Enlightenment

Enlightenment is Sachi Ediriweera’s passion project — a vision of Prince Siddartha’s life as Ediriweera’s heart and mind piece together his lessons in the faith. First, the artwork is phenomenal. The calming watery blue and earthy tan color choices keep the tone calm and grounded, reflecting the subject matter well. Siddartha’s anguish in discovering what is necessary to “search for life’s truths”, and contemplating the necessities of life while struggling with human bodies and minds, is illustrated in facial expressions and other imagery just as powerfully as in the word choices of the author. “Desire and suffering” feed each other, but they are not the focus. Teens who ask powerful questions about the “why” of this life we live will enjoy watching Ediriweera’s vision of Siddartha bloom into the Gautama Buddha. Character development sketches at the very end are a bonus look into Ediriweera’s technical skill as an artist. It is a recommended fictionalization of what might have been back in 500 BC.

Salt the Water

Cerulean, erroneously called Sara by the English teacher Cerulean hates, is struggling with their place in the confines of high school. While they know they are smart and have strong friendships, including a doting partner, Cerulean doesn’t feel as successful because so much of what is success in young adulthood involves how well one does in school. The story told in verse jumps between present and past experiences as well as between the voices of those in Cerulean’s sphere of influence. After an explosion that nearly kills their father, Cerulean must escape, even if it means leaving behind everyone who loves and has been influenced by their spirit. Cerulean is a character you cheer for, and they will find their happiness just around the next page. When Curulean purposefully disappears, some readers could praise the character for finally putting themself first, walking away from a situation they had little control over to forge a new path. Other readers will be frustrated that they left behind so many people who love them. But just like the sourdough starter found in the very back of a forgotten refrigerator of moldy items, Cerulean is still alive, out there somewhere, for her younger sister to find.

Twenty-four Seconds from Now . . . by Jason Reynolds

I have been waiting for a book like this to be written – thank you, Jason Reynolds! Reynolds accurately portrays all the thoughts and feelings of a teenage boy who is planning to lose his virginity to his long-time girlfriend. Not only is this book insightful, its funny, touching, and real. Told in a flash-back style, we get a clear picture for the relationships between main character, Neon and his girlfriend Aria, his parents, and his siblings. All of these relationships play a pivotal role in the way that Neon thinks about sex and his readiness for it.

This sex-positive books addresses many topics including: consent, love, masturbation, pornography. All of these delicate subjects are presented in practical, safe ways that many readers, of any gender will relate to. There are no explicit scenes, nor any vulgar discussions – even though the sex definitely happens in the end.

This book is one all high school libraries should have on their shelves!

Conditions of A Heart by: Bethany Mangle

Reviewed by OHS Substitute, Sandy H.

This coming of age story will connect readers with the difficulties of being a teenager as well as showing how family struggles impact life. Brynn Kwan balances friends, family, and boys on top of struggles to let an unattainable persona go. Meanwhile pain rears its head. In this book, the protagonist (and her father) has chronic pain resulting from a health disorder which is a young adult topic not frequently encountered, for this primary reason I appreciated reading the book.

Diary of A Confused Feminist by Kate Weston

Reviewed by OHS Substitute, Sandy H.

This novel will be a hit with young adult readers who enjoy coming-of-age struggles.

Kat Evans tries to get a date, deal with friends, and manifest self-acceptance, while trying to think of everything through the lens of feminism. Meanwhile she’s also rabidly documenting everything in her diary. This young adult fiction dives deep into the anxieties, dreams, and ideals of a teenager trying to make her way through high school – so believable, the anxiety just oozed off of the pages!

Reading it as an adult, I liked being reminded of how tough it really is to be a teenager.

Diary of A Confused Feminist - book cover. Pink text - outline of lips.

Infested: An MTV Fear Novel

Reviewed by Eli 12th grade – This novel is an interesting story with a good plot and conflict. Manny, is forced to leave his hometown by his stepfather.  He is now faced with new challenges brought on by his new home in New York, angry neighbors, and a cockroach infestation that only he seems to understand the danger of. Although the novel is a horror piece, it is also great at describing personal relationships in a coming-of-age story. With Manny maturing as a person over a short period of time.  The dialogue was very well written and descriptive at showing emotions of the people involved. I felt like some of the action scenes were a bit rushed and didn’t have much set-up.

Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe

Reviewed by Wyatt 12th Grade – I was captivated by the raw emotion and powerful storytelling which made me love this book. Impossible Escape is a true story about one of the most famous whistleblowers in the world and his death-defying escape that helped save over 100,000 lives during the Holocaust. With the book going into the holocaust and World War II, it helps develop the historical narrative and war literature. I liked how the characters used what they had and how they helped others even though they were also dealing with their own issues and I like the author’s take on all the violence and how he expressed it. Impossible Escape contains a lot of stuff with violence, persecution, and the holocaust which may be potential triggers for readers.

Reviewed by Jaden 12th grade – Sheinkin skillfully balances Rudi’s story with factual information on the evolution of World War II and the Holocaust. A subplot follows Gerta Sidonová, Rudi’s schoolmate and future wife, during this time frame; the juxtaposition adds depth, texture, and context. It’s an oddly sentimental and touching epilogue. He knows he has to get out of the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, where he spent over two years living on the edge. even as death becomes more probable. Behind the carefully guarded walls of concentration camps throughout Nazi-occupied Europe was a dreadful truth that Rudi had discovered: the deliberate mass murder of Jewish detainees. The young adult narrative nonfiction written by Steve Sheinkin Impossible Escape tells the tale of a young real-life hero while delving into issues of Jewish history and wartime tragedy. This is a compelling story because of Sheinkin’s painstaking research, which strikes a balance between the acute horror of the camps and the bigger events of the war’s geopolitical developments. Unbelievably gripping, unbelievably tragic, unbelievably inspirational. Every person should be obliged to read Impossible Escape.

Reviewed by Andrew 9th grade – I learned a lot about Auschwitz that I did not know before. Very informative. Rudi was a Slovakian Jew in WW2. He got captured and eventually went to Auschwitz where he planned to escape and tell the world about Auschwitz and the gas chambers and the mass murder. He eventually escaped after many tries and he and his friend told the world about what was happening. The reality of the story really makes you want to find out how it ends. You forget that the book is nonfiction because of how interesting it is. I liked how I learned more about what happened at Auschwitz. It was a good read and I learned a lot. The switching between the POVs was a little confusing and Rudi’s story was more interesting. I was fine reading it but it is a tough topic. They tell in detail how the gas chambers worked.

The Pirate and the Porcelain Girl

Reviewed by Tanisha 11th grade – I love the book and I love the ending they are a very cute couple and they are so much in love with each other. This book has lots of action and it has and happy ending where the characters fall in love. I really like the artwork because it grabs my attention and also makes me find the emotion of the characters. It helps move the story along in the book. I really enjoyed the way they drew the characters. It was a very interesting book and I liked the flow of it meaning the active and the love and romance. If you don’t like romance this is not the book for you, and also it’s always best to try something new.

Miles Morales: Suspended

Book Reviewed by Kingston 10th grade – I gave this book a rating of 5/5 because it’s a compelling and engaging book, it provides a new look on Miles and who he is. The book follows Miles Morales a teenage superhero who navigates the challenges of keeping his secret identity as Spider-Man while facing formidable villains in New York City. The plot of this fictional superhero story makes you want to keep turning the page to see what gonna happen next. I  like how they make Miles relatable and explore the identity and finding yourself.  The pacing of the book could have been better and some characters aren’t as developed as others.

Reviewed by Cailyn 12th grade – This novel has a unique style for Spiderman! Miles Morales has become obsessed with poetry and babbles endlessly about his crush. With his spidey powers, he saves the world from an evil mastermind The Warden, and Miles gets put in suspension. What begins as a long boring day of in-school suspension is interrupted by his spidey-senses telling him that something is wrong. Since the novel is about a Marvel superhero, it is considered a fictitious novel. Also, it is poetry because it includes a mixed format of verses. In this novel, I liked how it blended superhero things and introduced the concept of racism. The book I rated a 3 because it kind of felt rushed and underdeveloped. To add to this, I think that this style of novel is just not my type either.

If I See You Again Tomorrow

Reviewed by Raymond 9th grade – I love the story that the book is telling about love between two boys. Clark goes on these errands with Beau and Clark ends up falling in love with Beau. Such a beautiful story challenging existential aspects of human life; isolation meaninglessness, and freedom; as well as alienation and depression. All that is done in a heartwarming sweet romance. I like how it tells a love story between two boys. Also like that it’s a romance book because I love romance anything. It’s hard for me to like a book but I really enjoyed this book.

Chaos & Flame

Reviewed by Shiloh G 12th grade: When I first started the book I felt very confused but as I read more everything started to make more sense. Talon Goldhorn always bravely led his elite troops however his brother’s rule was threatening to undo 100 years of work. So other factions turned to Talon to dethrone his brother. The way that the plot develops makes me want to keep turning pages so I can figure out everything that is happening. My favorite part about the book is how the very beginning gives so much information and yet we don’t know anything. One thing I did not like about the book is that the book progresses quite slowly

If You’ll Have Me

Reviewed by Cierra 12th grade – This was one of the cutest graphic novels I’ve ever read. From the art style to the plot, to the characters, I’m obsessed. Momo is a selfless, naive, and caring friend. She has little to no experience in the dating world. PG on the other hand is the opposite. Labeled as someone who likes to “get around,” and is a player, she’s quite the lone wolf. Despite her reputation, under that hard exterior, she falls in love just as easily as anyone else. Their two worlds collide unexpectedly and a romance begins to brew. With PG’s reputation, things get a little tricky.The romance in this novel is sweet like a peach. Two people who know little about love, but crave it so much make this graphic novel such a nice read. The LGBTQIA+ aspect of it makes it feel relatable as well. The character design is just beautiful. I love Momo’s character, she’s so cute and gorgeous.It didn’t feel rushed. Typically, when you read a graphic novel you get through them fast because there are little words on each page. Sometimes that can cause the book to feel rushed. However, the pacing was perfect. It felt like I was watching a movie in my mind. I also found myself relating to Momo, as a black girl with little dating experience myself. I found myself getting jealous and wanting a romance like this. I also enjoyed the intended funny bits as well. I rarely LOL at a book, but I caught myself gasping and giggling a couple of times. There’s little that I dislike about it. I don’t like PG’s character design for one. It just looks off on some pages, I can’t exactly put my finger on why. The flashbacks were kind of hard to decipher at times. There were moments where it took me a couple of seconds to realize “Oh wait, this isn’t present.” There was one flashback where I got confused if it was PG or PG’s brother, but that may just be me being slow. This romance is a cliche, and it’s really hard to make a cliche entertaining. Despite all that, I think they did a relatively good job and I’d read it again or recommend it to a friend.

Hopeless in Hope

Reviewed by Sarah 12th grade – This humorous and sad story will keep you engaged and relating to the main characters. Eva is the main character in this book and she is 14 years old. Her life is lonely and sad, and she then deals with foster homes and poverty. She relies on her Nohkum to take care of her and of her little brother Marcus. Eva’s mom struggles with alcoholism and shares the story of the reality of her addiction. The plot of this story makes this novel a heartbreaking and humorous story. I liked that this book was a very fast read and that it shares how someone who is in poverty and struggling with housing, how their life really is. There are a few instances in this book where it may be hard for younger students to read this book due to the talk about depression and anxiety. Personally, I think that this book does a good job of sharing the realities of it in a non-glorifying way.

Forgive Me Not

Reviewed by Aliah 12th grade – All readers will find this captivating and moving journey which masterfully examines human emotions and the capacity for forgiveness to be a winning one. In the book Forgive Me Not, Violetta Chen-Samuel, a fifteen-year-old, is imprisoned for driving under the influence, which resulted in the death of her younger sister. A young adult book with hints of dystopia, Forgive Me Not highlights the issues with racism, classism, misogyny, and other issues that plague both our adult and juvenile justice systems. The two points of view are Violetta and Vince. The plot is AMAZING!

Trigger warnings: death of a child, incarceration, substance use, suicide attempt, grief, sexual assault.

Your Lonely Nights are Over

Reviewed by David 12th grade – It isn’t your stereotypical LGBTQIA+ Book. This book is about two gay Best friends on the run from a famous killer but also accused of being a killer. It is a realistic fiction book that is mainly featuring queer representation, but the book itself doesn’t focus on the main struggles of it, It mentions some of the struggles of being queer but also being discriminated by color. I love how they represented the idea of friendships in the queer community and how they can be very different. It also shines some light on being a gay person of color and the difference between the reactions people get. I love it honestly. Trigger Warnings: At the start, it discusses that there will be some graphic scenes. Not too bad but still more so than a typical book.

Silverwing

Silverwing: The Graphic Novel Adaptation, based on the first novel in Kenneth Oppel’s beloved trilogy, brings the adventurous tale of the young, heroic bat Shade to life with vivid illustrations. I was excited to add this adaptation to our collection, anticipating it would capture the interest and imaginations of our students. While the artwork is indeed captivating and adds a new dimension to the story, I’ve noticed that some students find it challenging to follow the narrative in this graphic format.
The primary issue seems to be the pacing and transition between scenes. The graphic novel format, with its reliance on visual storytelling and condensed text, makes it difficult for some readers to grasp the full depth of the plot and character development- or to even identify characters in some scenes. Key moments that are more fleshed out in the original novel can feel rushed or unclear in this adaptation. Despite these challenges, I believe Silverwing: The Graphic Novel can still be a quality resource for visual learners and a great way to introduce Kenneth Oppel’s world to new fantasy readers.

Looking Up by Stephen Pastis

Looking Up by Stephen Pastis- R

Looking Up by Stephen Pastis is a delightful addition to our library, perfect for middle-grade readers. I appreciate how Pastis seamlessly blends humor with deeper themes, making the story both laughter-provoking and thought-provoking for young readers. The protagonist, Saint, is a wonderfully relatable and quirky character who deals with complex emotions in a way that is accessible for children.

This book is not only a joy to read but also a valuable tool for teaching empathy and understanding. Pastis’ background in comics shines through in the witty dialogue and fast-paced storytelling, keeping students entertained and engaged while subtly addressing important life lessons. The community setting and the characters’ quest to save their town emphasizes the importance of togetherness and perseverance. Looking Up is a recommended addition to our shelves, offering both laughter and meaningful insights for our young readers.

Too Cute! Baby Skunks by Elizabeth Neuenfeldt

Baby skunks are called kits and they live in a den. This nonfiction series is adorable. While the information is very simple, it is great for beginning readers. The print is large and there are 1-2 simple sentences on the page. Key words are in bold and photographs with a label is included on the page to illustrate what the word means.The back includes the stages of life of a skunk, a picture glossary, an index and a website for more information.

Too Cute! Baby Turtles by Elizabeth Neuenfeldt

Baby turtles hatch from eggs. When they leave the nest, they do not go back. This nonfiction series is adorable. While the information is very simple, it is great for beginning readers. The print is large and there are 1-2 simple sentences on the page. Key words are in bold and photographs with a label is included on the page to illustrate what the word means.The back includes the stages of life of a turtle, a picture glossary, an index and a website for more information.

Too Cute! Baby Seals by Elizabeth Neuenfeldt

Baby seals live in colonies. As they get older, they spend more time alone. This nonfiction series is adorable. While the information is very simple, it is great for beginning readers. The print is large and there are 1-2 simple sentences on the page. Key words are in bold and photographs with a label is included on the page to illustrate what the word means.The back includes the stages of life of a seal, a picture glossary, an index and a website for more information.

Too Cute! Baby Lions by Elizabeth Neuenfeldt

Baby lions join the mom’s pride and play with other cubs. This nonfiction series is adorable. While the information is very simple, it is great for beginning readers. The print is large and there are 1-2 simple sentences on the page. Key words are in bold and photographs with a label is included on the page to illustrate what the word means.The back includes facts about the animal, a picture glossary, an index and a website for more information.

Mother of Sharks by Melissa Cristina Marquez

The illustration on the cover makes you want to pick up the book and the story inside did not disappoint. Meli is enjoying playing in the beautiful waters of Playita del Condado when she spots some tidal pools and encounters a talking hermit crab named Jaiba. Jaiba takes Meli on adventures to explore the ocean. She learns about different animals in the ocean and the effects of ocean pollution. Jaiba eventually takes her to the future to see herself as the Mother of Sharks.

The pictures are bright and evoke the feeling of being underwater. The text is in English with Spanish words incorporated throughout. The print is small for a picture book. The end of the book includes a letter from the author, glossary, translations, and resources. The end pages include illustrations of different sharks.

The author is a Hispanic marine biologist and was featured in Forbes 30 Under 30: Science list.

A Crocodile Should Never Skip Breakfast by Colleen Larmour

Croc is late for work one morning and doesn’t have time to eat breakfast. That’s okay, he will grab donuts from Hippo. But Hippo is sold out. At least he has an emergency banana, but the banana is bad. Croc starts dreaming about food while he is trying to work, hopefully he won’t eat the animals who are his passengers!

The illustrations are whimsical and the colors of the book are bright and vibrant. Most of the animals are drawn in the actual colors, while the alligator is blue and the hippo is pink. It is a funny, fast paced story with text and speech bubbles which lends itself to various voices as a read-aloud.

The Miami Dolphins (NFL Team Profiles)

Dive into the world of the Miami Dolphins with this captivating team profile! Covering the team’s incredible perfect season in 1972 to the successful seasons under quarterback Dan Marino, this book highlights the Dolphins’ history, accomplishments, and legendary players. Kids will enjoy learning about game day traditions and T.D., the team’s mascot.

Written at a 2nd-grade reading level, it’s ideal for students from elementary to middle school. The book includes a useful table of contents, a timeline of key events, a map showing the team’s location, a glossary, and an index. A “To Learn More” page also encourages students to continue exploring the Dolphins, both in the library and online. This is a must-read for any young Dolphins fan!