March Madness
16 books will enter, only 1 will be crowned the winner!
March Madness at BHS
For the sixth straight year, students and staff at Berlin High School will participate in a book edition of March Madness. It's an excellent opportunity to hear about new titles, get recommendations and have a conversation about popular books.
How to play:
Fill out the book bracket by choosing the books you think your Berlin High School community believes are the school's top reads.
Return the bracket to Mrs. Rice at rrice@berlinschools.org by Friday, March 1. We will vote in Schoology until a winner is crowned.
Prizes will be awarded to students and staff that pick the most correct answers.
We Were Liars vs. Warrior Girl Unearthed
This is the Mystery Category:
We Were Liars is a shocking and twisted tale about the seemingly perfect Sinclair family who hides their secrets, lies, and flaws behind their tall and handsome builds. The story takes place on a private island off the coast of Massachusetts, where the Sinclair family spends their summers.
Warrior Girl Unearthed is the story of an Ojibwe teen who discovers a plot to profit off robbed Indigenous graves. With the help of a ragtag group of friends, she takes matters into her own hands to protect her community, and bring her ancestors home where they belong, while staring down challenges including generational grudges, unnerving stories of missing women, family secrets, and painful realities about the legacy of colonialism.
My Life with the Walter Boys vs. November 9
This is the Romance Category:
My Life With the Walter Boys follows the story of Jackie Howard, a young teen from New York City whose entire family suddenly dies in a car crash. Jackie then moves to Silver Falls, Colorado, where she lives with the family of her mother's best friend, including 11 boys and one girl.
November 9 follows the unusual love story between Fallon and Ben. After meeting by chance, these two strangers agree to meet once a year in an experiment that fills their lives with a confidence they both lack—and a novel-in-progress written by Ben. Tragedy and an unspoken truth threaten to tear them apart.
Eleven Seconds vs. The Boys of Winter
This is the Sports Literature category:
Eleven Seconds is a heartfelt testament to the power of love and the strength of the human spirit. Travis Roy, who suffered a devastating injury eleven seconds into his first college hockey game, reveals how he has managed to cope after the accident and, with the help of family and friends, overcome tremendous barriers to begin a new life.
The Boys of Winter tells the true story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team and the Miracle on Ice, which Sports Illustrated called the greatest moment in sports history—with a new afterword by Ken Morrow for the fortieth anniversary of the Miracle on Ice.
I'm Glad My Mom Died vs. Lebron, Inc.
This is the Nonfiction category:
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy is a candid memoir reflecting on her tumultuous relationship with her mother, who battled cancer. Through raw honesty, McCurdy navigates themes of grief, forgiveness, and self-discovery, ultimately finding healing and peace amidst tragedy.
LeBron, Inc. offers an inside look at LeBron James' rise as a business mogul, exploring his strategic ventures and influence beyond basketball, shaping sports, media, and entertainment.
The Language of Flowers vs. Orbiting Jupiter
The Language of Flowers Book Trailer
This is the Realistic Fiction Category:
The Language of Flowers follows the fraught life of a Victoria Jones, who by the age of 18, had lived in 32 foster homes, and becomes a flower arranger. The novel was inspired by a flower dictionary, a type of Victorian-era book which defines what different types of flowers mean.
Orbiting Jupiter is the shattering story of Joseph, a father at thirteen, who has never seen his daughter, Jupiter. After spending time in a juvenile facility, he’s placed with a foster family on a farm in rural Maine. Here Joseph, damaged and withdrawn, meets twelve-year-old Jack, who narrates the account of the troubled, passionate teen who wants to find his baby at any cost. In this riveting novel, two boys discover the true meaning of family and the sacrifices it requires.
Daisy Jones and The Six vs. Code Talker
Daisy Jones and The Six Book Trailer
This is the Historical Fiction Category:
Daisy Jones and The Six tells the story of a 1970s band that gives individual interviews leading up to their final show and subsequent breakup as a band.
In Code Talker, World War II rages and Navajo marines are using their native language to develop a secret code that is unbreakable by the enemy forces. Determined to do his part, 16-year-old Ned lies about his age to enlist in the marines and become a code talker
Fourth Wing vs. Six of Crows
This is the Fantasy Fiction Category:
Fourth Wing follows twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail, who, despite her physical frailty, is ordered to join the candidates striving to become elite dragon riders.
Six of Crows follows a group of six diverse and skilled outcasts as they embark on a dangerous heist in the bustling city of Ketterdam. Led by Kaz Brekker, a cunning and ruthless mastermind, the team must navigate through intricate plots, betrayals, and personal demons to pull off the impossible.
The Great Gatsby vs. To Kill A Mockingbird
This is the Classics category, both widely read at BHS:
The Great Gatsby follows Jay Gatsby's pursuit of wealth and love, set against the backdrop of the Jazz Age. Through lavish parties and complex relationships, the novel explores themes of the American Dream, moral decay, and the consequences of obsession.
To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the racially charged atmosphere of the American South during the 1930s and follows through the eyes of young Scout Finch, as her lawyer father Atticus Finch defends a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, challenging prejudice in the community.
The 2023 Book Bracket winner - The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
The 2022 Book Bracket winner - Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The 2021 Book Bracket winner - Becoming by Michelle Obama
The 2020 Book Bracket winner - It by Stephen King
The 2019 Book Bracket winner - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald