![]() This book “To all the boys I've loved before” by Jenny Han is a book about teen romance. There was a high school teenage girl named Lara she wrote notes to the boys she loved before but never gave them the letters she kept them in a box. Her little sister was snooping around in her room and found the box with the letters and saw them she thought they were meant to be mailed out so she mailed them out. Lara was very furious when she found out the letters got sent out because she was scared and nervous she's been like that since she was little. One of the letters was for her sister boyfriend which caused problems between Lara and her older sister. I saw the movie on netflix and i had found out there was a book about it so I decided to get it since I knew that books and movies can be different which it kinda was. It's a book I would recommend to somebody. The book kinda reminds me of people i know that wrote letters to the people that they liked because it was easier for them to explain their feelings and stuff instead of speaking face to face or on the phone. Their biggest fear was that somebody else would read it and go around making fun of them. It made me realize don't keep your feelings inside all the time let the person know how you feel about them because you never know what could happen between you and that person. -SS, grade 10
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![]() This novel, What’s If It’s Us is about two boys that meet each other at a post office. They get separated and they try to find each other, and they do. They go through ups and downs in their relationship but at the end, everything works out. Arthur is only in new york for the summer and Ben is recovering from a break up. At the beginning of the book, everything seems off between the boys but then they go on an emotional rollercoaster. There are fights, and arguments, and break up, but they get brought back together, they were meant to be together. I found this book online and decided to buy it, it is one of my favorite books. I am bi sexual and this book is about two gay guys, so I really enjoyed it. What this made me think about, never give up, if you like someone and they like you then go for it. It also made me think about how you should look up, what I mean by this, is that you shouldn’t always look down at your feet, you might miss something or even a special someone. -KKW, 10th Grade ![]() The City of Bones written by Cassandra Clare, is the first book in the Mortal Instruments series. The story follows the main character Clary Fray in modern day New York City as she faces a new reality after discovering she is associated with Shadowhunters; a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. In 24 hours, Clary's mother is kidnapped, she nearly escapes a demon, and ends up under the care of the Institute, a common ground for Shadowhunters. Determined to retrieve her mother, Clary explores her newfound abilities and braves her way through a new world with a whirlwind of emotions. I discovered this book through my sister, who has thoroughly enjoyed the whole series. I thought the book was entertaining, but it was not my favorite. I prefer reading more realistic novels than fantasy. Nonetheless, it contained much action and suspense. I have heard there is a movie about the first novel, so I am excited to watch it and relate the events to the book. -GH, grade 10 ![]() Let is snow is a book about a snow storm hitting town and effecting everyone in town. Each part of the book is a different teenager telling us about their christmas and life. The first part of the book is called The Jubilee Experience. This part is about a teenage girl Jubilee. Unfortunately, Jubilee is forced to spend christmas away because her parents got arrested when trying to get the last piece of collectable for their Jubilee home. On her way to Florida to stay with her grandparents Jubilee finds out that her boyfriend, Noah has been ghosting her. On the train she meets a boy, Stuart, who recently discovered that his girlfriend has been cheating on him. In part two it talks about two best friends, Tobin and Duke. Tobin has secret feelings for Duke, who’s real name is Angie, but is too scared to tell her. They have adventures as they head to the Waffle House in the storm. In part three, it talks about Addie and her break-up with Jeb. Addie is self-centered and super into her relationship with Jeb. After the break-up she becomes all depressed and finds herself sending an email to Jeb asking to meet up. This book was a romantic comedy with a hint of realistic fiction. I never knew about this book, but I saw it in my friends room and instantly wanted to read it. John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle put together this wonderful christmas love stories. They were able to bring out the christmas magic that just made the whole story come to life. The three parts made it seem like three short stories but all put together to make one. I would recommend it to anyone feeling the christmas spirit or anyone that needs to feel the christmas spirit. -JL, grade 10 ![]() In this book, famed radical activist Abbie Hoffman lays out how to live free in America in the 1970s. Chapter topics range from getting free food and entertainment, to how to start an underground newspaper, to how to construct a smoke bomb. Hoffman is so deeply against The Man to the point that he would rather you steal his own book than pay for it (unless you patronize a small independent store). I do not remember where I heard about this book, but I was excited to get my hands on it. Hoffman's philosophy is loud and clear in the guide book and I really learned a lot about the systems in America. As of my reading on 2019, it was vastly clear how much culture and structure has stayed the same since 1970 and how much has changed (for example, Hoffman explains how to get free airfare by discreetly slipping into the line to board the plane and flashing an empty envelope to the gate agent... as if that would get you a seat on a flight today). This is a good book for radicals of all ages, though not for the faint of heart. ![]() In a worthy attempt to address the age-old debate of nature versus nurture, Epstein digs into the science of genetics as they relate to athletic success. He details genes that determine lung capacity, work rate, body type, blood abnormalities, chromosomal differences, and so much more. Epstein's thorough research brings credibility to this work and his informal tone adds to the readability. This book was also recommended to me by a coaching colleague. At first, I was apprehensive about the idea of genetics determining who gets to be an elite athlete, but Epstein's respect for the topic helped make it accessible for me. I learned a whole heap in this book and would definitely recommend it to those with an interest. ![]() A single apartment complex in Newark, Delaware is home to a small community of latinx people. They come from different places, at different times, and for different reasons, yet they all find themselves intertwined in their new home. This book centers around the Riveras family and their role in the complex community, and intermixed with their narrative are the first-person immigration stories of the other residents. I have been hearing about this book for more than a year and I finally got a chance to read it this week. The alternating of the main narrative and the variety of immigration stories is a powerful way to tell this story. Titled "The Book of Unknown Americans," Henriquez makes a point about the unknown stories of so many people in this country and the assumptions that are made about them. Not incredibly dense, but a lovely read. ![]() In this book, Dr. Rotella describes his philosophy on how exceptional people think and his experiences with some of those people. He has been a sports psychologist for many years and he specializes in working with elite golfers. However, his clientele includes athletes from a variety of sports, as well as business people and even musicians. This book was suggested to me by the internet when I was searching online for sports psychology books. Interestingly, Rotella references John Wooden a bit, of whom I am now well-versed. But beyond Wooden, there were a heap of people in this book I did not know and I actually found Rotella's writing a bit arrogant and long-winded. Every mention of a star felt like a rich guy at a party telling an ego-feeding anecdote about all the good work he has done. After some really influential books, this one fell flat for me. ![]() In the book from legendary UCLA basketball coach, John Wooden, Wooden himself writes about seven people who have been his mentors in life, and then seven of his mentee contribute chapters on their experiences with Wooden. Wooden's mentors range from his own basketball coaches, to Mother Teresa, to his deceased wife, Nellie. Mentees include Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Wooden's great granddaughter, and even a fan he has never met. This is the third (and probably final) Wooden book I will read. I really liked the unique voices in the second half of the book, because while Wooden's reputation is made clear throughout his own writing, it was interesting to hear about him directly from others. The final contributor is the fan who has not met Wooden and he was the most relatable to me. This fan is a teacher who uses Wooden's -isms in his class. I love that idea. As a finale, this book fulfilled its purpose. ![]() In this book, legendary UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden details his philosophy and action plan for developing strong leadership. He writes to athletes, coaches, and professionals of all types. He consistently translates his practices to the world beyond the court. Wooden's many anecdotes and pages of his personal notes illustrate how his philosophy manifests. This is the second of three Wooden books I am reading. I will include them under the sports psychology independent study umbrella, but these were also a strong recommendation from a colleague and fellow coach. Wooden on Leadership was definitely a more engaging read than They Call Me Coach. This book is an illustrative guide to leadership, which is a trait to which I am drawn. I recommend this book and am also already enjoying my third and final installment of my Wooden trilogy, A Game Plan for Life: The power of mentoring. |
J. HiEBERBibliophile Archives
June 2020
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