authors also like to introduce twists in the characters as the books go on. While some readers may enjoy the less in-depth connection that single books bring, I appreciate books that allow me to connect with the characters, even if it means being more upset when the series ends. For example, most Gordan Korman books are standalone, so I read them if I need a quick read and not something to delve deep into, but I enjoy them less than series like The Testing trilogy by Joelle Charbonneau where new information about each character is revealed in ever book.

But that’s just the beginning. It’s pretty obvious that series will have better character development than single books because there’s more time to develop the characters. Going back to the example of The Testing compared to a Gordan Korman book like The Unteachables, we can look at the character development from just those two books (the first book in The Testing series has that same name). For those of you who haven’t read these books, here’s a quick summary because I’m going to try to use these as examples whenever possible (may contain spoilers):

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau: When Graduation Day rolls around for Malencia Vale, she finally gets the chance to be part of The Testing, where the brightest kids from each of the post-apocalyptic United States colonies are chosen to become the nation’s future leaders. The only problem is that no one from Cia’s colony, Five Lakes, has been chosen in over a decade, and on Graduation Day, no one is chosen. But life will always find a way, and the day after a Tosu City official from the capital of the nation comes to pick up Cia and 3 others to be transported to The Testing. As Cia tries to get through the Testing, she begins to discover the dark secrets it holds.

The Unteachables by Gordan Korman: When Kiana moves to Greenwich, Connecticut, her temporary home while her mother is filming a movie, her time in the city starts about as bad as can be. She has to stay with her stepmom, who forgets to enroll her in the school she’s supposed to attend. She ends up with another kid’s schedule though and decides to follow that instead. But that schedule has just one class that spans all day in one room. Turns out, that room belongs to the so-called Unteachables, now taught by the most burnt-out teacher in the whole town, Mr. Kermit. The Unteachables never knew there could be a teacher who cared less about learning than them, and Mr. Kermit never thought he would want to teach again, not since the cheating scandal that turned his career upside down. But they learn to accept each other and as Mr. Kermit works to bring education to kids that teachers never gave a chance, they work to give Mr. Kermit his career back.

Back to the point, we don’t get a lot of information on the characters other than Cia in The Testing and we get just enough information on all the characters in The Unteachables (there are around 5 main characters, if I remember correctly). However “just enough information” on the characters in The Unteachables is still a lot of information, which makes it feel more complete than The Testing even if not having information on a lot of the other characters matches the plot of The Testing. 

In the end, the character development can be better in single books because they’re more rushed to get information on the characters, whereas series have more time.

Plot and Storytelling

I decided to group these two because they’re very similar and the plot can come down to personal preference. I have enjoyed single books more here in the past because the plot is more rushed and suspenseful than series, where the plot can be slow to develop because they have multiple books to cover.

The books that will be used for this section are Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan for the series and Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus. Here are the summaries:

Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan: Percy has always been the misfit. His dad left before he was born, he’s dyslexic and his only friend is the weird kid on crutches, Grover. Every teacher seems to have something against him, especially Ms. Dodd, the algebra teacher. When they go to the museum to study Greek mythology, Ms. Dodds takes it to a new level. After it’s all finished, Percy learns that his father is one of the Greek gods, and he is forced to leave his home and everything he’s ever known to go to Camp Half-Blood, where demigods can hone their skills and survive against creatures whose job is to destroy them, like Ms. Dodds. On his way, Percy, his mom, and Grover get attacked by a minotaur, who takes Percy’s mom to the Underworld. After a couple of months at Camp Half-Blood and learning the identity of his father, Percy is assigned to go on a quest to retrieve his mother. He only has so much time to retrieve his mother and more importantly, Zeus’ stolen master bolt.

Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus: Tripp, Shane, and Charlotte were the only ones who were around when Mr. Larkin was murdered. Shane’s fingerprints were on the weapon and Mr. Larkin’s class trip money was in Charlotte’s locker. Tripp got their stories straight. After his murder, Brynn had moved away, but now she’s back, is interning with a true crime show, and is determined to solve the case. As soon as she gets back, she brings it up to her boss who immediately agrees to cover the story. Brynn is told to stay out of it, but she wants to find things out for herself. But the more she finds out about the case, she’ll find things that probably were better left undiscovered.

So, back to the point, which of these was better, and what makes it better? Both of these books were amazing, and I enjoyed reading both of them, but the plot of Percy Jackson was on another level. The events that occur in the book are so realistic but improbable that it makes for such a great story. It’s entertaining and there’s never a dull moment in the book. The author’s knowledge of Greek mythology and his way of explaining the myths makes the book so immersive and easy to understand. Nothing More to Tell was incredible as well, but the plot was very quick to develop and might’ve been better if there had been more explanation of some of the events.

The storytelling of Nothing More to Tell was great, and the amount of twists in the story made it very intriguing, especially with the very little information that is known about the case. However, the immersion in Percy Jackson is incredible, and the way the author blends the real world into Greek mythology feels so real. After reading the first book in that series, I was so excited for what was coming next, and the books never disappointed. I think series take this category simply because they can often be more creative because they have to span their ideas over multiple books.

In conclusion, a series is better in this category because the story keeps evolving throughout the books and since the first book is the introduction, it can be very intriguing. Single books do normally have good plots, but the fact that there is less time to develop the plot can lead to a decrease in quality.

Conclusion

In the end, it all comes down to preference. I tried to make this as unbiased as I could, but as I enjoy books like The Testing more than books like The Unteachables, there’s bound to be some bias. But when it comes down to comparing books, there always will be. These comparisons may not be the most accurate because every book is different and I haven’t read every book and every series but I hope the basis of this was valuable. Happy reading!

“Why Fiction is so Popular” by Trinity P., 8th grade

Fiction is very popular, and due to its abundance, everyone knows about it and seems to love it. But what is it about those books that makes it so loveable? 

Fiction is an imaginary story that contains characters or events that are usually not in the real world. 

One of the reasons why fiction is so popular is that it can have many topics like sci-fi, fantasy, romance, and mystery, and it can even be based on events in history like Refugee by Alan Gratz, because of the different options the readers would have a wider variety of books they can enjoy. 

With fiction, anything you think of can become a book. It allows authors and creators to have fun imaginations and express what they enjoy to others. 

From a young age, kids would usually start to read using fiction because it is easier to understand than books about history. Many movies are from fiction books like The Lord of the Rings, and The Hunger Games. Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan is very popular because it takes Greek mythology and adds it to the real world and because we can’t see it in the natural world it is still fun to learn about it.

Fiction also has more representation because most of those books may not be centered around our world where some concepts or opinions are not respected, shone, or agreed with. Still, the story doesn’t take place in our world, it may be a totally different universe where some of those concepts are normal or don’t have an effect on the point of the book, so the reader can understand and know more about those opinions and apply them to the real world. 

We are naturally curious so fiction can give us more to explore in a different way than in the natural world, we have to think and come up with what characters look like, act, sound like, or the setting whereas in the real world, you can look up images and pictures which limit your imagination. Fiction can also distract people from the real world, which can be stressful and overwhelming, allowing us to take a break and travel into an imaginary world that can relieve the pressure of society. It can also bring back childhood memories and enjoyments that have been discarded over the years.

Fiction has had a big influence on me. Before, I rarely read or held a book in my hand but when I was introduced to the book Wings Of Fire, it showed me what book I liked or would enjoy which is fiction, then I explored other books and now I actually enjoy reading.

**SPOILERS FOR ORPHAN ISLAND BY LAUREL SNYDER AHEAD!!!**

“Rewriting Orphan Island‘s Ending” by Talia N., 7th grade

The original ending of Chapter 25, A Direction:

“Jinny sat up all night, in the darkness. Staring at the boy in the bed. Watching for any sign of change, anything but stillness. Loo made no sound at all,” (Loo got bit by a snake) “Every few minutes, Jinny forced herself to lean over, touch his lips, make sure there was still a faint stream of breath passing between them. The longer she sat, the more certain she became that this was the end, the very worst thing. Guilt and fear rasped inside her. Not even Ess’s whistling snore could comfort her now. Jinny had broken a rule, the rule” (The rule is that when the time comes you MUST go in the boat, but no one knows where that boat goes) “and nothing had been the same since. She had ruined the world. Unfortunately, that didn’t mean she could fix it. The mist would knit itself back together, or it wouldn’t. The wind would return to the cliffs. The snakes would settle. Or they might not. But she couldn’t change those things. They were too big for her, beyond her. She couldn’t undo them, or even understand them. She could only hope.”

“Then she stepped over Ess, leaned down, and scooped up Loo. Without word, without hesitation, Jinny turned, crossed the small room, and kicked the door open with a barefoot and strength she had no idea she possessed.”

“Then Jinny heard a shout. Many shouts. People were pointing up into the sky; and when she looked up. She saw it herself. Something was falling, like sand. Sand from the sky. Only the sand was white and soft, and it fell slowly—landed cold on her shoulders”

Jinny and Loo both leave on the boat and leave the other behind on the island with the sky falling.

What I want to rewrite is instead of Just Loo and Jinny leaving, I want them all to leave the island, not knowing what’s on the other side, I want them to pack some light supplies first. I also, this will happen before Loo gets the snake bite, Ben will be the first to come up with the idea. Jinny at first, doesn’t like this idea. She thinks that the boat will sink before they even get to the other side, but after some persuading from Ess and the others, she finally agrees, packs her belongings, and with the others gets on the boat one by one. At first, the boat looks like it’s about to sink, but lifted by the waves, it moves gently off the shore, into the water, and towards the sunset.

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their opinions on aspects of books!

Author Guest Post: “Living a Multicultural Life: A Book List” by Kara H.L. Chen, Author of Asking for a Friend

by
Share

“Living a Multicultural Life”

First and second generation Americans face the unique challenge of having to navigate between the culture of their (or their parents’) county of origin and those of America. For children and teens, especially, the tension that can come from the clash of these worldviews can be confusing and difficult.

Middle grade and young adult books that explore these differences in perspectives, and which discuss how characters deal with these conflicts, may provide some comfort for those in the same situation. In my book, ASKING FOR A FRIEND, the main character, Juliana Zhao, has spent her life trying to follow her Taiwanese mother’s guidance for “success” but soon comes to realize that it may not lead to what she truly wants.

Here are some other books that explore what it means to grow up with more than one culture (book descriptions provided by the publishers):

LILY XIAO SPEAKS OUT – Nicole Chen

Lily Xiao can’t wait to go to Camp Rock Out this summer, where she’ll finally be able to shed her “class robot” good girl reputation and start her journey to becoming the next Eddie Vedder! And she can’t wait to do it with her best friend and cousin, Vivian, who’s just moved from Taiwan to Lily’s California hometown.

But as the two cousins work their way through seventh grade, Vivian struggles more and more with her schoolwork, which is all taught in English. If Vivian can’t get her grades up, her parents won’t let her go to rock camp.

Determined to help, Lily embarks on a mission to push their school to provide more support for English-as-a-Second-Language learners like Vivian. But her first-generation immigrant family is nervous about Lily challenging the status quo. We should be grateful to be here, they always say.

With Camp Rock Out on the line, Lily will need to decide how far she’ll push against her family’s wishes in order to stand up and speak out.

IN THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY – Jane Kuo

Anna can’t wait to move to the beautiful country—the Chinese name for America. Although she’s only ever known life in Taiwan, she can’t help but brag about the move to her family and friends.

But the beautiful country isn’t anything like Anna pictured. Her family can only afford a cramped apartment, she’s bullied at school, and she struggles to understand a new language. On top of that, the restaurant that her parents poured their savings into is barely staying afloat. The version of America that Anna is experiencing is nothing like she imagined. How will she be able to make the beautiful country her home?

This lyrical and heartfelt story, inspired by the author’s own experiences, is about resilience, courage, and the struggle to make a place for yourself in the world.

RUBI RAMOS’S RECIPE FOR SUCCESS – Jessica Parra

Graduation is only a few months away, and Rubi Ramos’s “recipe for success” to get into prestigious Alma University is already off track.

When Alma waitlists Rubi’s application, Rubi will need to be distraction-free to make the grade and keep her parents―who have wanted this for her for years―from finding out. Which means falling for her cute surfer-slash-math tutor, Ryan, definitely won’t work. And neither will breaking her mother’s ban on baking―her parents didn’t leave Cuba so she could bake just like them.

But some recipes are begging to be tampered with.

When the First Annual Bake Off comes to town, Rubi’s passion for baking goes from subtle simmer to full boil. Add to the mix her crush on Ryan may be turning into a full-fledged relationship and Rubi’s life is suddenly so different from what it was. She’s not sure if she has what it takes to win the Bake Off, or where the relationship with Ryan is going, but there’s only one way to find out―even if it means going against her parents’ priorities.

Now Rubi must differentiate between the responsibility of unfulfilled dreams she holds and finding the path she’s meant for.

A joyful novel of first romance, new possibilities, and the chance to define yourself, Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success will find its way into your heart.

THE LOVE MATCH – Priyanka Taslim

Zahra Khan is basically Bangladeshi royalty, but being a princess doesn’t pay the bills in Paterson, New Jersey. While Zahra’s plans for financial security this summer involve working long hours at Chai Ho and saving up for college writing courses, Amma is convinced that all Zahra needs is a “good match,” Jane Austen style.

Enter Harun Emon, who’s wealthy, devastatingly handsome, and…aloof. As soon as Zahra meets him, she knows it’s a bad match. It’s nothing like the connection she has with Nayim Aktar, the new dishwasher at the tea shop, who just gets Zahra in a way no one has before. So, when Zahra finds out that Harun is just as uninterested in this match as she is, they decide to slowly sabotage their parents’ plans. And for once in Zahra’s life, she can have her rossomalai and eat it too: “dating” Harun and keeping Amma happy while catching real feelings for Nayim.

But life—and boys—can be more complicated than Zahra realizes. With her feelings all mixed up, Zahra discovers that sometimes being a good Bengali kid can be a royal pain.

LOVEBOAT, TAIPEI – Abigail Hing Wen

“Our cousins have done this program,” Sophie whispers. “Best kept secret. Zero supervision.”

And just like that, Ever Wong’s summer takes an unexpected turn. Gone is Chien Tan, the strict educational program in Taiwan that Ever was expecting. In its place, she finds Loveboat: a summer-long free-for-all where hookups abound, adults turn a blind eye, snake-blood sake flows abundantly, and the nightlife runs nonstop.

But not every student is quite what they seem:

Ever is working toward becoming a doctor but nurses a secret passion for dance.

Rick Woo is the Yale-bound child prodigy bane of Ever’s existence whose perfection hides a secret.

Boy-crazy, fashion-obsessed Sophie Ha turns out to have more to her than meets the eye.

And under sexy Xavier Yeh’s shell is buried a shameful truth he’ll never admit.

When these students’ lives collide, it’s guaranteed to be a summer Ever will never forget.

And my newest book, publishing July 23rd:
ASKING FOR A FRIEND – Kara H.L. Chen

Juliana Zhao is absolutely certain of a few things:

  1. She is the world’s foremost expert on love.
  1. She is going to win the nationally renowned Asian Americans in Business Competition.

When Juliana is unceremoniously dropped by her partner and she’s forced to pair with her nonconformist and annoying frenemy, Garrett Tsai, everything seems less clear. Their joint dating advice column must be good enough to win and secure bragging rights within her small Taiwanese American community, where her family’s reputation has been in the pits since her older sister was disowned a few years prior.

Juliana always thought prestige mattered above all else. But as she argues with Garrett over how to best solve everyone else’s love problems and faces failure for the first time, she starts to see fractures in this privileged, sheltered worldview.

With the competition heating up, Juliana must reckon with the sacrifices she’s made to be a perfect daughter—and whether winning is something she even wants anymore.

“A swoonworthy, heart-wrenching view into the trials of growing up second generation in an immigrant community.” – Kirkus Reviews

A person smiling in front of a bookshelf Description automatically generated

About the Author: Kara H.L. Chen is a Taiwanese American writer who received her MFA in fiction from Brooklyn College. She is the author of LOVE & RESISTANCE (Quill Tree/HarperCollins, 2023) and ASKING FOR A FRIEND (Quill Tree/HarperCollins, 7/23/24). Her website is at karahlchen.com or you can find her on Instagram and Twitter/X @hl_kara or @karahlchen on Substack.

Thank you, Kara, for this list of must reads!

Student Voices: Book Lists from Sarah S., 7th grade, and Lucy S., Isabela M., & Hala B., 8th grade

by
Share

Books Lists

“Ten Books I Wish I Could Read for the First Time Again” by Sarah S., 7th grade

New Kid by Jerry Craft

This book is much different than the graphic novels you will expect to read. This book is about Jordan who was enrolled into a private school where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade and is struggling to find ways to fit in. This book was one of my favorite books because it shows the struggles he had to go through as a kid with color and I’ve never read any graphic novel like it.

Restart by Gordon Korman

This book is so unique and entertaining that I couldn’t stop reading. It is about a kid in 8th grade who had an accident and banged his head on the ground and lost all of his memory and has no idea of all of the horrible things he’s done in the past and now he has to deal with all of the consequences and what people expect from him. This book is so fun and I would have never guessed all of the plot twists in this book.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

This book is about a girl named Mia who moved to the United States and helps her parents manage the front desk. She helps her parents hide immigrants, while dealing with the mean motel owner, and trying to fit in at school. While struggling for money, Mia uses her smarts to fight for her dreams of a better future. This book shows that no matter what is happening, you should always believe in yourself.

Drama by Raina Telgemeier

Drama is about Callie who is a theater-lover who’s working on her school’s production of ”Moon Over Mississippi ” because Callie’s not an actress, but instead she joins this production because she is all about stage crew and set design. This book dives into all the drama of setting up a school play and when two brothers enter the story, it just becomes even more messy.

The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther

This book follows Meredith who’s been grieving with her sister’s death. She goes to Martha’s Vineyard for her cousin’s wedding and there is a tradition of playing a game called Assassin with water guns. But things got messy when she met this guy named Wit and started breaking her own rules about love and life. This book is super interesting and I couldn’t stop reading. This book is so good and I would have never expected the plot.

Places We’ve Never Been by Kasie West

This book was such a fun book to read and honestly unexpected. Norah ends up on a road trip with her childhood friend, Skyler who she hasn’t talked to in a very long time. As they travel together, they start to reconnect and Norah begins to see Skyler in a different light. This book was super entertaining and a fast read. This book was so unexpected and I didn’t see it coming for sure. I thought it was just going to be a fast read but this story had much more coming.

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson

This book is about Astrid who wants to be this cool and fun skater girl so she decides to join a summer camp to learn how to skate. She assumed Nicole, her friend would do the same but Nicole joined a dance camp instead. This book is all about Astrid growing up and the tough world of roller derby. This story has such a good moral about navigating friendships and still doing what you love and in this case skating.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

This book follows August who was born with a facial deformity and he has been home schooled his entire life until now. August is starting 5th grade face-to-face and he wants nothing but to be treated as an ordinary kid but the kids at his school have made this difficult for him. I read this book in 4th grade but I still remember it made me so emotional. This book was so good and I wish I could reread it and rewatch the movie because it made me feel for August and was so sad.

Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, Illustrated by Gabriela Epstein

This book was a very fun read and completely different from other graphic novels I’ve read. This book is told from five different points of views from kids who don’t have much in common but one thing they do is they are all hispanic and speak Spanish. They are now trying to get along while also trying to finish their school community hours. This book is so interesting and I wish I could read it for the first time again because it was so funny and I love the different points of view in the story.

Kisses and Croissants by Anne Sophie Jouhanneau

This book follows Mia who is a ballerina and she joins a ballet summer program and she has this idea that at all times she will be focused on ballet but her plans change when she meets this boy. This book is very cute and I wish I could reread it because it was so fun seeing how Mia was going to do with all of the decisions in the story.

“Ten Books I Wish I Could Read for the First Time Again” by Lucy S., 8th grade

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

The strong urge to revisit the Percy Jackson series, It’s like reconnecting with old friends you haven’t seen in ages – there’s this sense of familiarity and warmth that’s just irresistible. The blend of adventure, humor, and heart in those books is timeless, and it’s hard to resist the allure of diving back into that world.

But it’s not just about reliving past escapades; it’s about uncovering new layers and insights that I might have missed before. Each time I read any of  Percy Jackson’s universe, I discover hidden clues, unique parts, and character development that add depth to the story. It’s like peeling back layers of an onion – there’s always something new to uncover beneath the surface. So, yeah, rereading Percy Jackson isn’t just about nostalgia; it’s about embarking on a journey of rediscovery and exploration, one that never fails to captivate me.

Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz

I’ve been really drawn to the idea of reading Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz again. It’s a book that really hit me hard the first time around, especially with Yanek’s journey through the Holocaust. The emotions and struggles he faces are so vividly portrayed, it’s like you’re right there with him.

But beyond just enjoying the story, I think there’s something important about revisiting “Prisoner B-3087.” In today’s world, where there’s still so much prejudice and injustice, it’s crucial to remember the lessons from history. Yanek’s story reminds us of the dangers of intolerance and the importance of standing up for what’s right. So, rereading “Prisoner B-3087” isn’t just about enjoying a good book; it’s about learning from the past and working towards a better future. (I’ve read this book a gazillion times 😁)

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi. As the second book in the Shatter Me series, it’s a captivating blend of romance, suspense, and self-discovery. Juliette’s journey, grappling with her identity and newfound powers, resonates with me on a deeper level, and I can’t wait to revisit the twists and turns of the plot.

However, beyond the surface-level excitement, Unravel Me delves into profound themes like individuality and the struggle for freedom. Each read-through offers a chance to uncover new layers of meaning and connect more intimately with the characters. It’s like embarking on a journey of self-reflection and growth alongside Juliette and her companions. So, rereading Unravel Me isn’t just about entertainment; it’s about exploring the complexities of the human experience and gaining insights that resonate long after the book is finished.

If He Was With Me by Laura Nowlin

Recently, I’ve found myself drawn back to the pages of If He Was with Me by Laura Nowlin. This novel holds a significant emotional resonance for me, particularly in its exploration of love, loss, and the relationships of human beings. The narrative, centered around Autumn and Finny’s profound connection amidst personal love, captivated me upon my initial reading and continues to linger in my thoughts.

Beyond the surface allure of its romantic drama, If He Was with Me delves into deeper themes such as friendship, grief, and the pursuit of happiness. With each revisit, I uncover new layers of meaning and insight, enriching my understanding of the characters and their struggles. Thus, the prospect of rereading this novel isn’t merely an act of revisiting a cherished story; it’s an opportunity for introspection, emotional resonance, and personal growth through literature. (I cried)

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

Lately, I’ve been itching to dive back into A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. This gripping thriller had me hooked right from the start with its compelling storyline and well-developed characters. Following Pippa Fitz-Amobi’s quest to uncover the truth behind a murder in her small town was both exhilarating and thought-provoking, as the twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end.

With the excitement of solving the mystery, there’s a deeper desire to explore the novel’s underlying themes. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder delves into issues of justice, truth, and the complexity of human nature, offering valuable insights that linger long after the final page is turned. Each time I reread the book, I discover new layers of meaning and subtle hints that enhance my appreciation for the story. So, the idea of rereading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder isn’t just about reliving the suspenseful journey; it’s about immersing myself in a world of intrigue and reflection, where every chapter holds the promise of uncovering hidden truths.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

I’ve found myself drawn back to The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This dystopian tale, with its gripping narrative and compelling characters, has left a lasting impression on me. Katniss Everdeen’s (With Peeta) journey through the brutal arena and her subsequent defiance against the oppressive regime of Panem resonate deeply with themes of resilience, social justice, and the human spirit’s capacity for resistance

Beyond the surface-level excitement and suspense, The Hunger Game offers a profound exploration of power dynamics and societal inequality. Each revisit to the novel provides an opportunity to delve deeper into its themes, uncovering new layers of meaning and relevance. It’s not merely about reliving the thrilling adventure; it’s about engaging with thought-provoking commentary on contemporary issues and reflecting on the complexities of the human condition.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Lately, I’ve been feeling this strong urge to return to the pages of Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. It’s a story that holds a special place in my heart, like revisiting an old, cherished friend. Anne Shirley’s adventures, with her vivid imagination and boundless enthusiasm, never fail to uplift my spirits. Whether she’s embarking on mischievous escapades or enchanting the residents of Avonlea with her infectious charm, Anne’s journey serves as a comforting reminder of the joys of imagination and the warmth of companionship.

However, beyond the comforting familiarity of Anne’s world, there’s a deeper yearning to rediscover the profound wisdom and heartfelt emotions that the deeper meaning shows. “Anne of Green Gables” transcends its status as a simple children’s tale, offering timeless lessons in resilience, empathy, and the transformative power of love. With each return to its pages, I find myself drawn once more into Anne’s world, captivated by its rich imagery and enduring messages. The prospect of rereading Anne of Green Gables isn’t merely about revisiting a beloved story; it’s about reconnecting with the enduring spirit and timeless truths that lie within its pages.

She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton

This empowering collection of stories about women who have overcome adversity and made a significant impact in various fields resonates deeply with me. Each narrative is a testament to the power of resilience, determination, and unwavering perseverance in the face of obstacles. From historical figures like Harriet Tubman and Helen Keller to contemporary trailblazers like Oprah Winfrey and Sonia Sotomayor, the stories inspire me to strive for my dreams and never give up, regardless of the challenges I may encounter or face.

Moreover, beyond just the inspiration derived from the individual stories, there’s a broader significance to rereading She Persisted. In today’s world, where gender equality and empowerment remain pressing issues, the book serves as a timely reminder of the progress that has been made and the work that still lies ahead. By revisiting these stories of resilience and determination, I am not only reaffirming my own commitment to perseverance but also gaining renewed inspiration to advocate for positive change in my community and beyond.

Wonder by R.J Palacio

Lately, I’ve been feeling a strong pull to revisit Wonder by R.J. Palacio. This heartwarming tale about a young boy named Auggie Pullman, who faces challenges due to his facial differences, resonates deeply with its message of empathy, kindness, and acceptance. The story touched my heart when I first read it, as it beautifully portrays the power of friendship and the importance of seeing beyond external appearances to recognize the beauty within.

But beyond just reliving the emotional journey of Auggie and his friends, there’s a deeper longing to rediscover the profound lessons and universal truths embedded within the narrative. Wonder isn’t just a story; it’s a book for empathy and understanding, prompting readers to reflect on their own actions and attitudes towards others. Each time I revisit the book, I find myself inspired anew by Auggie’s resilience and the transformative impact of small acts of kindness. So, the prospect of rereading Wonder isn’t just about revisiting a loved novel, it’s about embracing its timeless message and striving to make the world a kinder, more inclusive place.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K Rowling

Recently, I’ve been wanting to revisit Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. It’s like taking a trip back to Hogwarts and joining Harry, Ron, and Hermione on their adventures all over again. The mystery surrounding the Chamber of Secrets adds an extra layer of excitement to the story, keeping me on the edge of my seat.

But beyond the thrill of the magical world, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets also explores important themes like friendship and bravery. Each time I read it, I discover new insights about loyalty and standing up against injustice, just like the characters do. So, rereading it isn’t just about having a good time; it’s about gaining valuable life lessons too.

“15 Books I Want to Read” by Isabela M., 8th grade

Twisted Tales: Part of Your world by Liz Braswell

I read the Cinderella twisted tale and I love it, so I want to read more of them and since the little mermaid is one of my favorite princesses I really want to read this book.

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter

I’ve seen this book a lot online and heard a lot of good reviews. Also, my sister read this book and she said she enjoyed reading it.

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

I read the book summary, and it looks like a nice book. I also saw that this book has a movie on Netflix so I want to read it so then I can compare it to its movie adaptation.

One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus

I’ve always wanted to read this book but never checked it out. I am pretty sure this book is really good because everyone I’ve asked about the book, they have told me to read it.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

I am very interested in her story. I’ve watched some videos of what she went through so I want to read what she wrote while everything was happening.

Spy School by Stuart Gibbs

It was recommended to me by my 7th grade teacher, and I saw that one of my classmates read this book and by their review I am interested in reading this book.

14 Ways to Die by Vincent Ralph

The plot of this book sounds really interesting. I want to see who wins the competition to catch the killer. I also want to start reading more mystery books because I find them entertaining.

Harry Potter Series by J.K Rowling

I watched all of the movies but never read the books because they are too long but now I think I may start reading them during the summer.

Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

I like reading romance books and this book based on reviews looks like a good and fun book to read.

White Bird by R.J. Palacio

I saw this book in my school library and when I looked it up, I saw that it has great reviews. I also read the summary and it looks like a great book.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

This book series has been recommended to me by some of my friends, so I decided to look it up on Goodreads, and I found really good reviews.

House Arrest by K.A. Holt

I saw this book in another blog post and by the description written about this book, I feel like I will like it.

If he had been with me by Laura Nowlin

I have seen this book and its sequel on the internet, and I have read that it is sad but at the same time is a good book.

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

My friend recommended it to me. She said that she read this book last school year and that she really enjoyed reading it.

I Survived The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912: The Graphic Novel by Lauren Tarshis & Georgia Ball

I love reading the I Survived books, and I am very interested in the story of how the Titanic sank.

“Ten of my All-Time Favorite Childhood Books” by Hala B., 8th grade

Books that give children the opportunity to enjoy reading are the type of books that parents should encourage their children to read. As a kid myself, I always chose books that looked like they would give me comfort and would be fun, I did not admire reading as much as a child but when I came to reading these books below I started to enjoy watching the stories unfold just to reread them over and over again. I recommend everyone to read even if it’s an audio book, picture book, hardcover, etc. It gives a lot of different messages and life lessons to a reader. You can choose to keep that lesson with you or even leave it in the book as it doesn’t interest you. Still, whatever you do just know that reading at a young age will help build up many kids’ strengths and abilities and they will be able to be strong-willed and achieve their goals using all the lessons they learned from books and real-life experiences that might have taught them the same lessons a book has.

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

Charlotte’s Web is an awesome book to read, this book shows friendship and perseverance it teaches determination and how true friendship is valuable, and that throughout many struggles the friends who stay and make you the best of who you are, are the true friends you should surround yourself with and appreciate them for being with you through thick and thin. Many should understand how friendship works and how having good friends allows you to be your best self.

The Tortoise and the Hare by Aesop

The reason I loved The Tortoise and the Hare is that it taught me two things, first thing is that even if you are faster or better at something, don’t take that for granted and level down because even if you are the best you can still get even better. The second thing I learned is that even when you are slow you can still keep going and try your hardest to get better and faster and even win if you keep trying as hard as you can.

Pete the Cat I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin, James Dean, and Kimberly Dean

This was such a good book, It showed me how Pete’s shoes changed and even as they changed Pete kept going forward with each couple of steps. I recommend this book because it shows that even when there is change, you can keep moving forward and towards the future. I loved that Pete never got discouraged even as the shoes kept getting worse and worse.

Mama Bear’s Love by Jane Hubbard

I loved this book, it showed me how much love a mom gives to her child and how much more moms need to be appreciated. It shows how important a mom’s love can be in someone’s life. I love my mom with all my heart and would do anything for her, Knowing that she loves me even more than that gives me the strength to keep going with my life and to make her proud but most importantly, It showed me that not only do we need our parents love but they need our love in return as well and that we should always try our best to take care of them as well as ourselves.

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

This book was one of my favorites because It taught me to do my things and follow my dreams no matter who likes or dislikes it. It also showed me that no matter what there will always be someone or something trying to bring me down or challenge me but there will always be a way to bring yourself back up. I recommend this to others because It will show them that they should keep moving forward with their passion and dreams no matter what occurs.

Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

This book showed how good friends are beneficial especially when someone requires a helping hand. Being a good friend is not a duty it is an option whether or not you want to be a kind and helpful friend and someone who will allow others to feel safe. This book taught me that helpful friends will stick with you and make you feel as happy as possible.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

This picture book was a very fun, exciting, and funny read, the book mainly showed a one-sided conversation in which you can respond to the characters yourself as if you were in the conversation. It was an exhilarating experience since as a kid I loved to answer the pigeon and tell them that they cannot drive the bus as if I was watching the bus for the bus driver. I believe this book is an easy, pretty quick, and funny read and should be more appreciated and read more often by children.

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

Some may disagree with the way I thought of this book and may argue that it shows how the fish has to get rid of part of itself for others to like him/her but when I was a child the way I felt about the book was that The Rainbow Fish was one of my favorite bedtime stories. This story showed a lot of different emotions which is why I loved it so much as a kid, it showed humiliation, sharing, friendship, and true happiness which are key things needed in one’s life to live with experiences of hardship and happiness of life so they can live to be a stronger person every time they grow older. I believe this book has taught me a lot about how to be prepared as I gain knowledge about expectations and how to move on with life as I make my own life myself with only the help of the important people in my life who have huge care for me.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

I loved this book as a kid, this book showed great lessons one being that we don’t always want to do things we might have to do even when they seem scary at times or even strange, but it is part of experience and life to try new things out to see how you can use it or not use it in your future. It also allowed me to stop only seeing the bad in things and decide to consider the good that may come out of it, although you should always take notice of the cons and pros of things before considering you shall also see how well or unwell it will take you or if it will take you far. It taught me a lot about decision making which is an important aspect of life because you will always face decisions you will have to consider and think wisely about. I recommend this book to many people because it will show how as you are living there will be many challenges you will have to face and during that period, how you react with words or actions will affect how you are going to move on with your life and stay in a comfortable environment with good people all around you.

Olivia the Ballerina by Farrah McDoogle

Olivia the Ballerina used to be a book I would read many times, for a matter of fact I still own it to this day. This book showed me how trying to achieve things by practicing hard will get you to where you want to be, but it also showed me that as important as following your dreams may be, you must always still balance that with education and all the other important factors needed in one’s life. Homework is just as important as having other dreams because it will help you in the long run when you require knowledge. I recommend this book because it will teach others to value their education and dreams all at once.

Thank you so much to my student voices today–I loved sharing your book lists!