The Hunger Games is a story about a dystopian society of Panem, where two youngsters from each of the twelve districts participate in the Hunger Games. The players must kill each other and survive in the wilderness until only one remains. The story follows Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen year old girl who volunteers to participate in the games instead of her younger sister, Prim. The other tribute from District 12 is a boy named Peeta. Katniss lives in District 12 with her mother and sister.
Cadence Sinclair is a perfect girl in a perfect family, but nothing is as it seems. During one vacation at her family's beach house Cadence gets in an accident, causing brain trauma and memory loss. She goes through a year of avoiding her family, and any reminder of her accident. However, she is called back to the beach house for another family vacation. Instead of sitting at home in denial she goes back to her perfect family for the summer to find out more about her accident and what she's forgotten. Finally, she recovers the memories and uncovers the lies— lies she never expected.
Often when people of color are asked how exactly racism works, a one-sentence answer isn't enough for the complexity, history, and future of the United States’ racism. However, Coates’ book, Between the World and Me, offers an insight into racism that I believe every American should have exposure to. Coates writes this book to his son, Samori, to explain the vulnerability of his black body in a country ignorant of a racist reality. This novel covers topics from slavery,
Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl is a story about a teenage girl named Stargirl. She has been homeschooled all her life and is sort of the unusual type. Stargirl starts attending Mica High School, quickly settling in as a peculiar student. Leo, just an ordinary student, is interested in her due to her unusualness. The book follows Stargirl’s life in high school through Leo’s perspective. It features much character transformation.
The Forever Man by Eoin Colfer is a captivating science fiction novel that follows the thrilling adventures of Riley, a young boy with the power to heal. Set in a dystopian world where dark forces called the Harvesters threaten humanity's existence, Riley finds himself hunted by these malevolent beings due to his unique abilities. Alongside his loyal friend, Chevie, a seasoned FBI agent from the future, Riley embarks on a perilous journey through time and dimensions to confront the Harvesters and save humanity.
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland is a gripping alternative history novel set in post-Civil War America, where the dead rise and roam the land following the Battle of Gettysburg. The story follows Jane McKeene, a young African American girl trained as a skilled zombie hunter at Miss Preston's School of Combat. While navigating a society still plagued by racism and prejudice, Jane finds herself entangled in a conspiracy that threatens to upend the fragile balance of power.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. The main character Scout Finch lives with her brother Jem and widowed father Atticus, who is a well-known lawyer in their community. In their neighborhood there is a spooky house called the Radley Place, no one knows what goes in there and there are many conspiracies regarding it. Scout, Jem, and their friend Dill were always curious, and they always played around the Radley house.
The Smartest Kid in the Universe, Evil Genius is a riveting book about middle schooler Jake, who gained lots of intelligence through secret jellybeans. He was deemed the smartest kid in the universe, but what if the jellybeans wear off? After a new batch of smarty beans goes missing, Jake worries about not being the smartest anymore. Through a series of puzzles, his friends help him search for treasure to prove his theory wrong.
The novel Revenge: Eleven Dark Tales by Yoko Ogawa is a collection of short horror stories that all connect to each other. Yoko Ogawa serves as a spider who has created intricate webs that tie these stories together, which she does flawlessly. While reading the book, I found it impossible to put it down. There were no unnecessary descriptions or dialogue; all stories got straight to the point. That is what kept me on my toes.
Say Cheese and Die is a thrilling children's horror novel written by R.L. Stine. The story revolves around four friends, Greg, Shari, Doug, and Bird, who stumble upon an eerie old camera in an abandoned house. Excited by their discovery, they begin taking pictures, but soon realize that each photo predicts a dark and dangerous future event.
