By Vaddey Ratner

WARNING: This book should be read by eighth grade and up

In the Shadow of the Banyan is about Raami, a seven year old girl living in a mansion in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. When the Cambodian civil war ends, the communist party known as the Khmer Rouge evacuate citizens into remote rice fields, eventually leading to a genocide of the Cambodian people taking an estimate of 3 million lives. This book captures the story of naive Raami, whose innocent childhood is ruined by genocide and war. Especially for those of us living in the U.S, war and genocide seems far away, and Raami’s story gives us an insight into the lives of people who were victims to such violence. Living under a democratic government is often taken for granted, and Raami’s story shows how lucky many of us are.

By Marieke NijKamp

WARNING: This book should be read by eighth grade and up

This book is by far one of the most horrifying, and yet realistic book I have read. It takes place in a high school, similar to those in Newton, where one student commits a mass shooting. This is one of the harsh realities in the U.S, and when I read this book I felt that it raised awareness towards students who are in fear of their lives at school. There is a common mindset that you can’t stand up for something unless you experience it yourself, and in reading this book I feel that students will have a better understanding of how powerless they are when they refuse to acknowledge and ignore the horrors that people have experienced.

By Jodee Blanco

TW: Suicide attempt, severe bullying

Please Stop Laughing at Me… is an inspiring book about a high school student that gets bullied by her peers. Bullying is a common topic for books, especially for students in middle school however this book stood out to me. Not only is it an autobiography, but it highlights the ignorance of the people who bullied her as well as the mental harm bullying inflicts on growing students. It's easy for extroverts and people who have never experienced bullying to say just stand up for yourself, and in doing so you are choosing to stay ignorant and this novel explains the mental toll that bullying has on young people.

By Patrick Ness

If you like science fiction and futuristic books, this is for you. This book is captivating and reads like an action movie but still maintains a deep plot. I usually struggle with finding an action filled book that still has a bigger theme but this one surpasses all expectations. Seth believes he has committed suicide, but he wakes up in his old house in Europe. However his old town is deserted, and Seth is left to survive on his own. He discovers that he had woken up in a coffin, with no way back to his old life. Is this a simulation or is this what life really is?

By Brit Bennet

Definitely a thought provoking book. This novel is about twins, who after running from their old home town vowing to be together, separate. One twin passes as white and lives with her husband and daughter who know nothing of her past. The other twin lives with her black daughter, back in the same town she had just escaped, desperately searching for her other twin. For me this book made me really think about identity, and what that means for people who are biracial. I felt that this book gives a deeper understanding of the meaning of heritage and culture to people and how it affects their lives.