Review of More Than This, by Patrick Ness

Seth thinks he died and went to hell. That’s the only explanation he can think of after he drowned and woke up completely alone, that is. If you want a book that will keep you on your toes guessing what will happen next, this one’s for you. Fantastically written, this book will tug at your heartstrings and help you realize that there is truly more than this.

~ Posted by a Homestead junior

Review of Life of Pi, by Yann Martel

The Life of Pi talks about a boy who gets separated from his parents in the ocean and has to live with a tiger on a small boat. He faces these challenges and had to get out of his comfort zone in order to survive, like being a carnivore instead of a vegetarian. I was surprised on how I was eager to read and not get bored even though half of the book is just on a boat with a boy and a tiger. I recommend a 4.5 stars for its meaning behind the story.

~Posted by a Homestead freshman

The Radius of Us, by Marie Marquardt

When Gretchen and Phoenix first see each other, she is terrified by his resemblance to a stranger who attacked her and left her changed forever. Phoenix is a Salvadoran refugee seeking asylum after horrific gang violence drives him and his younger brother to flee, and he is stung by her reaction, which cements his feeling that he is an outsider who can never belong.
But Grace seeks Phoenix out later to apologize, and the two begin a tentative friendship (and later romance) as they help each other navigate the treacherous terrain of healing.

The Radius of Us does a great job balancing serious issues (PTSD, anxiety, gang violence, immigration issues) with the more familiar day-to-day teen issues of breaking up, falling in love, and being a good friend to your friends. The larger challenges that Phoenix faces (fleeing gang violence, seeking asylum, trying to be reunited with his brother who was detained as an unaccompanied minor) are addressed with realistic sensitivity. This book has a lot to offer for readers of all interests.

Coraline, by Neil Gaiman

I really like the book. I think people who haven't read it should read it and I would rate the book a 7 or a 8 on a scale from 1-10. ~ Posted by Mia, 9th grade

Dear Martin and The Hate U Give

The issues of police brutality and racial inequities in the justice system have been in the news continually over the past few years , and two recent books deal with the experiences of African-American teens in the shadow of the search for justice. Dear Martin by Nic Stone, and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, both feature a high-achieving protagonist in an affluent, mostly-white high school who is forced to reckon with the realities of race relations in America when their communities are rocked by the police shooting of a young black man. In Dear Martin, Justyce's quest to emulate the nonviolent strength of Martin Luther King is upended by his own undeserved run-in with law enforcement, while in The Hate U Give, Starr becomes an unwitting witness and needs to decide how (or whether) she will stand up.

Both books portray complex characters making challenging decisions against the backdrop of friends and family with very different experiences, and a society that views their struggle as either false or not worth a protest. Each brings a different perspective to an essential topic, while also bringing a gripping, well-told story. Highly recommended.  

You Bring The Distant Near, by Mitali Perkins

Starting in the 1960s through the present day, this book follows three generations of Bengali women and their personal journeys of growth. Every woman is complex in their hopes and dreams for themselves and for their families, and how those dreams change as circumstances change. The conflicts between sisters, or between mothers and daughters, when those dreams are in conflict, are very realistic and speak to changes in society as a whole. Ranee, the mother and then grandmother, is happy in an arranged marriage and traditional in her goals for her daughters, who are in turn more rebellious in how and where they find love and life fulfillment, and who raise their own daughters still differently. You Bring The Distant Near manages to interweave cultural pride, assimilation, social critique and family love into one very readable, page-turner and tear-jerker of a story.

Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell

5 stars.
Scarlett O'Hara, a southern belle, becomes stuck in the Civil War trying to save herself. She ends up getting married a few times, all the while pining for another, and the mysterious Rhett Butler chasing after her. Don't let the length scare you! It's such a great read, you'll be on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what will happen next. The characters are refreshing, because of their flaws and human personalities. Definitely recommend!!

~ Posted by a Homestead junior