Embedded Files
Kaiju No. 8
Kaiju No. 8
by Naoya Matsumoto
Student Review
The highest Kaiju emergence rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why they liked it: I liked the plot but it felt a bit too quick and short.
Recommended by Emily B.
Blue Lock #1
Blue Lock #1
by Muneyuki Kaneshiro
Student Review
Isaji gets pickecd to be a part of a soccer training "camp."
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2 out of 5
Why they liked it: The art was good and I liked the stories and characters.
Recommended by Lily-Anne N.
My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia
by Kohei Horikoshi
Student Review
It's a book about hero and people with quicks but a kid named Deku without a power tries to get int the hero high school and became a hero without power.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why they liked it: I like this book because I like amine books and shows.
Recommended by Janiyah W.
The Graveyard Book
The Graveyard Book
by P. Craig Russell
Student Review
It's about a boy who lost his family due to a hitman and he lived with the dead people in the graveyard.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why they liked it: The title because I was looking for a horror graphic novel and this was the closest I got.
Recommended by Empress H.
Notes on an execution
Notes on an execution
by Danya Kukafka
On the day of Ansel’s execution, the story delves into the lives of the women he harmed or who played a part in shaping who he became. The impact of the tragedies is haunting, leaving lasting ripples across each of their lives.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why she liked it: This book was an excellent read. I haven't given a 5 star rating this year, but this one is it. It kept me intrigued and interested the entire time. I haven't cried reading a book in a long time, but the end made me teary. Not a light book, so be prepared for heavier subject matter when you read it.
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
The Lightning Thief
The Lightning Thief
(Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)
(Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)
by Rick Riordan
Student Review
The story follows a 12 year old boy who attends a school for troubled kids while also struggling with dyslexia. After a series of abnormal events he learns he is a demi-god. Percy is accused of stealing Zeus' master bolt and to prevent war amongst the gods he must return it before time is up before solstice.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why he liked it: The book was okay. It wasn't a lot of detail but it was pretty similar to the movie and the movie is my favorite.
Recommended by Austin C
The vanishing half
The vanishing half
by Brit Bennett
Student Review
Two twins who run away from home from a small town in Louisiana. Two black light-skinned girls Desiree and Stella. Stella choose to pass as white and continue on while Desiree has a daughter and returns back to her hometown.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why she liked it: I liked this story because it shared authentic black experiences and it was very detailed. This book was like multiple stories in one.
Recommended by Austin C
The Acid King
The Acid King
by Jesse P. Pollack
Student Review
All these friends grew up poor in a bad part of town and get into drugs. Then one of the people is murdered.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why she liked it: I loved this book because its very read. Teenagers can relate.
Recommended by Courtney Johnson
Finding Jupiter
Finding Jupiter
by Kelis Rowe
Student Review
The narrative follow the protagonist on a journey to find their true identity and purpose, navigating challenges and embracing change along the way.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why she liked it: Rowe's lyrical storytelling invites readers to reflect on their own paths while celebrating the beauty of growth and transformation.
Recommended by K'mari Brown
A very large expanse of sea
A very large expanse of sea
by Tahereh Mafi
Student Review
it's an extremely turbulent time politically, but especially so for someone like Shirin, a sixteen year old Muslin girl who's tired of being stereotyped.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why she liked it:The showing that no matter your race or what you are capable of something, everyone is loved.
Recommended by Janelle Taylor
Fragments of the Lost
Fragments of the Lost
by Megan Miranda
Student Review
I feel like the story was okay with the ex-girlfriend cleaning up the boyfriend's room and finding memories.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2 out of 5
Why he disliked it: I do dislike the mom making the ex-girlfriend clean up her son's mess.
Recommended by Rashed Stansbury
The House in the Pines
The House in the Pines
by Ana Reyes
Student Review
There is a girl named Maya. When one of her best friends dies, she tries to piece together who did it and it all came back to one guy named Frank.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2 out of 5
Why she liked it: I liked this book because of all the turns of events and how it made it feel like you were there in the book.
Recommended by La'Kayla L.
Shackled: A tale of Wronged kids, Rogue judges, and a town that looked away
Shackled: A tale of Wronged kids, Rogue judges, and a town that looked away
by Candy J Cooper
Student Review
Corrupt judge Ciaverella and mob boss Conahan force kids into an abusive dehumanizing system for profit.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why he liked it: "The writing style was great. The pace was perfect. A few mentions of race made me 🥺 but that's fine."
Recommended by Tyler Eads
Four Found Dead
Four Found Dead
by Natalie D. Richards
Student Review
When Jo discovers one of her dead coworkers, she and her group must run from Clayton who is supposedly on a hunt for the rest of them.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Why she liked it: "I loved the suspense!"
Recommended by Gigi Graham
Assassination Classroom (Graphic Novel)
Assassination Classroom (Graphic Novel)
by Yusei Matsui
Student Review
A class that has been shunned away from the rest of the school is being taught how to be assassins to kill their teacher who is a random alien that is planning to destroy the world.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Recommended by Kamani Fulmore
Scythe
Scythe
by Neal Shusterman
What an interesting book! This take on a dystopian world is not like anything I had read before, and I was truly intrigued from the beginning. It is the first dystopian book I have read in awhile that I could not put down. Absolutely recommend it!
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
Accountable: The True story of a racist social media account and the teenagers whose lives it changed
Accountable: The True story of a racist social media account and the teenagers whose lives it changed
by Dashka Slater
In the world of social media dominating our students' lives, this book is a must-read. When a racist social media account is discovered, the entire community is affected. Students making bad choices. Students who were featured in the account are forever scarred. Administrators and school officials learned some hard lessons through the mistakes they made. A community was left to pick up the pieces. This is a powerful true account is a necessary read for students, parents, and school officials.
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
As old as time: A Twisted tale
As old as time: A Twisted tale
by Liz Braswell
What girl doesn't love a good fairy tale? Beauty and the Beast reimaged as a mystery is exactly what the grown up fairy tale fan could ask for! What if Belle's mother is the reason the Beast is cursed? What is Belle discovers her mother's dark secret?
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
Turtles All the way down
Turtles All the way down
by John Green
Only John Green can bring awareness and normalize mental health struggles with wit and humor while keeping the seriousness of it in the forefront. Green beautifully portrays Aza's struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder with adventure to bring humanity and compassion to such a sensitive subject.
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century
The Borden Murders: Lizzie Borden and the Trial of the Century
by Sarah Miller
The first famous murder many young people learn about is the Lizzie Borden murders. It has fascinated society for nearly 150 years. This non-fiction book reads more like a fiction novel and is full of interesting facts and takes the reader through the crime and trial with great detail and sorts the facts from sensationalized fiction. Definitely worth the read!
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
The Great Gatsby: A Graphic Novel AdaptatioN
The Great Gatsby: A Graphic Novel AdaptatioN
by K. Woodman-Maynard
Using Fitzgerald's beautiful language paired with stunningly beautiful graphics share the classic story of Nick, Daisy, Tom, and Gatsby. The tragic, misguided love story is told through not only Fitzgerald's iconic language and descriptions but also with the addition of visuals to help readers understand the story in a different and possibly deeper way. I would recommend this to any student but especially those who are reading The Great Gatsby in class.
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
Then She was Gone
Then She was Gone
by Lisa Jewell
Just when I thought I had figured it out, I had that moment where the plot twist made me gasp!
Then She Was Gone is a thriller about a teenage girl who just vanishes and the aftermath of her disappearance. Her mother never loses hope of finding her daughter and refuses to give up on looking for clues of what happened to her dear daughter.
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
All the Bright Places
All the Bright Places
by Jennifer Niven
Rarely has a book had such a strong emotional reaction as All the Bright Places.
Oftentimes adults forget that teenagers have real problems, and ignoring those problems can have dire consequences. The story of Violet and Finch is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time.
I read this book while traveling this summer. As I finished reading this 30,000 feet in the air, my heart broke and I could not control my emotions. I good portion of the airplane saw me cry, but I was okay with it because the story was just so gripping and haunting. It is worth a read but keep your tissues handy.
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
The Nickel Boys
The Nickel Boys
by Colson Whitehead
Horrifying. Unbelievable. Shocking.
Words do not describe reading The Nickel Boys. This true story is so horrifying yet important to be told to the masses. Be prepared to dive into the story of a reform school for young black boys and the incredibly terrible experiences they endured that shaped many generations.
The Dead Inside
The Dead Inside
by Cnydy Etler
Barely a teenager, Cyndy is looking to escape her home life. She wants acceptance from someone, anyone outside of her family. Just a few bad choices lands her in a facility for "bad kids" who are addicts. The book is raw and real. Told from the eyes of a young girl who just wants to survive and make it through trauma after trauma that she faces. The horror of this book is that it is true and Cyndy relives her trauma in hopes that others learn and do not allow this to happen again.
After reading the book, I was compelled to research the teen addiction centers where she was placed to learn more about the trauma they inflicted on so many other teens across the US.
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
Words in Deep blue
Words in Deep blue
by Cath Crowley
In this beautifully written book, Rachel and Henry, two childhood friends that strayed apart, get a second chance at love when Rachel returns to her hometown and starts working at the bookstore owned by Henry's family. Hired to chronicle the "Letter Library" (a section of the bookstore where people exchange inscriptions, notes, and letters in the books), Rachel is struggling to overcome the paralyzing grief from the death of her brother. Henry, the store manager, is also racked by loss as he deals with a recent breakup with his girlfriend, Amy, and the impending sale of his beloved bookstore to land developers. Working side by side, in the midst of the stories and notes they find in the books of the "Letter Library", Rachel and Henry explore the meaning of words, of death, loss, love, and of what is possible in this world and beyond.
If you are a fan of books by John Green or Jennifer Nevin, this is a book for you!
Recommended by Mrs. Baucom
Long Way Down
Long Way Down
by Jason Reynolds
Written in free verse poetry, the book delves into the cycle of violence seen in many inner-city neighborhoods and asks us to think about how and why this violence continues. Set in an elevator ride, Will encounters people who make him question everything he has been taught and what he is doing.
This book is incredible. The free verse poetry makes it a quick read but also empowers the narrative in a way that is hard to articulate. It will leave any reader questioning what can be done to break the cycle of violence that plagues our inner-city, impoverished neighborhoods. This should be on everyone's reading list!
Recommended by Mrs. Dotts
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