“Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin. “This book was so interesting. It follows the lives of two 'ordinary' people– Sam and Sadie, from birth to their late thirties, and how their lives constantly change and intertwine with each other. It follows their successes, experiences, loves and failures. It was really well written.” - Amelia Bai, eighth grade
“Every Last Word” by Tamara Ireland Stone. "This was the book that got me out of my reading slump. The plot illustrates the main character’s OCD and at her worst, how it controlled her without even knowing. I found it interesting that a person's own thoughts can be more powerful than their own actions. For me, this book was more fun than fun night.” - Annabella Mi, seventh grade
“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” by Holly Jackson. "There was a new plot twist every chapter, and it was constantly exciting. There were so many details and clues to be unveiled and discovered. It never gets boring, and there’s not really a low point in the book. I really liked the fact that it wasn’t hard to follow, and the writing style was really nice.” - Morgan Chen, eighth grade
I really like the book called “Iitai Koto Ga Arimasu (I want to say something)” by Utumi Nanoko and Natusima Tuthika. "It makes me think about my future and relationship with my family. This book is about a girl and her family. Her family makes her do homework, laundry, cleaning, wash the dishes, and take care of her older brother. But her brother doesn't need to do anything, and the girl wants to say something about it." - Hikaru Iida, seventh grade
“If He Had Been With Me” by Laura Nowlin. "Honestly, I can’t tell if it was really badly written or really well written. I liked it though, because they make this elaborate love story, then something happens at the end– which is a plot twist. I would recommend this if you like romance novels.” - Sarah Hoffert, eighth grade
“To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. "I liked how it highlighted things that aren’t always talked about in books-- especially racism in the south. Not only that, it was written very well in general. There were hidden meanings everywhere. I’ll also mention how well it was executed. The book was narrated by Scout but the events seemed to be from the past, as in it was narrated by older Scout recounting memories. At least that’s how I perceived it, so that’s pretty cool. It’s definitely the type of book that gets more interesting the deeper you understand it." - Izzy Choi, eighth grade
My favorite book of 2023 was “Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?” by Bill Martin, Jr. "I read it at least 100 times (toddlers really like repetition), but it remains a favorite because it's easy to have the kids read it with me rather than just me reading to them. They can look at the pictures and say the words with me. It's a classic. Never gets old." - Jennifer Inaba, science teacher
“Northwind” by Gary Paulsen. "I think it’s a really gripping story of resilience. I especially liked how the main character embraces his new found freedom, and the way he has such a strong determination for survival. I would highly recommend this book." - Amogh Velivela, eighth grade