Growing up in an unconventional place, the main protagonist Kya Clark is outcasted as the “marsh girl”—Delia Owens's novel Where the Crawdads Sing takes place in North Carolina in the 1960s. The tale is similar to the classic fable “Boy Who Cried Wolf”, where Kya calls an isolated marsh her home. Abandoned by her family at a young age, we start from the very beginning of Kya’s unfortunate upbringing. This story then goes chronologically, telling the story of Kya’s life through a first-person perspective.
This mystery thriller, Ink and Ashes by Valynne E. Maetani, follows the story of a girl named Claire Takata, who lives in a family of four with her mom, stepdad, and two brothers. On the anniversary of her dads death, Claire finds a letter from her deceased father that was written to her now stepdad. Turns out, Claire's father is a part of a Japanese crime syndicate. Her new discovery opens up many previously closed doors, with secret agents coming at her left and right.
Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 2: The Revenge of the Ridiculous Robo-Boogers continues the wild and wacky adventure from the previous book. In this seventh installment, George and Harold must deal with the aftermath of Melvin’s transformation into the Bionic Booger Boy, which has only gotten worse. Now, with Robo-Boogers on the loose, it’s up to Captain Underpants to save the day once again. But with such a ridiculous and slimy enemy, it’s no easy task!
Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy, Part 1: The Night of the Nasty Nostril Nuggets is the sixth book in Dav Pilkey’s beloved series. In this installment, George and Harold’s latest invention goes terribly wrong, transforming their school bully, Melvin, into the Bionic Booger Boy—a grotesque and powerful villain made from, you guessed it, boogers! Captain Underpants must once again leap into action to stop this slimy menace from wreaking havoc on the town.
Captain Underpants and the Wrath of the Wicked Wedgie Woman is the fifth book in Dav Pilkey’s hilarious series, and this time George and Harold find themselves in big trouble. After pulling one too many pranks, their teacher, Miss Ribble, gets her revenge by turning into the villainous Wedgie Woman! With her newfound superpowers, she’s determined to defeat Captain Underpants and take control of the school. George and Harold must come up with a plan to stop her before things get out of hand.
Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants is the fourth installment in Dav Pilkey’s wildly popular series. This time, George and Harold face off against a brilliant but disgruntled scientist, Professor Poopypants, who is tired of being laughed at because of his silly name. Determined to take revenge on anyone who mocks him, Professor Poopypants devises a plot to shrink the world and make everyone pay for their laughter.
Captain Underpants and the Invasion of the Incredibly Naughty Cafeteria Ladies from Outer Space is the third laugh-filled adventure in Dav Pilkey’s popular series. This time, George and Harold’s pranks take a sci-fi turn when they accidentally summon three extraterrestrial cafeteria workers who are bent on taking over the world. Once again, it’s up to Captain Underpants to save the day, facing off against alien invaders in his usual goofy and heroic fashion.
Although it has been a few years since I last read R.J. Palacio’s Wonder, the book’s message is one that has stuck with me since then. The book brings awareness to important topics relating to inclusivity. This book contains such an important message for any setting, whether it be inside a classroom or at a place of work; it teaches the importance of empathy and acceptance, something that society can often struggle with. I liked how the book followed the story of Auggie, as well as all the characters surrounding him.
Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell was the first book that captured my fascination with psychological thrillers. I loved how Jewell made the chapters concise because it was able to push the plot along. I also loved the parallels between the two different time periods that the story was taking place in; they made me even more intrigued about what the outcome of the story would be.
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton will forever remain as one of my favorite novels. Hinton’s exploration of tough themes, including social hierarchies and the emotions involved with growing up and friendship, made the book an emotional, yet important read. The book takes the reader back to the 1960s, and Hinton did a wonderful job displaying that era in contrast to today’s world. Also, it was such an experience learning about each of the Greasers and how unique their personalities were.
