Summary: The Wild Robot by Peter Brown is a heartwarming tale about Roz, a robot who finds herself stranded on a wild and remote island. Initially viewed as an outsider by the island's animal inhabitants, Roz gradually learns to adapt to her surroundings and forms unexpected friendships. Through her experiences, she discovers the true meaning of empathy, friendship, and community.
Circe is about a lesser goddess named Circe who discovers her strength in a world full of powerful gods. She meets plenty of famous characters from Greek mythology and she learns important lessons about love, trust, and how to manage her powers. Throughout the book, Circe searches for a place where she belongs in this world full of monsters.
Daisy Jones grew up on the club scene on Sunset Strip. Across the country, The Dunne Brothers band plays school dances and weddings, trying to punch their ticket to Hollywood. When famous producer Teddy Price has them collaborate on an album, they become the most famous band in the world: Daisy Jones and The Six.
Evelyn Hugo was born beautiful. The most beautiful girl anyone had ever seen. Her beauty is what brought her fame, but unfortunately not live, as her life is often overshadowed by her seven husbands. This book details the fictional movie star’s seven husbands, the lessons they taught her, and the secrets they kept.
Saint Anything is a fiction novel by Sarah Dessen. Sydney has always lived in the shadow of her brother Peyton. When Peyton is in trouble, Sydney can finally break out of his shadow. She finds people who truly see her and help her become her true self. Sydney breaks through the mold she has been in her whole life and figures out what she truly wants.
Holes by Louis Sachar is an incredible novel about fate, where Stanley Yelnats is incarcerated for stealing sneakers at Camp Green Lake, a deserted desert of a camp, where Stanley is warped into a mystery 200 years into the making. In a story where there are no coincidences, Stanley must reckon with his family’s “curse”. A magical and enchanting book, the coincidences and three concurrent storylines that wrap up together are incredible. This novel is a masterpiece of story retelling and has so many satisfying details.
We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds is a romantic mystery novel where Avery moves from D.C. to a small southern town and unravels her family secrets, and what it means to fall in love again. This story tackles both racism and homophobia in the United States, weaving a deep mystery. Avery has to reconnect with her tough, hardened Mama Letty. There is a lot of characterization of both Avery and Letty. The other characters help support the novel but feel a little stereotypical without a lot of growth.
Hatchet is a novel by Gary Paulsen that is a descriptive look at a near-death survival situation and explores feelings of loneliness, though being more descriptive about the main character’s (Brian) mode of survival. The book takes place in the Canadian frontier wilderness where Brian crashes after the pilot of the small Cessna that is driving him to see his divorced father crashes. Armed with only a hatchet, he must carve up a living alone in the wilderness.
Mockingbird, by Kathryn Erksine, is a deep and moving poetic book that shows Caitlin, a girl with Asperger’s whose brother is killed in a school shooting. Ever since the incident, the world has become shades of gray. It is her story of coping with her loss and dealing with the struggles of the world. A heartfelt piece, it is an approachable yet touching story about loss. The main character is a fifth grader, making the language approachable.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley is an incredibly nauseating science fiction novel that focuses on progress, themes of easy pleasure and the human spirit. In a post-Ford society, children are grown through test tubes into a social hierarchy in an Epicurean society with one goal: happiness for eternity. In it, Benard attempts to higher his social status and ends up revealing more about the world that he lives in than he can cope with.
