Student Voices: A Look at Representation and Reading from Kanak S., Naomi G., and Jaz P.

Share

A Look at Representation and Reading

Guide to Books with Indian/Desi Representation by Kanak S., 8th grade

Representation is so important. Finding books with characters that either look like me or have the same cultural background as me can be so hard. It is even harder to find books written by Indian/Desi authors as they are hardly ever spotlighted. So here is a list of books with Indian representation written by Indian authors. 

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Maya is cursed princess with a horoscope that promises a marriage of death and destruction. The Raja, her father arranges a wedding for political gain which breaks her whole world apart. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of a man named Amar. Or at least she though he was a man… Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran’s queen, she finds her voice and power and as Amar’s wife she finds more about herself than she ever thought possible. But Akaran has its own secrets-Maya suspects her life is in danger. The fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance of Maya’s hands. She must discover an ancient mystery that spans many reincarnated lives to save herself and those she loves the most. 

Under Lock and Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian

After a disastrous accident derails Tempest Raj’s career, and life, she heads back to her childhood home in California. Though she does not want to, she comes closer to having to work for her father’s company with every passing day. Tempest goes to visit her father’s newest project, she discovers her former stage double dead inside a wall that had apparently been sealed for more than century. Tempest believes that she was supposed to be the victim of this crime so, she sets out to solve this crime. As she continues to investigate this mystery, Tempest starts to wonder if the Raj family curse had finally come for her. 

Kaikeyi by Vaishnavi Patel

Kaikeyi the only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya group up on tales of the might of the gods. Yet she watched her father banish her mother and amount her worth to how wonderful of a marriage alliance she would be able to secure. When she called for the gods they never came. Desperate for independence she turns to the tales her mother and her used to read where she found magic that is hers alone. With this new discovered power Kaikeyi transforms herself many a times determined to create a better world for the women around her and herself. However, as the evils from her fairytales threaten cosmic order, the path she has chosen has clashed with the destiny the gods had assigned to her family. Now Kaikeyi must decide whether her resistance is worth all the chaos it will create – and what legacy she chooses to leave behind. 

Sari, Not Sari by Sonya Singh

Manny Dogra a CEO of a successful company that helps people manage their relationship breakups. She is also planning her wedding to architect Adam Jamieson while dealing with the death of her parents. Manny never understood her immigrant parents who wanted her to be an All-American girl. She knew nothing about her South Asian heritage and it was never a problem till her parents passed away and an image of Manny had been edited to make her appear whiter. Suddenly, the women who had built an empire helping people to be true to themselves was having an identity crisis. When an annoying client by the name of Sammy Patel approaches Manny with an out of the ordinary breakup request the best solution presents itself: If they both agree to a set of terms he will give her a crash course in being Indian at his brother’s wedding. What follows is Manny indulging herself in all things Indian. Manny meets the wonderful aunties and uncles of the Patel family and discovers much more than she had ever thought possible. 

Keya Das’s Second Act by Sopan Deb

Shantanu Das has been living in the shadows of his past. In his fifties, he finds himself isolated from his traditional Bengali community after his divorce from his wife Chaitali; he hasn’t had a conversation with his eldest daughter Mitali in months; and he lives everyday with regret for not accepting his teenaged daughter Keya after she came out as gay. As the anniversary of Keya’s death approaches, Shantanu wakes up alone in his suburban New Jersey home and realizes it is time to move on. This is when he discovers a box in his attic that could change everything. He begs Mitali to come home. She does come home out of pity not realizing that her life is about change. Inside the box is an unfinished manuscript that Keya and her girlfriend were writing. Neesh Desai, a new love interest for Mitali with regrets of his own, comes up with an idea, one that would give a sense of permanence to Keya: what if they are to stage the play? It could be an homage to Keya’s memory, and a way to make amends. First, the Dases need to convince Pamela Moore, Keya’s girlfriend, to give her blessing. And they have to overcome ghosts from the past they haven’t met yet.

Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating by Adiba Jaigirdaz

Everyone likes Humaira Khan, but when she comes out as bisexual to her friends, they invalidate her identity saying that she can’t be bisexual if she’s only dated guys. Hani blurts out that she’s in a relationship with a girl her friend’s absolutely hate Ishita Dey. Ishu is an academic overachiever who hopes that becoming head girl will set her on the right track to college, the complete opposite of Hani. Ishita agrees to help Hani, if Hani will help her become more popular so she has the chance to become head girl. Despite their pact they start to have real feelings for each other. However, relationships are complicated, and certain people will do anything to stop two Bengali girls from getting their happily ever after. 

Why Darius the Great is One of the Best Mixed Representations Out There by Naomi G., 8th Grade

Recently I read Darius the Great is Not Okay, and it blew my mind with how much it related to me. I related to this book on such a deeper level than others because, Darius, our protagonist is biracial, and most of the book follows him going to Iran for the first time, while dealing with clinical depression, and learning the ways of friendship. 

Darius is half Persian. His mother is Persian and his father is white. We see how he struggles with feeling Persian enough, which is a similar problem for many mixed children because you’re too much and not enough. For example, Darius gets picked on at school for being different, too Persian, but in Iran he feels isolated and different because in this case he is not Persian enough. I feel the same thing growing up in a Jewish school where everybody spoke English, and I would struggle knowing some English words, or I had different ways of saying things; I was different. Though when I was with my mom’s side of the family, from Costa Rica, it was also hard because I was isolated and had a hard time fluently speaking Spanish because I was scared my pronunciation still wasn’t good enough, so again I was different; it made me feel at though I just wasn’t Hispanic enough. I could barely speak Spanish, and I still struggled with English. 

To this day I still have the same struggle because I had to pick up how to speak from my surroundings, from home, similar to Darius. My mom spoke a different language but never ended up teaching me, at least not very well. Darius’s mother tried to teach him proper Farsi too late, so he also has the struggle of not being able to communicate. 

This book shows how being biracial/mixed can be a struggle, yes its full of different cultures, but sometimes it can be hard to handle. This book and the sequel continue to represent mixed BIPOC in the best possible way. 

Reading Opens Up Portals to Your Imagination by Jaz P., 7th Grade

What does reading have to do with your imagination you may ask? Well, for starters, it expands it, leading you on to new journeys filled with more adventure and excitement! The best thing about reading is that there is a book for everyone. From romance to science fiction to horror to comedy, there’s books about almost anything you can think of. Once you find one you like, you’ll learn to love reading it and want to continue more. Reading doesn’t just open up new portals to your imagination, it even increases your vocabulary, too. One benefit to reading is that it will cause you to look at things from different perspectives, and you’ll learn to appreciate it for what it is. According to thebookbuff.com reading can enhance your problem solving skills and also preserve your memory as well. Studies have shown that if you continue to read even after retirement 73% of those who do so won’t develop dementia. Adding on, it triggers one’s curiosity. You may have questions about everyday items but after reading, trust me, you’ll have plenty more. You can be more creative, too. Thebookbuff.com states that “a side-effect of this imagining of different scenarios is that it leads to exploring new possibilities. In this pursuit of your imagined solutions, you acquire more and more knowledge and skills.” This is added on to the idea of how it can trigger your curiosity. Who knew reading had so many up-sides?!

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at representation and reading!

Student Voices: Nathan Hale’s Visit to Kellee’s Middle School

Share

In February, after two years of waiting, Nathan Hale finally came to Hunter’s Creek Middle School!

For his visit, he did 5 large group presentations where he told two different stories (one about James Garfield and one about Lewis & Clark) then a lunch writing workshop (where students wrote their own comic). Students greatly enjoyed their time with Nathan Hale!

Here are some reflections from my students:

  • Nathan Hale’s visit was so fun and entertaining while also being educational. He talked about the corps of discovery but not just about Luis and Clark, he focused on their group rather on just them who other people wouldn’t have even mentioned. I love how he said that they ate every single animal they came across and that they got fat due to eating all that meat I especially liked that York still had his abs even after he got fat. I didn’t even know that they took mercury who sent them. Nathan Hale was so nice and funny I would have loved to say thank you, but I’m sad I didn’t get to. But thank you Mrs. Moye for presenting us with the opportunity to meet Nathan Hale, I enjoyed it.

  • Meeting Mr. Hale was an experience I will never forget. He was so fun and light-hearted and he made sure that learning history an unforgettable experience. He made everything easy to understand and kept me engaged the whole lesson. Overall, this was one of my favorite experiences meeting an author.

  • I loved Nathan Hale’s visit. I think he was super funny when he was tell us the story about the corps of discovery and his art style was amazing as well. I  I also loved that he had humor in the story but also got the information of the story across. 

  • Nathan Hale’s visit was awesome! I loved the different stories and how creative he was. I thought that the story about Garfield was really intriguing and unique. He educated me about a piece of history I had no idea about. I loved the way animated the characters as well, I thought it was brilliant. I really hope he can come visit again soon–it was an amazing time, I never got bored.

  • I loved the presentation! I liked how he animated his illustrations. I almost wish he would turn the Lewis and Clark explanation into a book. I would definitely read the book. I also loved the way he included some of the forgotten people in the expedition like York and Pomp.

  • Nathan Hale was an entertainer. He expresses and talks in a way that captivates the audience, and makes them want to laugh loud at his jokes. Nathan Hale is able to make a story interesting, with nothing more than paper and a pen. Personally, for me, I don’t enjoy history, because it’s usually all gloom and doom, but Nathan Hale made it fun, funny, and entertaining, all while drawing out the scenes at the same time. Nathan Hale is a great multitasker, considering he must draw very fast and well, and still incorporate it into the story, all in 45 minutes. I really enjoyed Nathan Hale’s visit to our middle school, and I loved the way he interacted with the crowd.

  • My reflection on the Nathan Hale visit was that it was absolutely amazing. Like, seriously, it was really good. I loved the whole presentation about Lewis and Clark and the core of discovery. Nathan Hale really made me believe that I was seeing the story unfold right as he was drawing it. Which in its own right, is so cool! His drawing was so fun and interesting and I loved all his characters. The story itself was really entertaining, and I enjoyed the whole story, though I think my favorite part has got to be when he did the voices and characters for the core of discovery tryouts. My favorite characters I think would be York or Sacagawea. All in all, I thought that the story was great, the characters were great, and Nathan Hale was amazing.

  • Nathan Hale is very funny, and it was really cool how he connected Garfield the cat and Garfield the president. It was cool to see how he basically created another short graphic on the spot during the presentation. I was there for the special book presentation, and it was so interesting to see how he interacted with everyone. In my opinion, he would make a great teacher. 

  • Nathen Hale was a very funny and I loved the story of the president Garfield.  He is very talented at expressing his thought and emotions with drawing and making them appealing and fun to others. I really like how he told us the way he works and how he can make everyone laugh with his illustration and way of telling the story. 

  • I found his presentation to be amazing. The speed at which he drew was incredible, and he was still able to draw accurately. I was also very impressed with how he was able to draw something and move on to a different section of the screen, but then use the drawing later, while being able to change it slightly to suit his purposes. And pertaining to the story itself, I was surprised how he found a very “happy” historical fact in the usually bloody stories.

As you can see, he was so engaging; I would highly recommend him (and my students would, too!) for any 4th-8th grade author visit!

Signature

Author Christina Diaz Gonzalez’s Visit to Kellee’s School

Share

Having authors visit my school will NEVER get old! It is such an amazing experience for my students (and me)!

For Christina Diaz Gonzalez’s visit, she was at our school for half a day (we were splitting with another middle school), but we were able to fit in 2 presentations and book signings during this time.

The first presentation was to our two-way dual language students, and Christina gave the presentation completely in Spanish! It was awesome to support the magnet program and literacy! For this presentation, she talked a bit more about Red Umbrella because my Spanish Honors teacher plans to teach the book.

The second presentation was to our Student Literacy Leaders, 7th grade Latinos in Action, Lunch Book Club members, and several students who signed up to fill in the last of the 75 available spots. This presentation was focused on promoting her newest book, Concealed, which we were able to give a copy to each student who attended! After the presentation, Christina signed each students book and chatted with each student.

It was a whirlwind of an visit, but it was wonderful! I highly recommend Christina Diaz Gonzalez for visits–she was engaging, interesting, and the students loved her! I asked my Student Literacy Leaders to reflect on the visit, and here are some of their responses:

  • I really liked the author and she seemed like a great person and learning about her secret dream of being an author and her becoming one was honestly really inspirational.
  • It was very inspirational! I also loved how passionate she seemed about writing and reading books.
  • My favorite part was when she was talking about her idea process and how she got the idea for Concealed.
  • I learned that being an author doesn’t mean you need to have your whole book planned out from chapter to chapter, as long as you have a start and finish, you could write a book.
  • I learned that anyone can be an author if they enjoy it.
  • The visit was important to me because I love meeting an author and seeing what they are like outside of what is written in their books.
  • The visit was important because she was a Latina author, and I haven’t met that many female authors of color.
  • The visit was important to me because it was a new experience for me when it comes to visiting authors and getting a little sneak peek of their life. I enjoyed every second of it and getting a signed book for free just seemed like a huge honor.
  • It was important because it was my first time meeting an author!
  • The visit was important to me because it gave me (alongside others) a chance to take things in from an author’s perspective; it really was refreshing to hear and gain a sense of.
  • I learned that even if there’s no motivation left is to always push through the matter/problem.

Christina Diaz Gonzalez’s Books

Concealed
Concealed

The Red Umbrella
The Red Umbrella

Moving Target (Moving Targe... Return Fire (Moving Target,...
Moving TargetReturn Fire

A Thunderous Whisper
A Thunderous Whisper

Stormspeaker (Spirit Animal...
Stormspeaker

Hope Nation: YA Authors Sha...
Hope Nation

Thank you so much, Christina, for this wonderful visit!

Signature

Student Voices: Ideal Bookshelves by Kellee’s 7th and 8th Grade Student Literacy Leaders

Share

I love following Ideal Bookshelf on social media, and I was so happy to find out that they provide templates to use to make your own ideal bookshelf, and I was so excited to have my Student Literacy Leaders make theirs! They are all displayed in the library now, and I wanted to share them all with you:

 

Signature

Student Voices: “Recommended Mangas” by Sabrina Kayat and Lisa Wojciechowski, 9th Graders

Share

“Recommended Mangas”
by Sabrina Kayat and Lisa Wojciechowski, rising 9th Graders and Kellee’s students 2020-2021 & 2018-2020 respectively

Spy Family by Tatsuya Endo
Recommended manga series by Sabrina

Preview: Spy family is about a master spy that goes by the name Twilight. When it comes to the dangerous missions he is assigned to, he always gets the job done. Him being a master of disguise, he wants to make the world a better place. When he finishes up his current mission, he gets a particular job that requires him to find a spouse and a kid, he just might have hit a dead end. When he does procure both a wife and a child for his mission to infiltrate an elite private school, he has yet to know the child he adopted is a telepath and his wife is an assassin.

Review: Having read the first volume of this manga, I can honestly say that this is a must read. This manga has a lot of dramatic irony, and uses it to make a hilarious story. Each character in this story (the spy, the assassin, and the telepath), all complement each other very well. When one character might be lacking in an area, another steps up and aids them. This story also has a lot of family themes and action. Overall, I recommend this manga to older teens.

Demon Slayer by Koyoharu Gotouge
Recommended manga series by Sabrina

Preview: Demon Slayer is about Tanjiro Kamado, a boy who regularly goes to a local village to sell coal and make money for his family. One day, he heads out to the village, where his life takes a turn for the worse. At his home, a demon killed his whole family, in the process turning his little sister Nezuko into a demon. Tanjiro decided he would do whatever it takes to turn his sister back to a human, and get revenge on the demon.

Review: Though I have not read the whole series, I recommend this manga to teens. This series has a straightforward story, and the artstyle is amazing. The characters are excellent, each having an interesting story and are likeable in their own ways. In the beginning, I had a hard time getting into it, but eventually it really picks up. All in all, I recommend this series.

Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto
Recommended manga series by Lisa

Preview: Naruto is about a kid named Naruto who is in the Ninja Academy and is really struggling. He wants to be the leader of his village called a Hokage but there may be more to his destiny than that.

Review: The Naruto manga has some really great moments and is a great addition to the fandom. You don’t need to watch the anime to read the books which is also good. The dialogue is very fun, and the designs are really good for the most part. There’s not one time where I asked myself what was going on in the book; everything is very clear and well described.

Thank you so much, Sabrina & Lisa, for the recommendations!! As my Unleashing Readers readers and students know, I have been trying to get some good manga reading in, so I appreciate knowing which to move to the top of my to be read list!

Student Voices: “Favorite Books” by Addy Brantley and Bianca Teixera, 9th Graders

Share

“Favorite Books”
by Addy Brantley and Bianca Teixera, rising 9th graders and Kellee’s students 2020-2021

Caraval by Stephanie Garber: Very unique type of story. Loved how it had so many twists and turns and you never expected what happened next. The rest of the series was also enticing and flowed very smoothly from one book to the next.

Market of Monsters by Rebecca Schaffer: Never read anything like it. The main character is fierce and smart and could think on her feet. Made us think “what’s gonna happen?” many times that kept us reading them for a long time. Could not put it down, it was so action packed.

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard: This whole series was filled with so many “did not see that coming” moments. Loved how they connected all different parts of the story together so nicely. The characters had so much personality and you can connect to them so easily.

Cinder by Marissa Meyer: Definitely our top retelling series! Puts a unique spin on classic stories. Connects all the characters and stories in a way no one could think of. Most of the characters are relatable and make you sympathetic towards them.

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black: Took place in a world unimaginable. The main character is definitely not one you read about often. Loved how strong and determined she was. Though personally for us, the first book was good, but the second and third? We could not put them down.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer: One of our favorite superhero series. We really liked how we got a perspective from both a “hero” and a “villain”. Enjoyed seeing how they both are not as they seem and why they became what they are.

The Giver by Lois Lowry: Very heartwarming and makes you think about the world differently. Loved the different characters and how they tie all the stories together in the end.

It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah: Foreign and familiar at the same time, this book shows you how no matter where you come from or what you look like, your life could end up a masterpiece. It’s extremely funny and witty and you can relate to all the stories.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo: Takes place in a warring country divided by a swath of darkness filled with monsters. Funny enough I liked the side characters more than the main character. This world is utterly immersive and picturesque.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo: This book has it all. An impossible heist, amazing characters, magic, an unpredictable plot, and so much more. It’s impossible to put down, this is what fantasy is for.

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko: A fight for freedom, family, and justice at all costs. It’s not your typical fantasy, it’s very unique and fresh. This book definitely deserves more love.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer: An amazing backstory for the queen of hearts. I loved how you know what’s going to happen in the end but have no idea how that can happen. It’s the best slow burn book we’ve read.

Thank you so much, Addy & Bianca, for the recommendations!!

Student Voices: “Reading During High School” by Emily Peraza, High School Senior

Share

I asked Emily to write this post because I know so many of my students who were voracious readers during their time with me in middle school, but often they leave and lose reading in their lives for a while; however, Emily has been able to find time during her busy schedule to read, so I wanted her to share some secrets to hopefully help out other high schoolers/students who may need some support.

“Reading During High School”
by Emily Peraza, rising senior in high school, Kellee’s student from 2015-2018

I think we can all agree high school is a rather dynamic experience, and the main takeaway from now going onto my senior year is that time management is essential. As someone who is a rising senior but also concurrently on her sophomore year of college at Valencia, I get the worst of both worlds; the cliques and stress of high school classes (4, to be exact), as well as the stress of 4 college classes but sans the dorms, friends, and general blossoming in your post-high school years. It is rough at times and I have a hard time staying in the reality when deadlines approach and pressure folds in. So, I resort to escaping into the world of literature! It also catches me into its loving and accepting arms, and teleports me somewhere that mythology papers, district meetings, and council calls cannot affect me.

One of my fatal flaws is that I despise being idle and not expanding my horizons, so sometimes I will push away reading because it can “distract me” from real life. But lately, I have been procrastinating my work by reading something I like, or researching the new SSYRA books I swore by in middle school. 🙂 My grandma, who also loves reading – we usually trade books – purchased me the sequel to a book I read in middle school called, The Mark of the Dragonfly. The sequel is named The Quest to the Uncharted Lands, and I still love this series. All of my extracurriculars have books or audiobooks I can indulge in when the stress caves in. Let me share some examples!!

Student Government Association – As a student government member, leading is something very important to me, and I can always improve my ways. Nobody is perfect, and I can always be smarter, kinder, and a better example. Books on and written by my role models, such as Angela Duckworth’s Grit keeps me motivated and allows me to see my potential.

As a student going into her fourth year in learning the French language, an AP French student, and a member of the French National Honor Society, audiobooks in French have helped me LOADS. From fantasy translated, or books originally in French, my pronunciation and accent has improved so much. My favorites are 100 French Conversations and Short Stories, Stephen King’s Revival en Français, and Moi, Tituba Sorcière… narrated by Audrey Fleurot. These have helped me grow as a student, especially being remote all year.

My internship through Character Lab has also sent me some very uplifting and books that make me think and reflect. They have sent me Reshma Saujani and Dr. Marc Brackett’s books, Brave Not Perfect and Permission to Feel, respectively. These books taught me to garner my emotions to propel me in a growth mindset, and really allowed me to explore my feelings and engage in a reflection within myself. I think many people play it safe and allow their perfectionism to hold them back. This unanimous fear of failure has bridled us and many students, including myself, have lost our sense of being and confidence because of the idea that we need to be perfect. But Ms. Saujani’s book has made me realize that I need to put my feet in the water and put myself out there. Please take a look at these wonderful books!

Other than reading about other clubs and sports, I like to fit in non-curricular books into my free time as well. Whether this be (in a normal year) on the bus, before practice, in the morning outside the band room, or even during water breaks. I am able to slip in a little bit everywhere! This keeps my mind sharp and it makes tasks much more bearable. I picked up a job at a hotel to help the housekeepers with the increased travel lately, so I put in my headphones and either watch some anime series or listen to an audiobook. During lunch, I’d rather read a physical book or an e-book because I have the luxury of holding something to keep my mind from wandering. 

I have even picked up a hobby of reading manga, which is so nice when my brain is fried from school or other activities. I read the entirety of Attack on Titan, which I HIGHLY recommend. It sucks you in and the dystopian setting with intricate call backs and a very intertwining plot has me reeling from the lack of plot holes and how history seems to be connected exactly with the future. Chainsaw Man has become one of my favorites, with its hilarious main character, Denji, and the heartbreaking story of his life. Some more of my go-to mangas are JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Tokyo Revengers, Demon Slayer, and Blue Lock. There are series for sports lovers, romance people, or someone who just loves a crazy fictional universe.


In order to support my quest for amazing books, I visit my local branch library (which also has audiobooks, books, movies, For Dummies series, manga, and music). I am a regular there and usually take my work to the back after checking out a few books. They also have very interesting classes, so log onto your library website to see if you can learn something new! I use Archive of Our Own on web to access short stories or poems made by people my age and like me, Wattpad for ebooks and published works by fantastic authors, pdfs found online for my classes or for personal reading time, MangaFox for online manga, as well as Audible for ebooks. 

Thank you so much for reading, and I’m so happy to share how I fit reading in! I cannot admit I am a perfect reader; I lost my spark getting into high school for a little while juggling Student Government, rigorous classes, and a sport. So please, I advise you to take it slow and don’t burn out. It is okay to take a break and discover new genres or mediums for enjoying literature! Enjoy your summers and expand your horizons. 🙂

Thank you so much, Emily, for your awesome advice!!