NOVA: Mysteries of Sleep is an enlightening documentary that delves into one of the most essential yet least understood aspects of human life: sleep. This documentary provides a fascinating exploration of why we sleep, what happens during sleep and how it affects our physical and mental well-being.
Roger Highfield’s The Science Behind Harry Potter is an exploration of the intersection between magic and science, bringing the fantastical world of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series into the realm of real-world science. Highfield uses the wizarding universe as a foundation to discuss fascinating scientific concepts, from the physics of flying broomsticks to the chemistry of potions and the biology of mythical creatures.
Veronica Roth’s Divergent is a gripping dystopian novel set in a world where society is divided into factions based on virtues. Sixteen-year-old Tris Prior discovers she is “Divergent,” meaning she doesn’t fit neatly into one faction. As she navigates her new life in the Dauntless faction, she uncovers a dangerous conspiracy threatening the entire society. The book delivers fast-paced action and an intriguing world. I also enjoyed Tris’s personal growth and the romantic tension with Four that added emotional depth.
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a powerful historical fiction novel set in the racially segregated South, following Scout Finch, a young girl whose father, Atticus, is an attorney defending a Black man falsely accused of assaulting a white woman. Through Scout’s eyes, the story explores themes of justice, prejudice and morality. This book is both thought-provoking and deeply moving. I admired the way Lee balances the innocence of Scout’s narration with the heavy societal issues the story tackles.
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone introduces readers to an enchanting world where Harry, a young boy who discovers he is a wizard, begins his magical education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry befriends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley as he uncovers the mystery of the Sorcerer’s Stone and confronts the dark forces of Lord Voldemort.
The summer drags on as Harry Potter awaits his journey for his fifth year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Unbeknownst to him, Harry would soon be a part of the most secretive group in the wizarding world - the Order of the Phoenix. Finally returning to Hogwarts, Harry finds that nothing is as he expected. The school is colder, more divided than ever before and tensions begin rising between students and professors. Meanwhile, the rest of the magical community swirls with doubt, skepticism and denial, as one of the darkest wizards quietly begins a second uprising…
Teenager Autumn navigates her way through high school beside loyal friends and a loving boyfriend. Throughout the book she reflects on her relationship with her former best friend and boy next door Phineas Smith, or Finny as she calls him. Finny and her were closer than siblings, but popularity and unspoken truths pushed them apart. Autumn's realization that she is in love with Finny causes problems as they rekindle their friendship. They are both in loving relationships, but that does not make their love nonexistent.
As their house burns in a tragic house fire, twins Pat and Dom are forced to move into a cottage by the sea. Their family consists of their younger sister, their mom, dad, and grandmother who seems to be plagued with Alzheimer's. Night after night, the boys experience difficult and fearful dreams plagued with a boy who is so pale and unnerving he appears to be more like a goblin. Suddenly, the twins discover that this boy is not simply a bad dream, but a creature that takes over Dom. Pat is left with the knowledge that the boy who looks like his brother is not him at all.
The realistic fiction novel, Troublemaker, by John Cho is a wonderful coming-of-age story about a young Korean American boy as he attempts to keep his father safe and fix their troubled relationship. In Los Angeles during the spring of 1992, people are rioting in Koreatown over several recent cases of gun violence. Amidst this, Jordan, our main character, has just been suspended from school for cheating.
Isaac and Marco have been friends since they were little, Isaac the champion basketballer and Marco the champion mathlete, the two complement each other. However, when they start middle school things begin to change. Marco’s father has always wished he was sportier, while Isaac is sure that getting better grades will make his mom proud and fix his parents’ divorce. When a misunderstanding pushes Marco to try out for the basketball team the two dedicate themselves to their goals, but will they be able to achieve them?
