Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin [Adult Fiction]
by Hanna, age 17
This is my favorite Jane Austin novel so far, there is amazing character development and so many individual plots in this book. However, they are interwoven beautifully and the way each character deals with their own individual problems reveals so much about them. As always, Jane Austin fills the pages with wonderful wit and sarcasm as a commentary on 19th century English society.
The Watsons Go To Birmingham-1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis [J Fiction]
by Aziza, 6th grader
This fun, wild, and exciting book will grab your attention the first time you look at it. Read all about the crazy and wacky situations the Watson family are put in, in this lovable and funny story. This book will keep you wondering and laughing even after you finish it. So, if you love getting a good laugh from a book, then this is the book for you.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde [Adult Fiction]
by Wendy, 12th grader
Is it better to grow old and “ugly”, or to stay young and beautiful forever? In the haunting narration of a “Prince” who is truly a beast within, Oscar Wilde explores the themes of vanity, artistic expression, human growth and inner beauty. Recommended for high school age and up.
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles [Adult Nonfiction]
By Christine, age 17
Oedipus Rex is the story of a young man named Oedipus whose father was cursed for violating “Xenia”, or hospitality. The curse states that someday Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother. To prevent this, Oedipus’ parents try to kill him at birth. Instead, he was rescued and adopted. He believed his adopted parents were his real parents, so when he fulfills the prophecy, he does so unknowingly. Most of the story is about Oedipus trying to solve the mystery of the murder of the previous king. He doesn’t realize that he is the murderer and the king was his father. When he discovers the truth, he gouges his eyes out. This book is not for younger kids… the whole marrying-your-mother thing could be traumatizing.
Milkweed, by Jerry Spinelli [YA Fiction]
By Meghan, age 12
Imagine this: You’re a gypsy, you’re eight years old, you’re in the middle of the Holocaust, you have no known relatives or a home, and you live in a horse stall and have to survive by stealing food. This is the life of Misha Pilsudski. I liked this book because it is set during an important part of history and it is great literature. It is an intriguing story about the life of a despised homeless gypsy boy.
by Jessica, age 12
This tragic tale of a young boy who does not know his name, and who lives during the Holocaust will keep you reading. Sadly, the end of the book is a total disappointment, otherwise Jerry Spinelli’s book is amazing.
Emma, by Jane Austen [adult fiction]
by Hanna, age 17
This is an amazing and interesting book written during the 19th century in England.
It provides a very funny and subtly cynical look at society at the time. It pokes fun at the pastimes and petty hobbies of the young unmarried women and shows how class differences affected the personalities and expectations of all of the different characters. But even with these underlying messages, the book as a whole is fun and lighthearted and a great read.
Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley [adult fiction]
by Wendy, 12th grader
In Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, life is perfect — no disease, no hate, no war, just endless fun and games in their utopian society. But happiness is equivalent to ignorance, and what it means to be truly human is lost. When a man named John comes to live in the “civilized world” from his remote Indian reservation, his humanity comes to a clash with society’s norms and all hell breaks loose. Excellent for lit students, psychology students, and sci-fi lovers.
The Shining, by Stephen King [adult fiction]
by Ryan, 12th grader
A writer, his wife, and his 8 year old son run maintenance at the Overlook Hotel, over winter. As the writer gets writer’s block, he starts to act strange. This horrifying tale of spirit and insanity is written by Stephen King.
The Aeneid, by Virgil [adult nonfiction -- epic]
by Wendy, 12th grader
Talk about epic, timeless, and class — it doesn’t get any more so than The Aeneid. Odysseus wasn’t the only one with an after story. Heckled by Juno, Aeneas goes everywhere from the city of Carthage to the depths of the Underworld, “until he could found the Roman race.” And Aeneas is far from the classic stoic hero.
Macbeth, by William Shakespeare [adult nonfiction -- plays]
by Christine, 11th grader
Macbeth, Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, is filled with interesting, multi-layered characters. The egotistical Macbeth, his seemingly guilt-free Lady, and the conniving witches and their goddess, make Macbeth an intriguing look at just how much fate controls us. My favorite part was reading about the prophecies coming true and Macbeth’s reaction. He had it coming to him.
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