Book Reviews

review by Aminda Zou, age 14 Now Is Everything by Amy Giles     Now Is Everything by Amy Giles is an emotional and compelling novel. The story of Hadley McCauley’s senior year is told in alternating then and now chapters. The protagonist of this story, Hadley, comes from a wealthy and seemingly-perfect family, […]

review by John Chon, age 16 The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis     The Dangerous Art of Blending In by Angelo Surmelis is a somewhat true story of a teenager growing up, trying to blend in. Evan Panos is a Greek Christian, with a mother who is very strict and traditionalist. […]

review by Nina Dinan, age 15      Before I Had the Words is the memoir of Skylar Kergil, an artist, activist, and YouTuber who is a transgender man. This book details the struggles he faced, both with his identity and later with his transition, as a young adult in a […]

review by Aminda Zou, age 14 Dress Codes for Small Towns by Courtney Stevens     Courtney Stevens narrates a thrilling story in the novel Dress Codes for Small Towns. It takes place in the small town of Otters Holt from the perspective of a young girl named Billie McCaffrey (and occasionally from Davey). The […]

review by Jacob Chon, age 16 The Final Six by Alexandra Monir     Naomi, an Iranian-American high schooler, and Leo, an Italian orphan, have barely anything in common. Although both experience the firsthand tragedies of climate change, they live on opposite sides of the globe. That is, until they are selected into an elite […]

review by John Chon, age 16 Whisper by Lynette Noni     Whisper, by Lynette Noni, is a science-fiction book, one of many that have proliferated the scene as of late. This book is set in modern day, and it really puts the fiction in science fiction, with magical science that does not check out. […]

review by Jacob Chon, age 15 A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia Cole     Olivia Cole’s A Conspiracy of Stars is an immersive novel of humans stranded on a distant planet. Much like colonists from earlier eras, these people must learn how to survive and thrive in their new world. The book centers around […]

review by John Chon, age 15 Hooper by Geoff Herbach     Hooper, by Geoff Herbach, is unique in many ways, especially in its subject matter. The book follows an awkward, young high schooler, who centers his entire life around basketball. To quote the protagonist, Adam, “Basketball is a passport.” He is very adept at […]

review by Nina Dinan, age 15 I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda, with Liz Welch     The story of how a middle school, pen pal assignment became a life-changing correspondence and friendship begins with two students, Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda. She […]

review by Aminda Zou, age 14 Just a Normal Tuesday by Kim Turrisi Summary: It’s just a normal Tuesday…until sixteen-year-old Kai finds a suicide note from her beloved older sister, Jen. Now Kai is the only child in a family reeling with grief. Unable to make sense of her sister’s choice, Kai begins to […]