The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an autobiography penned by Douglass as he recounts his life in slavery and his escape to freedom. This book offers a first hand view from someone who had to bear the harsh conditions of being a slave. Douglass starts off with being separated from his mother at a very young age and begins to work on plantations. Throughout his life as a slave, he moves to a plethora of different plantations with different plantation owners.
365 Days of Wonderserves as an add on book to the Wonder series by R. J. Palacio. When Auggie starts his journey at Beecher Prep, one of the teachers Auggie has is Mr. Browne. Mr. Browne always has a different precept for everyday and Palacio has brilliantly compiled them into this book. This compilation of precepts is a wonderful short read that you can pickup everyday. I personally love the variety of quotes used ranging from popstars to famous authors. Given how significant Mr.
White Bird by R.J. Palacio serves as one of the sequels to Auggie & Me, a book based off of the Wonder series. This book focuses on, Sara, who is Julian’s (Auggie’s main bully) grandmere. Sara grew up in France, which at the time was occupied by Nazi Germany. Sara grew up in a Jewish family that was quite well off. She had a loving family that provided her a good childhood. At school, she had lots of friends and was well known. However, in her class she sat next to Julien, who was disabled and constantly bullied.
Auggie & Me is a fiction novel written by R.J. Palacio is a sequel to Wonder. The book is focused on 3 of Wonder’s characters, Julian, Christopher and Charlotte. First off, Julian Albans, the main antagonist of Wonder, or Auggie’s bully, is going to his Grandma’s for the summer and during his time there, learns about his family’s past and tries to better himself. Next, is Christoper, Auggie’s old friend where we learn about his struggles in life.
The Giver by Lois Lowry is a fiction novel that is centered around Jonas, who lives in a futuristic but dystopian society. A society where there are no emotions, color, music etc. Everyone lives the same, dresses the same, behaves the same and are assigned jobs as opposed to real life where someone would apply and interview for one. Jonas is nearing the age of 12, where each individual receives their first work assignment. On the day of the ceremony, Jonas is given the role of the Receiver of Memory.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton is a fiction novel that is centered around Ponyboy and his Greasers. After the death of his parents, Ponyboy is raised by his fellow Greasers, who are a gang that live in the poor part of town. While Ponyboy does not have a real family, he considers his fellow Greasers his family as they take care of him. The Greasers’ rivals, the Socs are rich and live a much better life. The Greasers and the Socs often have conflicts that often end in violence.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a realistic fiction novel that focuses on a boy named August, or Auggie who is born with facial deformities. Undergoing numerous medical procedures, Auggie has been homeschooled for his whole life up until fifth grade, where he finally starts going to a normal school. The book focuses on the twists and turns of his experience at school, as he forges new friendships while also experiencing bullying due to his looks.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a historical fiction novel based on Nazi Germany during World War II. The book has a unique approach to storytelling as the narrator of the story is actually Death. The character Death narrates the story of a girl named Liesel, who early on was placed into a foster care home. Instead of the usual perspective of a Jewish person in Germany for a book like this, the book actually focuses on the viewpoint of a German which I found quite interesting.
Refugee by Alan Gratz is a historical fiction novel that focuses on the lives of 3 children who all have one thing in common, seeking refuge in a foreign country. The first character introduced is Josef, a jewish boy living in Germany during the Holocaust. The book follows his journey as he and his family board the MS Saint Louis in an effort to escape Germany and find refuge in Cuba, however things turn for the worse as they are denied entry into Cuba.
In the final installment of the series we see our heroes try to stop Gaea from awakening and stop a war between the two camps. The fate of the world rests in their hands, if they fail the Olympians will be overthrown and civilization will be shaken apart…
