Student Voices

Student Voices: Negative Effects Because of Society from Oscarie C. and Rutva P.

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Negative Effects Because of Society

“Romance Has Been Destroyed by Society (and how books should be taken as an example for healthy relationships)” by Oscarie C., 7th grade

Romance is often seen as “cringe,” unrealistic, or just physical attraction, but romance in reality is gentle, sweet, and it’s supposed to make you happy. Social media and society have messed up the way people see love, most of the time romanticizing toxic traits in relationships and promoting unrealistic expectations. Now, many adults and teens struggle to understand what a healthy and sweet relationship looks like.

Society has made toxic behavior in relationships look normal. Instead of showing healthy things like communication, trust, and respect, social media makes jealousy, obsession, and controlling the other person’s life look healthy. It’s also seen as normal to be overly obsessed with your crush or partner, even when it looks uncomfortable.

People on the internet and in real life are always saying things like “if he wanted to, he would” or “never settle,” and just talking about the infinite red, beige, and green flags. Because of this people focus more on social media standards than actually focusing on who the person really is. Letting people on the internet decide if your relationship is healthy or not has messed up with what people can think what a healthy relationship looks like.

It’s not new that society has made people think that beauty matters in relationships more than personality. In fact for many many years, people (mostly women), have put so much time and dedication to try and look perfect, often as desirable objects for men to prove that they are unique or when they’re beautiful enough they are shown  as dumb or naive. Social media and the fashion and beauty industry make this worse by showing unrealistic images of what people should look like. People have taught us how to judge people on how they look and dress to determine if they are worthy of people dating them or not.

Some people also see their partners as property or something that they need to control, they often control who their partner talks to, where they go, and what they do. This usually comes from insecurity and control.

This is why books should be taken as a better example of healthy relationships. In many books, relationships are shown as something sweet and healthy. They show that romance is not corny or weird as people make it seem. Books often focus more on how to actually take care of a relationship and what to look for in one rather than just appearance or unrealistic expectations shown by social media and the beauty industry. Because of books like this, people can actually see how a relationship should actually be like, and not how social media and people think a relationship should be like.

Books like Honey So Sweet show how a healthy and non forceful relationship looks like. Taiga Onise was seen as a delinquent and a bad person, and when he first confessed his love to Nao she was driven by how Onise looks like and what other people say about him instead of focusing on how he is as a person. This book series also shows how you can’t force someone to like you, because in the first volume because after Onise had asked Nao to be his girlfriend she was afraid that she had to be his girlfriend or else, but Onise understood that she was afraid so he told her that it was fine if she didnt wanna date him,and they stayed as friends. But when they actually dated him they showed how much they trust each other and that they feel comfortable to be with each other.

In contrast, Nana is the perfect example to show you how toxic relationships actively damage your life and how a man can change you. At the start of the manga/series, Hachi is cheerful, caring and friendly, and by the end of the series, she’s more dry and less friendly, showing how Hachi is actively being manipulated and treated like property by Takumi, and he repeatedly harms her personal and social life, she even lost her bond with Nana because of him.

Sources: our conception of love is messed up. is it an outfit or is he just a man?

“The Damages of AI” by Rutva P., 7th grade

In this day and age, most people have heard of artificial intelligence or AI for short. Many people consider AI to be the thing of the future, but have you ever considered how AI has downsides? 

AI harms creativity

AI copies and steals all its information from real life works whether it’s an author’s writing format or a painter’s art style.

Below is an example of an AI copying an artist’s work from Megapencil.co.

There is also a class action lawsuit against OpenAI from a number of authors. They claim the AI has violated copyright laws and stolen their work and writing. And that isn’t the only lawsuit against AI,  according to theguardian.com, “Penguin Random House has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging its chatbot ChatGPT violated copyright by mimicking and reproducing the content of a popular series of German children’s books.”

With the rise of AI, many people are becoming too reliant on it. This kills people’s ability to think critically and be creative. Students are using AI to write their essays and do their school work already. Imagine the future where AI is developed enough to write full books from stealing authors’ work. 

 AI damages the environment

Generative AI, the artificial intelligence most commonly used among the masses, requires massive amounts of energy to function. According to Climateimpact.com, a large model like GPT-3 can use enough energy to power about 120 U.S homes for a year. This amount of energy releases large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming.

AI also requires lots of water to cool down their systems. This enormous portion of water being used harms ecosystems and lessens the water supply.

Animals like the polar bears have to pay the price for the deterioration of the planet due to AI. The global warming that AI uses plays a part in melting the ice caps polar bears call home. Polar bears are currently listed as a vulnerable species while people generate AI images and tell themselves that there is nothing they can do to help. The polar bears are just one example.

How can you help?

One simple way to help, is to try your best to avoid generative AI. Unfortunately, in this day and age, AI is used everywhere and is hard to avoid. If you want to use AI and also help the environment, ecosia.org is a good substitute for other sites where generative artificial intelligence is used. Ecosia’s AI models use less energy and all their profits go towards tree planting projects.

Another way to help is to support human creativity. You are human and you can be creative. Instead of using AI for an image, draw it yourself. Instead of using AI to write an essay, put in the work yourself to become a better writer.

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at negative effects caused by society and how to fight them!

Student Voices: The Power of Books from Mina Y. and Mily R.

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The Power of Books

“Books vs. Movies” by Mina Y., 7th grade

The long-time debate is movies vs. books: which one is better? Many people say books are better because they include more details, while others say movies are better because you can actually see what is happening. Both books and movies have good and bad sides, but books usually have more advantages. Books can show characters thoughts, emotions, and backstories, while movies sometimes skip those things to save time. Here are some examples of books that are better than the movies.

1: Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
The Lightning Thief book is better than the movie because it shows Percy’s personality and humor through his thoughts and narration. Like when Percy demonstrates his intense loyalty and protective nature by choosing to send Medusa’s head to Olympus rather than keeping it, specifically to ensure his mother is freed from Gabe, a plot point that is completely absent from the movie. The story also includes more details about Greek mythology and the adventures Percy and his friends go through. The movie removes many jokes and important parts of the story. Because of that, the book feels more complete and exciting.

2: Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan
The Sea of Monsters book is better than the movie because it explains the adventure in much more detail and stays closer to the original story. In the book, it demonstrates his intense loyalty and protective nature by secretly taking Tyson on the quest, even defying Chiron’s orders, a deeper emotional connection not fully portrayed in the movie. Readers learn more about the characters and the Greek myths connected to the plot. The movie changes several parts of the story and leaves out important scenes, which makes it feel less exciting and funny than the book. When you read the book, you can imagine the world the way the author described it, but the movie feels more rushed and different.

3: Holes by Louis Sachar
The Holes book is better than the movie because it explains the characters’ thoughts and backstories more clearly. This helps readers understand the story’s mystery and connections. The book also gives more details about the setting and the events that happen at Camp Green Lake. While the movie shows the main parts of the story, it misses some of the deeper emotions and clever storytelling in the book. Stanley’s deep insecurity and struggle with his weight are prominently shown through his initial inability to defend himself against bullying by a much smaller kid, Derrick Dunne, that makes the book so interesting.

4: Wonder by R. J. Palacio
The Wonder Book is better than the movie because it tells the story from different characters’ points of view. In the book, Auggie jokes that if he were born in medieval times, he would have been roasted on a spit, showcasing his sharp, defensive humor that isn’t in the movie. This helps readers understand how each character feels and what they are going through. The book also shares Auggie’s thoughts and challenges in a deeper way, which helps readers connect with him. The movie shows the main events, but it leaves out some details and emotions that make the book so meaningful and inspiring.

5: Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
The Diary of a Wimpy Kid book is better than the movie because it shows Greg’s funny thoughts in his diary entries. In the book, Greg often treats Rowley more like a project to be managed for his own personal gain, including having Rowley carry his backpack, which contrasts with the movie,ff where they often appear as more equal friends. The drawings and writing style make the story feel more personal and entertaining. Readers get to see Greg’s awkward and hilarious moments exactly how the author wrote them. The movie is still funny, but it leaves out some jokes and small details that make the book more fun to read.

6: The Giver by Lois Lowry
The Giver book is better than the movie because it shows Jonas’s thoughts and emotions more clearly. In the book, readers learn more about the rules of the society and how everything works in that world. It also explains the themes of freedom and choice in a deeper way. The movie shows the main events, but it misses some of the ideas and emotions that make the book so powerful. When Jonas accidentally hoards an apple, he immediately feels deep remorse and apologizes to his community, rather than challenging the rules as he does in the film.

7: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games book is better than the movie because it shows Katniss’s thoughts and feelings throughout the story. Readers get to understand her fears, choices, and struggles more clearly. The book also gives more background about the world and the other characters in the book. When Peeta admits his crush during the first interview, book-Katniss is furious and pushes him into a vase in the heat of the moment, whereas the movie plays this moment much more calmly, making her seem colder and more manipulative in the text. The movie has exciting action scenes, but it cannot show all the emotions and themes that the book explores.

8: Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
The Harry Potter books are better than the movies because they include much more detail about the magical world and the characters. Readers get to learn more about the friendships, challenges, and mysteries in the story.in The books In Order of the Phoenix, while being interviewed by Rita Skeeter, book Harry shows his rebellious side by quibbling with her and displaying a fiery temperament that contrasts with the often quiet, also explores deeper themes about bravery and growing up. The movies show many important moments, but they cannot include all the details and emotions that make the books so memorable.

In conclusion, while movies can be exciting and entertaining, books usually tell the story in a deeper and more detailed way. Books allow readers to understand the characters, thoughts, emotions, and backgrounds better than movies can. Many movies also remove or change important parts of the story because of time limits. Because of this, books often give readers a richer and more complete experience than movies.

“Hyperactivity, Reading, and Literacy” by Mily R., 7th grade

Hyperactivity can make everything harder, even reading. Although people may like books, hyperactivity can really put a strain on their reading. Sometimes not being able to sit still, or not being able to focus on the words can really make that difference. With this, it makes people with hyper activity prefer to read shorter chapters or quicker paced stories.

Some things that can happen are that they lose focus or they might have to re-read parts that they missed the first time, and it can bring frustration and anger which does not let the reader enjoy the book. Although other times they can hyperfocus that means that they can get really intrigued into a book and read big chunks at a time without losing focus because the book has captured their attention.

Over time reading is good with making good concentration and keeping their attention centered on the book. Having good concentration also helps with school work and a lot of other things. So some books that help grab attention are usually graphic novels and mangas because the type of story telling and illustrations help keep the readers attention on the book instead of having it jump the focus on something else. Next, audio books also help because the reader does not have to stress about the struggle of skipping a word or missing a line because it is simply being played in the reader’s ear. Also they can listen to the book while they do something else like cleaning or cooking because it helps boost their concentration by giving them something else to focus on so their attention spam lasts longer 

Last off is most people find ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and hyperactivity as the same thing when it’s not. The biggest difference is hyper activity is just hyper activity and adhd attention deficit hyper activity which focuses more on the lost atention. Although they can have a lot of the same skills they are not exactly the same. But if you need to, most of the time you can use helping tips from adhd on hyper activity. 

So after all of this, just because you have hyper activity doesn’t mean you can’t read. And I know that it’s gonna be hard, but hopefully you can take some tips and be able to better understand this condition. Now let’s take this as a sign to continue reading.

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at books and reading in their life and the world!

Student Voices: Beauty in Life Op Eds from Maya D. and Samanta F.

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Beauty in Life

“What Good is Beautiful” by Maya D., 8th grade

You’ve probably seen the cover of a book and thought “Wow. That’s ugly.” 

Then you read the summary on the back. The excerpt is nothing like the cover. 

Let’s say it’s piqued your interest. You read it. And it’s the most staggering story you’ve ever read, you have trouble getting your head on right after it’s whisked you away to a different world.

Maybe one day, you come across the book again. The cover is no sweeter, but it reminds you of how good it was. 

This same effect is true for human faces. Humans can perceive people as less or more attractive based on the quality of the person inside. 

“What is Good is Beautiful”

This is a cognitive bias where people considered individuals with desirable traits like intelligence, kindness, and honesty to be more physically attractive. (1) 

Julia Baum and Rasha Abdel Rahman from Oxford Academic conducted an experiment to investigate the effect; how moral character can affect attractiveness. 24 women with an average age of 23 were fed positive, negative and neutral information on male faces differing in attractiveness and presented in gray scale. (2)

(3)

Those with positive information were continuously rated higher on attractiveness compared to faces with negative information, who were rated lower on attractiveness. Negative information had a stronger effect than positive information when rating. (4)

This goes to show that humans attach identity to faces and features. I know. Surprising. But actions play a huge part in how someone perceives you, from your personality down to your physical body. 

This Effect in Romance

This effect is famous in love, and most times the driving force in a romantic relationship. For example, let’s take the movie Megamind by DreamWorks. The main character is an alien that is rejected by the people on earth because of how different he is. This rejection makes him bitter and he becomes a villain, causing trouble for everyone. He sees villainy as the only way to be recognized as a genius, even if it’s through fear.

One day he gets what he “wants.” The hero is dead. The villain won. The mad genius claims victory.

Megamind has defeated his rival. 

What does he do now? This leaves him without a purpose. So he’s off to find purpose. He disguises himself as Bernard, a normal looking human thanks to a machine. He meets up with Roxanne, a reporter he used to kidnap for his evil schemes. 

He can be himself. Roxanne and “Bernard” develop a relationship. 

There is trouble in paradise… Roxanne eventually finds out that Megamind was masquerading as Bernard. She feels betrayed and lied to. 

In the conclusion Megamind risks his life to save the people and Roxanne, proving his honesty and their relationship was real. Him and Roxanne start a relationship, even without his human disguise, instead accepting him as the big headed, blue skinned, big eye, alien he is.  

This Effect in Friendship

While it’s lesser known, it still has a role in friendships. Let’s take My Hero Academia by Kōhei Horikoshi.  

In a world where people can manifest quirks, also known as superpowers, there are two main sides. Heroes and villains. People can attend schools to become heroes, hence the Hero Academia many students attend. 

Our main character dreams to become a hero like his idol, All Might, the top hero. One small problem- he has no quirk. 

Let’s rewind further. Deku meets Bakugo and they quickly get along. They soon become childhood friends. All is well until Bakugo develops a quirk, in an immature fashion, he sees himself as better than Deku. He then goes on to bully Deku all through his childhood, however they still remain “friends” as Deku is not getting the message Bakugo is sending.

Bakugo sees Deku as weak, an embarrassment to have around and his determination to continue being his friend ticks him off. 

One day Deku sees someone in need, a mortal situation. He immediately risks his life to save them despite having no powers. All Might, the number one hero, with the strongest quirk sees this. He reveals to Deku he can pass his quirk from person to person. All Might passes on his quirk to Deku. Deku can achieve his lifelong dream. He trains under All Might to attend the Hero Academia, his determination through the strenuous training allows him to attend the school of his dreams. 

When he attends he finds out he is in the same class as his dear, dear “friend.” 

But he doesn’t get what he’s expecting. He still faces the same superior attitude from his fiery friend. But Deku has changed and grown, Bakugo doesn’t care to acknowledge that he is the student of the top hero. He still sees the same weakling likely due to his insecurity.

Both continue the school year as rivals. This rivalry eventually ignites a spark in Deku and in a heated confrontation both boys have an all out fight. Deku can now measure up to Bakugo and the fight ends in a tie. 

The hero life is not all Deku thought it would be. He suffers loss after loss, eventually running away and fighting crime on his own thinking it’s the only way to protect his friends. He’s in terrible shape and his friends are not letting him continue on his own. After a long fight Bakugo confesses to Deku that he bullied all these years because he was jealous of his determination and resilience. And this is where the most (dare I say) prideful character in the show apologies to Deku. In his weakest moment Bakugo comes to accept Deku as his equal.

Deku is still the timid friend from Bakugo’s childhood, he’s a face he knows very well. But overtime, that face comes to represent a different person, the person Deku is now. (5)

Mind, Body, Soul

This all goes to show that moral character (personality) is a vital part to likeability.

So no, attractiveness is not set the day you’re born. The features you’re born with are just markers of identity. People will see the lips that smiled at them. The hands that generously gave. The legs that ran with them. The arms that held them. The eyes that listened to them. The shoulders that shared burdens. The eyebrows that rose or fell with theirs. 

So hold confidence that you are not just a face, a body, you are a person too- and that’s why it’s important to nurture your “person” and show colors like kindness and compassion.

“Nature and its Interpretations” by Samanta F., 8th grade

For centuries nature has been by our side, and has been able to carry different meanings and bring people together during various time periods. Literature, plastic arts, and cinematic formats have often shown the many ways in which we can all use nature to communicate feelings like love, respect or even anger. Nature is often found in figurative language or fairy tales to give a foreshadowing effect or as symbolism. 

Floriography

Floriography or the Victorian “language of flowers” is common in young-adult fiction to symbolize character growth, romance or a sense of anticipation before the climax. For example: in The Hate U Give and Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas, the roses growing from the concrete are used to portray resilience since they managed to grow even in unlikely conditions and  with characters growing and blooming beautifully despite the harsh environment they are in. Another example could be the author Dhonielle Clayton, in The Belles and The Everlasting Rose (series)  flowers were heavily used to symbolize the characters social standing, power and the nature of their artificial and unrealistic perfection, the roses served as a way to mask the hidden decay and cruelty the Belles were going through . Roses, tulips and different colors of chrysanthemums are commonly seen in poems and fiction to show passion, friendship and elegance . 

Animal symbolism

We are often faced with animal symbolism in multiple art formats, it’s commonly used as a metaphor to compare the animal’s characteristics like a dog’s loyalty or a lion’s strength to the characters loyalty or strength. There’s a ton of books that use animals to express different things like Maus by Art Spiegelman uses animals as a metaphor by illustrating Jews as mice being pursued by German cats referencing the hunting instincts of cats like in tom and jerry. In Katherine Applegate’s Odder  the main character symbolises curiosity, resilience and plays an important role demonstrating the importance of survival. In Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, animals were used to symbolize themes like the cycle of life and friendship. Charlotte the spider represents self-less wisdom while Wilbur embodies innocence and Templeton the rat is more selfish and centered on survival by using personification E.B. White was able to make the characters more understandable,  relatable and engaging to young audiences  , and finally, the web serves as a symbol of connection. The cow Zora in Moo by Sharon Creech, is used to symbolize healing and transition after Reena, the protagonist, moves to a new city, Zora makes it so Reena is motivated and gets used to her new surroundings more comfortably. Last but not least, Animal Farm by George Orwell could be a very clear example of a book full of symbolism in the characters since each represents political figures, forces or social classes, in this book animals are used to simplify the situation and serve as a parody of the Russian revolution of 1917.

Water and Trees

Bodies of water are often portrayed as life, destruction, or obstacles. In The Girl From The Sea by Lee Knox Ostertag it was used to show transformation and also as a way to show the hidden feelings that Morgan, the main character, had been feeling.  In Jennifer L. Holm’s Turtle in Paradise water represents unpredictable realities like survival, treasure and community after a hurricane had affected key west   . Some trees are used to symbolise romance, longevity and balance. Katherine Applegate’s Wishtree uses a red oak tree to symbolize hope, peace and community since its branches were holding everyone’s wishes. It was also used to express friendship and inclusion in a diverse neighborhood like the one portrayed in the book.

In our daily lives we often come across nature and its different stages. Overlooked by many but loved by the caring, nature has been interpreted by multiple generations and has been often used to convey our own stages and feelings. Sunsets, animals and flowers are very often seen in multiple forms of art but frequently go unnoticed due to the disconnection with nature produced by the frequent urbanization of green areas. I hope these examples have helped you learn a tiny bit about nature in literature and maybe help you find a new book. 

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at beauty in both person and nature!

Student Voices: Finding Your Book from Raegen B. and Palin S.

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Finding Your Book

“Should Teenagers Get to Decide What They Read?” by Raegen B., 8th grade

Reading in 2026 isn’t the most common thing that you see teens doing. Some are out playing soccer or volleyball. Maybe even doom scrolling on TikTok. But reading? It’s like pulling teeth to get some teenagers to even pick up a Diary of Wimpy Kid book! But what about those few? The ones in the corner of the lunchroom with their nose always buried in a book who finish almost 150 books every year? The ones who fly through books like they’re just walking? Should they get to make the decision on what they can or cannot read?

Giving teenagers and kids the option to pick what they want to read gives them freedom to read about what interests them. Assigning kids books that don’t interest them, may not push as many kids to want to read as you want. The McLoyd, in 1979 study proves this big time. The study gave kids 10 books to choose from, and they got to rank it based on what they found interesting, and what they didn’t find interesting. Then, give half the kids their top choices, and the other half their lowest choice. And of course as a result, the kids who got their top choice read much longer than those who got their last choice. This proves the fact that kids and teenagers are more likely to read books if they’re about what interests them. I mean, who wants to read a boring book for fun? Isn’t reading supposed to be fun and indulging the reader? Pressuring, and forcing kids to read isn’t going to make them want to read; it’s going to make them not like it and maybe even start hating it. Controlling what kids read can come off as being too pushy, and controlling so giving them the freedom to read and choose what books they like is the better approach to take.

Now, giving kids the freedom to choose what they read doesn’t mean to let them read books WAY above their age and reading level. I mean, you’re not going to give a 12-year old Stephen King, right? But at the same time, you’re not going to give them books like Pete the Cat. The approach that teenagers and kids should take when they find a book that they want to read is to ask and talk to their parents about it first. Going to your school’s librarian is also a great option since they’ve probably read a good chunk of the books in your school’s library and have a plethora of recommendations across many different genres that are age appropriate. Librarians are one of the most trustworthy resources regarding books and any recommendations that they have will most likely be amazing! Now teenagers should not only get recommendations from their librarian, but they (being both the teenagers and parents) should do research on the book. Doing research will allow for parents to set clear boundaries to what they’re comfortable with their kids reading. Some parents may not be comfortable with their kids reading books with more mature themes like abuse, death, and more gory injuries. Now, there is the case that some parents may not care what their kids read, but they should at least be aware of the fact that their own kids may be reading books with much more mature and adult themes.

The limit to what kids and teenagers should and shouldn’t be able to read should be something right in the middle; The books should be at a level that is in range of their age and maturity level, but not to low where they’re reading 4th grade level books, but not too high where they’re reading adult books. Even if teenagers are reading books like manga and graphic novels, that’s OKAY! Either way, they’re reading! There is nothing wrong with wanting to read Dog Man, Big Nate, or The Babysitters Club! Some people want to pick up  a book with pictures and color every once in a while since looking at a page full of just words can be overwhelming after a long day at school or work. Even audiobooks work; I LOVE listening to a good audiobook before I go to bed. Now, even though it may not be ideal, there is the case that some teenagers can, and have the ability to read above their age and maturity level and I’m not saying that this isn’t okay! This is great, considering they can read way beyond what society labels them as only being able to read. In fact, especially with younger kids, being able to read at a higher reading level promotes them to work independently more often, with higher knowledge and vocabulary. 

So, should kids decide what they can and cannot read? It depends, but overall, YES. However, teenagers and parents should both do research on the kinds of books that teens may be interested in reading and should set clear boundaries and guidelines. Setting boundaries will allow for kids to read books appropriate for their age level and not more or less. Overall, boundaries are key!

Sources:

“Finding Love for Reading” by Palin S., 8th grade

How I personally got into reading

Most kids find reading boring and think that’s not going to help them in life. It’s actually the opposite, when you discover books you find interesting, it can become compelling. When you think of reading you may think of it as like a chore, something that schools make you do, for me finding that one genre that suits my interests made me feel like I’m watching a movie. I used to hate reading, then in early 7th grade my friend started talking to me about books that sounded interesting to me, it was similar to movies I watched or were inspired by movies I watched. I started reading graphic novels at first, then got into text-only books. Now I’m in a student literacy class and enjoy reading.

The uprise of books and why people are finding more interest in it

Have you ever seen “booktok”? There’s many posts that inspire people to read on tiktok, as long as you find kid-friendly books if you’re at a younger age than it also can be helpful. If you’re in your teenage years and you enjoy rom-coms and etc. they also have many recommendations. Social media has built a base that many book readers use to find books that suit them, even for people that aren’t so much into books can find many books that could interest them.

Books that guided me to actually enjoy books

Restart by Gordon Korman: this was one of the only books that interested me while I was in around 4 or 5th grade that my class read all together. It had so much climax and overall so much endorsement. Even though I didn’t read as much, I still remember that book being one of my favorites. To look at a viewpoint of having to restart your entire life, and remember how it was before he fell off the roof.

At 10 reading that book was like watching a movie.

New Kid by Jerry Craft: I read this book in 6th grade when the author, Jerry Craft, came to our school as an author visit. That was the best author visit I’ve ever seen at my middle school. He was inspiring, fun, and I love his books. His books had such good concepts to them and especially New kid, that is what started it all. I will say Class Act is also one of the best books I’ve ever read. I don’t move a lot so I don’t know so much about being a new kid in a school but I do remember the transition to middle school and now  I’m about to make it to high school, knowing that’s another hard transition. This book helps very well with that and the other series do too with other concepts. I love the diversity and the way this book can inspire.

Now as I got older I wanted to get into books that i found interest in similar to movies or shows I watch, I personally like Rom-Coms so i found interest into similar books, i won’t go into full details and give exact books but I will say, finding books that feel like you would watch the movie or show version is how I really started loving books as I got older. It can be any genre as long as you love it! 

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter : This a great starter book if you want to get into rom-coms, it was my second. I’m currently 14 and I read it in December. I recommend it if you’re around that age. I feel like in most rom-com books the main character always has a widowed parent or some situation at home and I feel like many people could relate to that. Many teenage girls want their life to be like the movies where you fall in love, in most cases scenarios it’s not like that and if there is it’s not that simple, i feel like this book along with other rom-coms give you that. A not so perfect love story. I’d love this book and hope to read many more from this author.

In conclusion, books are actually fun and interesting to read when you find the ones you like and suit your creative taste. You don’t want to be stuck reading a book you’re forced to read if you don’t actually like it. Many librarians in and out of school can help you find the one that you actually want to read. So don’t waste your time and actually enjoy reading.

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at finding the right book!

Student Voices: Reading Reflections from Luna K., Lucas R., and Ava G.

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Reading Reflections

“What Draws Us to Our Favorite Characters?” by Luna K., 7th grade

You know the characters aren’t real, so why  is it that you can feel so much for them? Based on a study done by The University of Florida (UF) in 2022, people can form emotional connections with fictional characters by judging them, and their personality like they would with a real person. In this study, they also found that people are drawn to their favorite characters by relatability.

One of these reasons being relatability, according to Gregory Webster, that’s one of the reasons shows like Game of Thrones are so popular, it’s the fact that “there are no perfect good guys or perfect bad guys”, just characters with complexity, humanity, and the ability to improve themself like everyone else. When characters are like that it makes it easier to like them and see similarities between you and the characters instead of  fairy tail characters who were too perfect and unrelatable. People tend to look for people like them, and people they can relate to, typically starting around middle school age.  

Another one of these reason is empathy when seeing a character going through a painful/hurtful experience that you might have went through you feel for them you can manage to feel and empathize with some you haven’t even meet,someone how isn’t even real but when experiencing the characters point of view you can’t help but feel what they feel people collect so many experiences through the years so when seeing someone going through something similar experience it makes you connect and might even make the character more likable to some people.     

Why do you like your favorite character is it because you feel a connection with them because you relate to them or if you can empathize with their experiences. 

Sources
1.https://news. ufl.edu/2022/05/why-you-got-attached-to-your-favorite-character/
2. https://www.motionpictures.org/2013/07/the-psychology-of-character-bonding-why-we-feel-a-real-connection-to-actors/

“How a Single Manga Changed My Life” by Lucas R., 7th grade

A single book series was all it was to change my life. That book or should I say manga, still impacts me day-to-day. This manga is called One Piece.

One Piece is a manga and anime created by Eiichiro Oda, and it is about a boy called Monkey D. Luffy, who wants to become The King Of The Pirates and find the treasure that the previous Pirate King left behind. In fact One Piece has become the most selling Comic of all time. Yes, Comic, not manga, Comic. Meaning that One Piece has surpassed Superman and many other Comic books, although Superman has over 600 million copies in 88 years, One Piece has over 600 million copies and over 1200 episodes that are all 24 minutes in only 29 years and it’s still going. But this isn’t about One Piece, it’s about me and how this simple manga changed everything.

It all started in around 2021, when my brother introduced me to a silly anime called One Piece. I was invested in it, and then my brother gave me the site to watch it, and through the next 3 years I was watching it. When I would come home from school I would immediately get on my computer and start watching One Piece. And that introduced me to the entire world that is called Anime. Anime are cartoons or shows created in the art style and way of people in Japan. But unlike regular cartoons, anime can get serious and One Piece can get serious, fast. But because of One Piece, I have read/watched countless anime and manga. And all these anime have changed how I act and how I think. 

One Piece has many themes, some of which being to pursue your dreams and to be free. These simple themes resonate deep within me, although there are some themes that make me revolt in disgust, and Luffy (the main character) agrees with me, like corruption, human trafficking and many more. But Luffy often liberates countries from this corruption like what he did in Wano, where he liberated the entire country from the rule of somebody called Kaido and did many terrible things to the people of Wano. Or when he punched one of the world’s highest people called a celestial dragon because he wanted to own one of Luffy’s friends. These actions are what makes me love One Piece so much.

Along with themes, there are also quotes that feel right and give a giant impact about how many people see the world, not just me. For example Dr. Hiriluk says “When do you think people die? When they are shot through the heart by the bullet of a pistol? No. When they are ravaged by an incurable disease? No. When they drink a soup made from a poisonous mushroom? No. It’s when they are forgotten!” This quote has shown many people, myself included, that as long as people remember who they are and why they are, then they will never truly be forgotten for how great they are. And that includes relatives that may have passed away. In fact my grandfather passed away recently and no matter what I will never forget how great of a man he was, and to me. He will never truly be gone. Aside from that there are also quotes like “You can spill drinks on me, even spit on me. I’ll just laugh about it. But if you dare to hurt my friends… I won’t forgive you!” This basically says that nothing is more important than your friends. These quotes, when I first saw them, opened my eyes to One Piece and made me realize how deep One Piece can actually go, even if some moments are just fun and games, and how much I can apply these quotes to my life.

The world building in One Piece is also exceptional, the way that Oda makes the story fit to something he may have said over 100 chapters ago. It makes me aspire to be in the One Piece world myself, maybe somewhere like Sabaody Archipelago where I could enjoy being next to the world government, and living next to the ocean. Or maybe Egghead Island where I can explore the world’s most advanced technology. But at the beginning of the story, in chapter 1, there was a character named Shanks and he used this power that was only introduced 230 chapters later. I adore this aspect of One Piece because it shows how much thought Oda put into creating the environment and story.

One Piece has changed so much for me that I can’t even describe a small portion of it, but if I didn’t watch One Piece then I would be much, much different. For example: I wouldn’t have watched any anime/manga. And I severely doubt that I would be exactly the same as I am today. But, I can almost guarantee that if you watch One Piece, then your life will change too, one chapter or episode at a time.

Here are some mangas I recommend and love:

  • One Piece by Eiichiro Oda: One Piece has great world-building and characters. One Piece is also still going on even after over 20 years; and in march of this year, it has become the most selling comic of all time, even passing superman. One Piece is about a boy named Monkey D. Luffy and his adventure to becoming the King of the Pirates.
  • Re:Zero, My Life in Another World by Tappei Nagatsuki: Re:Zero first began as a light novel, but is now getting a manga adaptation. Re:Zero is about a high schooler called Subaru Natsuki and he was transported to another world. But his power is truly terrifying, every time he dies he comes back, with his memories and the pain. This is perfect if you want a dark isekai.
  • One Punch Man by One: One Punch man is a comedic manga about a guy that is so strong that he can defeat anyone with a single punch. But then he finds life to be too boring so he tries to find someone who does not get one-shot.
  • The Apothecary Diaries by Hyuganatsu: The Apothecary Diaries is about a girl called maomao who was kidnapped then sold off to the royal palace, but she is really into poisons and medicines. With her knowledge she solves many mysteries regarding many different topics.
  • Dr. Stone by Riichiro Inagaki: Dr Stone is about a boy called Senku who was considered a genius by his peers, but one day a bright green light showered the world causing every human to turn into stone for 3718 years and 302 days causing the entire world to turn back into the stone age. Using his knowledge he advances the world back to the modern era.
  • The Promised Neverland by Kaiu Shirai: The Promised Neverland is about a group of kids who live in an orphanage but one day one of the kid’s friends Conny was finally adopted. But she had forgotten something of hers, so some of her friends went to give it to her when she had left. But when they had found her about to be sent off they found out that she was dead.
  • Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami: You have probably heard of Jujutsu Kaisen as it blew up in fall of 2020. Jujutsu Kaisen or also known as JJK is about a boy called Yuji Itadori, who was a regular high school student but one day everything changed.
  • Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure by Hirohiko Araki: Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is about an entire bloodline of the JoJo family and their common enemy, the Brando family. Their journeys are full of twists and turns as they go through centuries of hiding and chasing.
  • Shangri-La Frontier by Katarina: Shangri-La Frontier is about a boy named Hizotome who only played really bad VR games, but one day he decides to play a Really good game, and he has a lot of skill transferred from beating really bad games.
  • Classroom Of The Elite by Syougo Kinugasa: Classroom Of The Elite is about Ayonokoji who attends a school where you get “points” where you can buy anything, literally anything. But this school has a dangerous truth to it, the students all plan to expel each other. But you can buy back students with the points, specifically 2 million.

“Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover (Don’t Judge Someone ‘Til You Know Them)” by Ava G., 7th grade

Some people don’t enjoy reading as much as others do. Then when people do try to read something, they look at the cover. Probably judging whether the book looks cool to read or not. It’s very common! A book can have such an interesting or amazing cover, but reading the back cover from a book is designed to hook new readers to get interested in the book! Kinda like what you can expect when reading. Some parts from the back cover gets readers more excited to read since a part could be cut off and then you really wanna read it to find out what happened or why it happened. I’ve read many books like that. They can be so detailed and can get people in the zone wanting to finish reading it. 

Let’s say you’re trying to find a new book to read. You could be more interested in Graphic Novels, Fiction, Non-Fiction, or Manga. People attend to have trouble finding something they might like to read. Try finding books with dull covers. Read their back cover to get into the book. Not all books may have a good back cover to make a reader wanna read it. Or some may do! The back cover is like a little summary about the book. They can leave crazy parts out. Some parts you might enjoy in the book. Making you want to really find out what’s going to happen next! I know it happens to me a lot when I read. Try reading a couple of pages in the first chapter, novel or anything. Look at pictures/drawings from graphic novels and manga! 

For example: You’re in your school library and you would probably need to find a book. Try some books like One of Us is Lying. It’s a mystery book with horror and very surprising twists and turns. Another is The Giver. This book might seem weird since of elderly guy on the cover but it’s about a community after a huge war. Everyone is assigned one job forever on their 12th birthday and no one knows what real love and emotions are! Maybe you like romance! The Summer I Turned Pretty was a huge one I loved. Many others did too. It’s about two families growing up together with the moms being best friends since around high school. Then crazy love and drama happen. For really any books that might not seem so wanting to read, try it. 

These can be some other book options: Places We’ve Never Been, You’ve Reached Sam, Hunger Games, Smile, A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, Never Have I Ever, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Shatter Me, and so much more!! You have to try something. No matter what! Try something you may not like, then find something else instead! That’s okay. 

You probably never knew this but book covers are kinda like people. You might have switched schools before or even met someone new at your school. Most people go straight to their looks rather than asking stuff about them. You never know how someone is till you get to know one another. This is so similar to books. Everyone goes to judging what they see with their own eyes first, rather than reading/meeting them.  People in your school might be quiet all the time but you don’t know who they are. People could have brilliant minds, great at drawings, amazing writers, incredibly kind and talented! 

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at reading within their lives!

Student Voices: The Importance of Nonfiction from Kathy R. and Elise A.

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Importance of Nonfiction

“Are Nonfiction Books Actually Difficult or Are You Just Reading Nonfiction Books Wrong?” by Kathy R., 7th grade

Books are loved worldwide and pretty much everywhere, it comes in all formations and genres but the two main ways to separate books are in fiction and non-fiction. Fiction is formally more popular since it allows the reader to escape their worries and focus on the imaginative story they are reading. On the other hand non-fiction is usually depicted as boring and written with a ‘fact-heavy’ tone. But most of the time non-fiction isn’t a difficult read, maybe you are reading non-fiction the wrong way.

Finding the different types of non-fiction literature

There is a variety of types of non-fiction literature like history, science, biographies, essays. Going deeper into non-fiction there are types of books like narrative nonfiction which is telling a real life story in the form of a story, this is an easier way to read nonfiction if you are used to reading more story-like books. Another few examples are Art books if you are more on the art side of the reading spectrum, music is another example of reading non-fiction like a ‘how to’ book on learning the violin. Exploring these genres will help you find which is just right for you. Most of the time when people call non fiction ‘too hard’, it’s almost always because they are reading books that they can’t connect to or learn anything about said topic. 

What to avoid when reading non-fiction books

Other times people rush or try reading multiple genres at once which can lead to not understanding what you just read and not learning anything.  Arun Suresh, Finding It Difficult to Read Non-Fiction? You’re Probably Reading It the Wrong Way: “It’s common for people to switch between genres and read a variety of books on a variety of topics. It gives them a feeling of gaining knowledge of different subjects, but in the longterm, they won’t remember most of it. Which is why you should stick with a genre or two.” Frankly, one of the most important things to do while reading non fiction is to take in some of the information you’re gaining from that book. Why do the exact opposite by reading everything and anything at the same time? It completely defeats the purpose.

Tips when it comes to reading non-fiction

When it comes to reading non fiction there are a few tips and tricks that can help you greatly in understanding what you’re reading a little bit more. How to Read More Nonfiction (and Actually Enjoy It) gives a few examples such as:

  • Annotating your book with a highlighter and or sticky tabs 
  • Starting a non-fiction book with a friend or book club
  • Skimming through chapters and getting the main details
  • Set small goals that are easy to digest

Why should people go through all the troubles of reading a non-fiction book? What’s in it for them in the end?

The biggest question of all is why? Why is reading non-fiction important? Why should people go through the process of reading non-fiction? The best answer I can give you is that it helps you to learn and understand the world around us. You see, non-fiction as a whole is diverse and every book you read on one topic can help you understand more chapter by chapter. Every time you read something informational no matter what your age is you can learn and expand your knowledge. 

Some non-fiction books I could recommend to people

Here are a couple books that I would recommend to people with a variety of what the books are about!

Conclusion and final thoughts

In conclusion, non-fiction in a whole may seem ‘too complex’ and ‘overly academic’ but the truth is non-fiction and informational literature is for us to be able to understand more about this world we live in. Non-fiction may not be for everyone but it is better to try than and see if there is a book for you than to not give it a try. 

“I Think Readers Should Read More Nonfiction” by Elise A., 8th grade

Nonfiction should be promoted better because it is useful for learning different facts about life, history, science and any topic you like.

I’m not saying that reading fiction is bad. But they attract more people to them because of how popular they are which leads to more people buying them or checking them out unlike nonfiction books that are not that popular.

Nonfiction is also keeping our history alive. It tells us about our past and gives kids something to base our future off of. If we didn’t have the books then we won’t remember how different things changed and adapted to different environments.

Nonfiction shows real information all the way through and shows more facts than anything else. Some people may look at nonfiction and say that it’s boring but it’s just that they aren’t reading about a topic that they enjoy, they just pick up a nonfiction book and start reading instead of picking one that interests them.

Nonfiction books to read

There are many history books that can be used to promote like: 

  • The Rediscovery of America by Ned Blackhawk
  • Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
  • Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman by Tiya Miles

There are many science books that can be used to promote like:

  • The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
  • Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
  • Lab Girl by Hope Jahren

These books are a good example of books to read to better understand certain subjects in school or everyday life.

Personally I like books about presidents. I look at those to understand how the new presidents are different from past presidents.

Nonfiction vs Fiction

As you can see based on this graph there is a good amount of people who read nonfiction but it’s smaller in comparison to the people who read fiction. This shows that nonfiction isn’t disappearing, it’s just in the shadow of fiction.

But the thing is that most of the time people look at the books, and they judge it based on the cover.

Also, fiction isn’t the only type of books with series nonfiction also has series. Fiction series continue the story the author made up while nonfiction books show how different things in life are connected like how different parts of history are connected.

How librarians and educators could make it so their nonfiction books are something people want to read.

So I think to make nonfiction books look more appealing to people is to have it more in color or just more fun. If you make the area look more fun, like after you read the book, have people color by number with facts that they learn.

The reason to do all of this is because there are many fiction book activities like people have made many word searches for fiction books. So if the nonfiction books have activities then it will feel like something people read a lot convincing people to read them. Or have them take a quiz so they know what type of nonfiction books to look for kinda like finding different genres people like except there are science, history, and geography nonfiction books.

To conclude, nonfiction books should be read more because there are many good nonfiction books that need to get more love!

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at reading nonfiction!

Student Voices: Books and Characters We Love from Abigail D., Ranim A., Nicolle D., and Aseel H.

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Books and Characters We Love

“Books with a Meaningful Quotes and What They Mean to Me” by Abigail D., 8th grade


The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

“Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold”
What this quote means to me is that the love and care Jonny was giving to Ponyboy even when he was in his last few moments he still made sure that his last words were meant for Ponyboy. This story line has impacted me in so many ways where it’s not even describeable to explain how much this book changed me but in the best way possible.


It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

“And no matter what you do or how hard you try, you can’t stop yourself from dreaming.”
What this quote means to me is that there is always still hope and faith at the end even when it gets tough there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. You just need faith and believe in yourself that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.


Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

“Peter and Lara Jean will always tell each other the truth even if it’s hard.”
What this quote means to me is that their love is so strong and they know it may be hard but they’ll get through it together because they have earned trust in each other that makes their relationship so strong. Their bond is something unbreakable and to cherish every moment of. 


The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud

“Drawing some kinds of feelings might mean mixing in both facial expressions and body language.”
What this quote means to me is that they are showing feelings in many different forms which shows creativity which I admire so much. Finding your interest through many styles is something that is hard but is something that is capable of achieving.


Guts by Raina Telgemeier

“It takes guts to face your fears.”
What this quote means to me is that you may be scared or afraid to face things you may be scared, anxious, or nervous about but you need to have faith in yourself that you can do it. Trust your gut. I believe that you never know until you try and what this book shows is that you have to trust yourself and give things a try.


Real Friends by Shannon Hale

“Growing up means things change.”
What this quote  means to me is that as you grow, things can’t always stay the same forever. Change in people’s life can be handled in multiple ways but that’s how you move forward in life. You have to take risks to know what is the right thing to do and if it ends in the other direction, you always learn from your mistakes.


When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

“Those who are lost look to the stars that lead them home.”
What this quote means to me is that home doesn’t always have to be a place, it could also be a person. Having your home as a person can mean multiple things such as family, friends, etc.


Smile by Raina Telgemeier

“Something happens when you smile at people. They smile back.”
What this quote means to me is that showing kindness to people can make someone’s whole day brighter. Having something so little just as a friendly smile can impact a lot more than you know.


Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

“Be yourself and people will like you.”
What this quote means to me is that people have to learn and acknowledge you to know the true you, not just the image you show but the other factors you have. Being your true self is a way to find people with the same interest you do.


All Summer Long by Hope Larson

“Okay, but do you know that feeling when you hear a great song, and it’s like the song knows you? That’s what music is for.”
What this quote means to me is that when I listen to something that I enjoy, it’s relaxing and makes me feel more at peace. Finding something that makes you feel so relaxed and calm is so nice, especially with music. With music you listen to a sound or beat and it’s all you can hear in the world.

“Thriller Books That Are Actually Good For Middle Schoolers” by Ranim A., 8th grade

If you think thriller books are all super scary or violent or just “ too much “, that’s not really true. There are actually a lot of thriller and mystery books that are really good for middle schoolers. They still have suspense, and plot twists, but without anything too inappropriate.

In my opinion, thriller books are some of the best books to read at this age because they keep you interested. Like, instead of forcing yourself to read something you don’t like, you actually want to know what happens next.

Why Thriller Books Are Actually Good For Middle Schoolers

Thrillers aren’t just for entertaining, they’re actually pretty helpful too.

  • They make you think and solve clues 
  • They improve problem solving skills
  • They keep you interested in reading
  • They help you understand characters and decisions

A lot of middle grade thrillers are written specifically for ages 11-14, meaning they avoid graphic content and keep things appropriate while still being exciting.

Also these types of books usually focus more on mystery, puzzles, and adventure instead of anything too intense or mature.

What Makes A Thriller “Age Appropriate?”

Before recommending books, it’s important to understand what makes them okay for middle schoolers : 

  • Language is appropriate 
  • Romance ( or if any it would be pretty limited )
  • Focuses on mostly mystery and adventure 

This is why middle grade thrillers are different from older teen thrillers. They’re exciting but not overwhelming.

Best Thriller Books For Middle Schoolers

Here are some really good options that are popular and are actually pretty enjoyable:


Framed! by James Ponti

  • About a kid who solves mysteries using observation skills
  • Feels like a detective story but fun and recent
  • Easy to read but still really interesting 

This book is great because it focuses on solving puzzles instead of anything scary or inappropriate 


Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

  • Set in a boarding school 
  • Two girls start a detective club
  • They investigate a suspicious death

Even though it sounds pretty intense, it’s written in a lighter, more “ cozy mystery “ way so it’s still appropriate for younger readers.


The Jumbies by Tracie Baptiste 

  • Super creepy but also really fun 
  • Based on Caribbean folklore
  • A girl has to face mysterious creatures 

This book is a perfect example of a thriller that’s scary but not too scary. It’s described as having “ just the right amount of scary for middle schoolers “.


Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

  • A spooky mystery involving a strange book and a creepy farm
  • Strong main character 
  • Lots of suspense 

It’s popular because it mixes mystery and horror in a way that’s still appropriate for middle school readers.


Swipe by Evan Angler

  • Set in a futuristic world 
  • Kids have to decide whether to follow a strict system 
  • Includes mystery and rebellion 

This one is more of a thriller with action and deeper ideas, but it’s still written for middle grade readers.


Mostly Ghostly series by R.L. Stine

  • About a boy who can see ghosts 
  • Mix of mystery, humor, and suspense
  • Not too scary, more fun than terrifying

This series is actually made for ages 11-14 so it’s right in the middle school range.

Why These Books Work

All of these books have something in common : 

  • They keep you guessing 
  • They’re exciting but not appropriate 
  • They focus on story not shock 

Thriller books for middle schoolers are designed to build interest in reading. They give you that feeling like “ what happens next? “ without crossing content that’s too mature.

Final Thoughts

Overall, thriller books are honestly one of the best genres for middle schoolers. They’re not boring, they’re not too childish, and they actually make reading fun.

If someone says “ they don’t like reading “ I feel like they just haven’t found the right thriller yet. Once you find a good one, it’s really hard to stop.

So yeah thrillers aren’t just for adults. There are tons of age appropriate ones out there that are exciting, interesting, and are actually worth reading.

“Ten Book Characters I Would Want to Be Friends With” by Nicolle D., 6th grade

My New Life As a Cat: A character I would want to be friends with in My New Life as a Cat is Chika because she’s so sweet she’s so gentle with Nao. And her friends seem so cool. I hundred percent want to be friends with Chika and her friend group her friends seem so cool and nice.

Phoebe And Her Unicorn In The Magic Storm: A character I would want to be friends with in Phoebe and Her Unicorn in the Magical Storm is the dragon. The reason I would want to be friends with the dragons is that the dragon was so gentle and sweet and had to have someone understand her.

Places We’ve Never Been: A character I would want to be friends with in Places We’ve Never Been. He cared for Norah so much but Norah was already interested in Skyler. Tyler helped her out so much he was so sweet. Tyler understood her and that’s a good friend even if she doesnt like him he still understood her.

Take a Chance On Me: A character I would want to be friends with in Take a Chance on Me is Poppy. Poppy was Evie’s dads ex ex-girlfriend but she cared about Evie like she was her own daughter and talked to her when things were going down for Evie and I would want to be friends with someone who will be there for me. 

Dork Diaries: I Love Paris!: A character I would want to be friends with in Dork Diaries is Nicky. I would like to be friends with Nicky so I can go to Paris with her and Nicky is very sweet so she would be nice to hangout with especially in Paris.

Ghoulfriends Forever: A character I would like to be friends with in Ghoulfriends Forever is Frankie. I would want to be friends with Frankie because she’s so cool and I would love to join her on her adventures.

Invisible: A character I would want to be friends with is all of the characters. I want to be friends with all of them because I can help them help Lisa and her mom. Plus everyone in that group is so nice.

The Dot: I would want to be friends with the girl in the end of The Dot to teach her about art in the most creative ways. She had the same story as the main character she thought she could never draw, but I could be friends with her and show her. 

Dog Man: Dog Man is a really nice guy and I would want to be friends with him because I’d love to help the world with him. He has saved so many lives and i could join him with his adventures.

Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess: I would like to be friends with the famous dog. She was such a classy girl, and I would love to gain fame. Maybe we can make an account together and post together. We could go on little trips!

“My Top 5 Books and Why” by Aseel H., 6th grade


Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson

Why I personally chose this book as my favorite of all time is because it was one of the first books that I actually really loved and couldn’t wait to keep reading and reading,  that book was probably the only thing I even wanted to do and the first book that took me only 3 days to finish and its actually rare for that but for this book I don’t even know how to describe it cause I haven’t always been a fan of books but if I can I would make all my books that I read be like this one because my actually love for this book  is crazy and shocking especially for me I mean I didn’t really expect it to be this good but it really is and I  just have no words to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book 


All Fall Down by Ally Carter

Why I like this book is because basically Grace is a complex, often nervous and, at times, unreliable narrator who is dealing with trauma, making her journey to find her mother’s killer deeply compelling and “unflinching”. The plot is full of twists and turns, often leaving readers guessing about the truth of Grace’s claims and the true nature of the characters around her. Its kinda basically A strong, eclectic group of teenagers aids in breaking down the mystery, and that’s why I love the book so much


The Miscalculations Of Lighting Girl by Stacy McAnulty

Why I like this book a lot  is because like basically its about a girl named Lucy Callanan that was struck by lighting but instead of dying she survived and also got genius level math skills, and ever since that day she has been home schooled, (I mean she’s 12 but she could actually go to college for how smart she is so yeah), and I just loved the book because of everything that happened and just the book in general, I mean I just have no wards to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book and for a fact that’s kinda rare for me to say.


Jacky Ha Ha by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein

Why I enjoyed reading this book is because I read this book in my summer before middle school and then I really had no interest in books then but that was the first book that I actually enjoyed for a long time ( that was probably the only one I enjoyed cause like i said before i had no interest )  and just me waiting to open the book without someone forcing me to is also one of the reasons I really enjoyed this book cause I wanted to open the book and read I wanted to finish it nobody made me I wanted and that is just rare for me to want that so that’s probably why I really enjoyed this book.


Dork Diaries Crush Catastrophe by Rachel Renée Russell

Why really liked this book is because like basically its like it has so many things stuff happening in the story like high-stakes romantic drama, relatable middle-school stuff and with her having to go through a love triangle and that without all this stuff in the story it wouldn’t be as good and why I choose this book out of the whole series is like that it was hard but because there’s so many stuff in the story that make the story really amazing and thats why I choose this one for the one I enjoyed a lot . 

“My Top 10 Characters and Why” by Aseel H., 6th grade


Jacky Hart

Why I choose this character as my favorite is because I like the way she lives life, her personality, her style for life and how she growing beyond her need to make others laugh, and that she’s funny, relatable , and that she learns how to be more than just the class clown and that without her I feel like the story wouldn’t be amazing.


Grace, Noah, and Alexei

Why I liked this character is because Grace isn’t a typical girl; she struggled with trauma because of her mothers death and  because she thinks it was a murder. Even though everyone around her believes she’s “ crazy “ she still tries to find the truth about her mother. She’s determined, reckless, emotionally scarred, fearless and brave and that without her the story wouldn’t be how it is.

Why I liked this character is because Noah is described as an engaging and enthusiastic person who quickly bonds with grace, and when everyone else wants to avoid grace he becomes a loyal “best friend”, even while grace is surrounded by danger and Noah is still here and always tries to cheer grace up. He is hilarious, charming, and fiercely loyal character, cheerful and supportive and without him the story wouldn’t be that good.

Why I liked this character is because Alexei is fiercely protective of Grace, stemming from his loyalty to her family and their shared childhood friendship. He acts as a “sworn watcher,” keeping a close eye on her, often acting as an older brother figure. He is the charming, protective, and mysterious Russian “bad boy” who provides intense romantic tension and is very loyal to grace even though he provides a “brother-sister” bond that adds depth to their romance, and that the story wouldn’t be the same if he wasn’t in it.


Chadwick and Miles

Why I liked this character is because for chadwick in the story Blood in the Water, we didn’t really have much of him because he was murdered but while he was in the story he was really charismatic, popular, and welcoming teenage boy who helps protagonist Kaylani fit in, making his shocking death pivotal to the mystery ,  As Chadwick whose death drives the investigation, his charm is remembered throughout the story, highlighting the tragedy of the event. He is kind and welcoming, helpful and knowledgeable, and popular, and that even though he was barely in the story the parts he was in did really impact the story in a great way.

Why I liked this character is because Miles  is the brother of Chadwick and he has to navigate through trauma while giving comfort to kanlani and also that miles isn’t snobby like most of the kids at that place. Throughout all of that Miles was a heartwarming friend, relatable, resilient, supportive, emotionally deep and most importantly, a loyal friend.


Stacy

Why I liked this character is because Stacy moved to Stoneybrook from New York City but didn’t take too long of time to make friends, but other than that Stacy wasn’t a normal teenage girl, she had type 1 diabetes, but that didn’t stop her from doing the amazing stuff she did, though what i like about her is her style and that in the stories manly some new york kids are like snobby but shes not shes a really nice person . She is mature, slightly sassy, she’s someone who brings a bold, cheerful energy to the group while managing Type 1 diabetes, she also a math whiz, resilient, responsible and most importantly she’s a loyal friend.


Nikki

Why I liked this character is because Nikki isn’t your normal school girl; she’s more of a down to earth person. Nikki represents the “everygirl” who is not in the popular crowd, making her experiences with insecurity and navigating school life feel real. She often puts everything she does in her diary, although she struggled with confidence she was able to stand up for herself. While she goes through all the drama at school that goes with her bully her friends, her home  and most importantly her crush Brandon. She is highly relatable, artistic, kind, imaginative, a talented artist, self-proclaimed “dork,” over-dramatic, emotional, thoughtful, and, most importantly, a caring friend.


Nico

Why I liked this character is because Nico Pineda, one of the five kids in the book. He is a Venezuelan American boy who initially presents as a “stuck-up rich kid,” but proves to be a caring and empathetic friend.  At the beginning of the story, Nico appears to be lazy and arrogant, acting indifferent to the mandatory community service work and sometimes acting like a bully to deflect attention away from himself, though by the end He moves beyond his selfish persona to become instrumental in helping others, such as helping Celeste find a job and get necessary aid. 

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at books and characters they love!