Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer is about Juliet, whose mother passed away, and Declan, who works at a cemetery for required community service. Juliet writes letters to her mother as a way to feel connected to her, and Juliet leaves these letters at her mother’s grave. Though she never received any response, she returns to her mother’s grave one day to find a response to one of the letters. The response was written by Declan, although neither knows who the other is.
Summary: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a novel set in Nazi Germany, narrated by Death. The story follows Liesel Meminger, a young girl sent to live with foster parents, Hans and Rosa Hubermann, during World War II. Despite the grim backdrop, Liesel finds solace in stealing books and sharing them with her neighbors and the Jewish man hidden in her basement. The novel explores themes of the power of words, the impact of human connections, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
Summary: Beloved tells the story of Sethe, an escaped slave, living with her daughter, Denver. The novel starts with the runaway of Sethe’s two sons, Howard and Buglar, and the death of her mother-in-law, Baby Suggs. These events open the theme of the story and introduce the malevolent baby ghost who haunts 124. As more characters show, the novel begins to entwine past and present, revealing flashbacks of Sethe’s past in slavery. With the appearance of Paul D, the main conflict begins to unfold.
Summary: My Side of the Mountain is a coming-of-age story featuring Sam Gribley, who leaves his family’s crowded New York City apartment for his great-grandfather Gribley’s land. The bulk of the story takes place within the Catskill Mountains of New York, where Sam learns to survive off the land and make new friends– both animal and human. He grapples with internal and external conflicts, fighting not only the force of nature but also the struggle between wanting isolation and the companionship of others.
Summary: The story starts with 15-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone, who discovers the body of Wellington, his neighbor Mrs. Shears’ dog, dead on their lawn. Christopher decides to investigate the context of the murder and uncover the culprit. Throughout his investigation, we learn more about Christopher’s life, personality, and defining characteristics. Although it is not explicitly stated, it is highly suggested he has a form of autism. These traits aid and hinder him in his investigation.
The Third Twin by Cynthia James Omololu is a mystery thriller about 2 identical twins who have to figure out why their dates keep turning up dead. Ava and Alexa (Lexi) are seniors who are part of a relatively wealthy family in California. When they were younger, the twins made up an imaginary third twin named Alicia who was blamed for their naughty actions. However, when they got older Ava and Lexi decided to date and dump boys with the persona of Alicia.
The Giver by Lois Lowry is a futuristic dystopian book about a boy named Jonah who lives in a utopian community where everyone is completely equal and life is seemingly perfect. On his 12th birthday, when everyone in his age group receives their job assignments, Jonah receives the assignment of the Giver. The job of the Giver is to hold the memories of life before the world became perfect, and it is through this job that Jonah uncovers the dark truth about his reality.
The Fault in our Stars by John Green follows a 16-year-old named Hazel Lancaster who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Thyroid Cancer and has accepted her terminal diagnosis. However, she meets a boy named Augustus (Gus) in her cancer support group who opens her eyes to the meaning of life, love, and death. It is through these reflections that a work of art known as this book is born. The writing helps reveal to the reader the harsh realities of cancer, as well as the struggle cancer patients go through on a daily basis.
Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian follows a girl held captive by a brutal monarch (the Kaiser) in the land his people (the Kalovaxians) conquered, the land that was originally her home (Astrea). While the Kalovaxians call her Thora, her name is Theodosia Eirene Houzzara (Theo for short). Theo watched her mother get killed when she was 6, and ever since then she has been living in fear of the abusive Theyn and Kaiser, waiting for someone to rescue her and trying to bury the girl she used to be.
Summary: Othello by William Shakespeare is a tragic book/play that revolves around the central character, Othello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army. Othello falls deeply in love with and marries Desdemona, a Venetian woman. However, Iago, Othello's ensign, harbors jealousy and resentment towards Othello, leading him to manipulate the general into believing that Desdemona has been unfaithful.
