This is a novel that has been on my "to read" list for a long time. This summer Laurie Halse Anderson has published a poetic biography entitled Shout. Reading reviews of this new book, reminded me of Speak.
This tells the story of Melinda's freshman year at Merryweather High. Right on the first day of school, she is made into an outcast because she called the police busting an end-of-the-year summer party. But there was a reason she called and not out of jest. During the school year, she is friendless and her grades are suffering. She is only doing well in art class where she works on drawing and carving trees. She also finds serenity by creating a forgotten janitor's closet into her out refuge. This is a powerful novel that all teenagers should read. Parents of teenagers and high school teachers should also read this book.
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Mischa Abramavicius has spent her high school career doing whatever she can so she can get into an Ivy League school. She has received a scholarship to attend Blanchard Prep. She studied hard to keep her grades up and her SAT score high. She participated in as many clubs as she could manage. However, when the acceptance letters and emails are sent out, Mischa receives rejection letters one after another. Even her safety school, Paul Revere, said no! With the help of her best friend and the Ophelia Syndicate, a group of hackers, Mischa investigates why she was refused entry to all of the colleges she applied for. This was a unique mystery with elements of romance, humor, and realism. Mischa does go through a depression which makes sense. If the dreams you've worked so hard for were suddenly shattered, you too would suddenly question what's the point of doing well in school and participating in everything. I recommend this story to those who enjoy mysteries or a good story about high school. Cosmologist Stephen Hawking provides his answers to big questions about the existence of God, how the universe began, if there's intelligent life other than on Earth, what's inside of a black hole, is time travel possible, and more. This was a fascinating read. I must admit there were a few parts that somewhat went over my head, but I think Hawking really tried to write this as simple as possible. I did enjoy reading about the beginnings of the universe, if there's another intelligent life in the universe, and about black holes, but then again space has always been an interest of mine. What was also interesting was getting glimpses of Hawking's life. He started the book discussing his life a bit. At the end of the book are: an afterward by his daughter, Lucy Hawking, and transcripts of the eulogies given at his funeral. I recommend this book to those who have an interest in science. Catcher David Ross spins three stories into one: his professional baseball career, his very last season before retiring, and the final game of the 2016 World Series. He discusses the many role models he has had from coaches to teammates throughout his career, the lessons he has learned about leadership and being a respected ballplayer, and the 2016 Chicago Cubs team that finally brought a World Series championship after a 103 drought. As a Cubs fan and David Ross fan, I thought this was a fun read. I especially enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at Game 7. Overall, this was a fascinating memoir. This is the fourth in the Great Library series where Jess Brightwell and his friends are trying to save the Great Library from itself and the power-hungry Archivist Magister. They come up with a dangerous plan to bring down the leadership. The action begins at the very beginning and does not let up at all. Each chapter has a different point a view which allows the characters to be scattered about. Fans of this dystopian series will love this book and year for the fifth installment. Cia Vale survived the Testing and is starting her freshman year at the University in Tosu City. Although the government tried to erase the memories of all survivors of the Testing, Cia remembers. She and Tomas try to expose the cruelty of the Testing, however, the government is keeping her on tight leash. Although this sequel is not as action-packed as The Testing, there is plenty of suspense. Once again, Cia finds herself in a situation where she doesn't know who can truly trust. Also, it is clear that they government has a close eye on her: they gave her an almost impossible course-load, they are tracking her movements, and her internship is with the President. It took me a bit of time to get into this novel as Cia was getting settled, however it does pick up during the "initiation." Dystopian literature fans will enjoy the continuing adventures of Cia Vale. |
AuthorMr. Andrusyk is a school librarian at IC Catholic Prep in Elmhurst, Illinois. Past Book RecommendationsClick here to view a listing of Mr. Andrusyk's list of favorite authors, series, fiction, and nonfiction. Archives
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