Author: msphelps

By Calvin Wicks

1. Harry Potter 1 (JK Rowling)

I enjoyed reading this one. So I read the second one, then the third one, then the fourth one, all the way until the end of the series. It was the first “real” book I can remember reading, along with the next 7, which were second, third, fourth, and so on and so forth. I was hooked on it because it was mysterious, and there never seemed to be a good place to stop. I don’t have the best reading stamina, but if I hadn’t read those books, I probably would not be in this class. To this day, some of the Harry Potter books are among the longest I’ve read, at over 700 pages. If I didn’t read the first one, I wouldn’t have been able to read the others, and would not have gotten through over 700 pages in a single book. It essentially made me able to get through a paragraph without losing my spot and having to read it again. 

2. Lord of the Fles

I read this one for school in middle school. I hated it. However, I reread it a few months later, and it was, to my surprise, much better because I didn’t have to read it. It made me feel a little less hostile toward “old person books.” It led me to read more “old person books” because it was the first one I read, and it basically showed me that they aren’t as bad as they seemed because of the psychology of them not being required when they aren’t. I also found it relatable, even though I’ve never been trapped on an island. 

3. Drumming at the Edge of Magic

This one not only changed me as a reader, but as a person. Mickey Hart, the drummer for the Grateful Dead, shared his experiences with studying the different histories and myths about drums around the world. He talks about everything from African hand drumming to gongs. He tells about how he spent several months keeping up a constant groove on a rotation with other drummers. I found it interesting and was led to read more about it. It resonated with me because he noted that the experience made him a better musician, even though it was not very focused on playing, and I wondered how. 

4. Hatchet

This one is about a kid who survived a plane crash and lived in the woods with his mom’s hatchet. It changed me because it was the first realistic (albeit unlikely) fiction that I enjoyed reading, and I didn’t have to drag myself through every word. They just sort of flowed. It opened me up to a world of realistic fiction. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a really bad genre because it has the worst of both worlds of fiction (not very educational) and nonfiction (engagement is limited by reality), but this book showed me it served a niche purpose, so I was a bit less hostile toward it. 

5. The Lord of the Rings 2: The Two Towers

This book pushed me to read more critically. I stopped wanting just “happy endings and started looking for more stories with real death and complicated characters. Another thing that surprised me was the depth of this book, in that the author created full languages just for this series. It introduced me to a whole genre that was completely new to me: Epic fantasy, where so much is at stake, you just have to see what’s on the next page. Without this book, I’d never have known about this genre. 

By Reese Van Remoortel

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I would say most girls have gone through the phase of wanting to read Little Women. The summer before 8th grade I went to Barnes and Noble with my mom and bought a beautiful copy of Little Women. It was a hardcover copy with pink and gold details, pages lined with gold, and a pink ribbon book mark. Me and my mom originally agreed to read it together, but we failed to do that as I read it all on my own very fast. Amy’s quote “ “Talent isn’t genius, and no amount of energy can make it so. I want to be great, or nothing.” stuck with me. It put the spark back into me after a hard 7th grade year.  It pushes me through any hardship and reminds me of my goals.  

 I want to be great in life, I want to do things that matter, and I’ve put that ambition into everything I do now.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

In 8th grade my English class was assigned this book. I remember going home and telling my mom the title of this book and that we were going to read this in class. She told me to be prepared, that the book dealt with lots of hard topics. I didn’t fully understand this until we actually started to read it. A book dealing with false accusations of rape against a black man in a racist town is challenging to teach to a class of 13/14 year olds. My favorite teacher, Mr. Kramer taught it incredibly well, and really had us reflect on our morals and how societal norms affect them. I remember feeling so angry at the town and their narrow minded thinking and racism. It made me want to fight for equality and justice. Writing the essay for this book helped me articulate my thoughts on what’s right and wrong. This book truly helped me realize that I am a person who wants to stand up for what is right. 

By Tryston Lambert

1. The One and Only Ivan– This story is the first book I was ever forced to read for school, which also made it the first book I ever didn’t want to read. I was not much of a reader before this so I wasn’t entirely happy with a book about odd circus animals. But when I actually read the book it felt deep. A gorilla taken away from his habitat only to be forced to live in a circus for the rest of his life is a cruel punishment which he never deserved. This book helped me to start understanding how books can reflect the real world we live in at a young age without making me view the whole world negatively. This revelation shaped my perspective on the world so that I could be more insightful about the world around me, helping me understand that I should look into things instead of just blindly believing.

2. The Narnia Series– This is the first series I have read and at the time the most challenging series to understand. The Narnia books are one of the only books I ever decided to read independently, and I was hooked. This book defines the fun of cozying up in a warm home and reading a nice set of books. I remember first picking up the book as a christmas present, thinking this was just another book I wouldn’t read. But one day, out of curiosity, I opened the first page and I was totally hooked. I didn’t have to dive too deep into the series to understand what was going on, and it was such a fun experience that made me feel as if I was right there in the story. The Narnia books were the first series I’ve read and the first book that made me feel as if I was in the world with the characters.

By Zea Arbuckle

Required Reading: Books That Changed My Life 

1. I Am Malala – Malala Yousafzai

I first fell in love with Malala, education, and feminism as a little girl, reading a shortened version of her story in “Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls.” For those unfamiliar, Malala is an extraordinary young woman who not only pursued her education during the Taliban’s restriction of women’s schooling, but actively challenged their unjust system through speeches and public critique. In turn, she was shot in the head, which she miraculously survived, and her story became global. As she was a childhood inspiration, when we were asked to read a book pertaining to the Middle East in World Studies this year, her memoir I Am Malala was my top choice. I was blown away by her beautiful storytelling skills. The way she blended her love of Swat Valley’s culture, people, and stunning natural beauty, filled with clear rivers and rolling hills, and the Taliban’s expanding restriction of women’s rights, while allowing both parts to exist simultaneously, was genius. Before I read her book, I felt fairly sure I understood the oppression of women in the Middle East, but there is such a difference between reading headlines versus firsthand accounts. Her story and life as an activist have had a profound impact on how my beliefs on gender equality were formed throughout my childhood. Moreover, now in my adolescence, I recognize what a privilege it is to have access to education. I push myself to learn because I know some women do not have that luxury. I push myself to be outspoken on uncomfortable topics because I know some women are silenced.

2. The Book Thief – Marcus Zusak

I can’t mention books that have changed my life without bringing up The Book Thief. This enthralling historical fiction is set in Nazi Germany and narrated by Death, who follows a young German girl named Liesel on her journey of stealing books and mentally escaping through them in the midst of the horrors of the holocaust. Her foster father also hides a Jewish man named Max in their basement, with whom Liesel grows immensely close with and the pair share books with each other. I grew so attached to each and every character. I felt like I genuinely knew and loved every single one of them, even down to the side characters. Zusak’s writing is so world-building and enchanting. I will warn you, as much as I absolutely adore this book, you couldn’t pay me to read it in full again. It left me in emotional tatters for nearly a week. The relationship building that Zusak is able to convey is absurd. This makes my required reading list in part due to the gorgeous storytelling, but mainly for the emotional connections I developed with the characters. This being said, I am (and always have been) a crier who can easily get caught up in a good story, so don’t let me scare you off too much. I promise the tears shed will be well worth it.

3. Born a Crime – Trevor Noah

I grew up watching The Daily Show, hosted by Trevor Noah. He tackled pop culture and politics with care and wit. To be honest, I didn’t start watching to educate myself on the issues themselves. I started watching because Trevor Noah was simply hilarious. Then I started being interested in politics, in part because he presented them in such an engaging manner. He brought all of that energy into his memoir, Born a Crime, an absolutely hilarious, entertaining, and eye-opening read. He discusses what it was like to grow up in South Africa during apartheid as a biracial child. Among other segregationist ideas, interracial relations were dangerous and forbidden by law. As his mother was a black Xhosa woman and his father a white Swiss man, before he was even born, his very existence was illegal. The book is distinctly personal, and by the time I was through with it, I truly felt like he was my friend. As I’m sure you can pick up on, I appreciate books where I can form relationships with characters beyond just understanding them. Also, the book itself was very informative and painted a vivid picture of what life was like living under white supremacy. Trevor Noah is an incredibly intelligent and gifted storyteller, and it can be seen in everything he does. From his news reports to books to podcasts, his work is constantly honest, gripping, and will never fail to make you laugh.

By Morganne Phelps

1. Amari and The Night Brothers by B. B. Alston

I never considered myself someone who enjoyed fantasy. While other kids my age could dive into a fantastical world, exploring mythical creatures and supernatural abilities, I couldn’t get past how childish it felt to me. Even though, no matter how hard you could’ve convinced me at the time, that I was in fact a child when I read this book, I couldn’t get past the unrealistic nature of the genre. I kept thinking there was no way the kids in my class actually believed in the stories of fairies and dragons. Even with my prejudice, I decided to try this book out, and it was one of the best choices I ever made for my reading. Alston crafted the perfect story that felt magical yet so realistic. The story covers themes of diversity, friendship, and perseverance, all while exploring a complex world filled with beings like fairies and aliens. This book had me on the edge of my seat during the plot twists, tearing up during the sad parts, and smiling along with the characters when they succeeded. To this day, I still haven’t read a fantasy book that brought me the same feeling I got when reading Amari and The Night Brothers, but that makes this book even more special to me.

2. The Loop by Jeremy Robert Johnson

Ive always been a fan of scary movies, blood and gore never made me queasy. In fact, during the pandemic, I would often crave the feeling of being slightly scared to fall asleep after watching another horror movie. However, this book was my one exception. I’d only read a handful of books that were “scary,” and I thought this one couldn’t possibly be that bad. Boy, was I wrong. I have never in my life been so terrified of a book until I read The Loop. I learned my lesson quickly after reading the first chapter in my room late at night. Johnson uses such vivid diction throughout the story that makes you feel every moment along with the characters. Even though I could only manage a couple of chapters at a time, I absolutely loved every minute of it.

By Arabella Chapman

Books That Shaped Me

1. Blueberries For Sal– Robert McCloskey

The first book I ever remembered reading was Blueberries for Sal. As a family, my mom was always very passionate about reading to my brother and I whenever she could. As we sat on my pink, brightly colored comforter, I pointed to the photos, trying to remotely understand what was going on in the book. Blueberries for Sal is a book about a little girl who goes berry-picking with her mom, gets mixed up with a bear on a mountain, and learns to stick close when exploring. When my mom got to the scene, where Sal got distracted picking blueberries as a kid, I just started to daydream about Barbies, but as I got older, I realized how similar I am to Sal. As a kid, I always used to get distracted wherever we were and wander off. I literally tried to get on a plane with a different family one time, which, similar to Sal, taught me to stay close by. I remember how badly I wanted to go blueberry picking with my mom after I read that book. I dreamed about running on the green fields, scooping up blueberries, and shoving them in my mouth, which were and still are my favorite fruit. Before I read this book, I tended to struggle with independence a lot, clinging to my mom’s leg all the time, making sure no one was separating me from her. Once I finished this book, I started to finally realize my tiny hands from her jeans and go wander off, which did become a problem as I said. As a teenager, I hate to admit it, but whenever I feel scared to go be independent, I think of Sal and how she wasn’t scared.

2. Anne Of Green Gables- Lucy Maud Montgomery

Anne of Green Gables was the first book I ever reread. As soon as I finished it, I picked it right back up. Even though I didn’t have hair like “carrots,” I remember feeling so connected to this little red-haired girl. Anne was known for struggling to fit in with others, which the little fourth grade me struggled with for so long. I was the one girl sitting on the swings, hoping a random friend would stumble my way to come play with me. A vivid memory of mine is reading how Anne made her first friend. I remember being so excited for her and for me because at the time, I was convinced that everything that would happen to her would happen to me. I sat in that same spot on the swings waiting for my Diana Barry to come sit and talk to me about how cool my dress was. As you can expect, I sat in that spot for a few weeks alone until a little girl came over and sat on the swing next to me. We sat there in silence for a little bit until she asked me if I wanted to be friends. I immediately said yes, and we played together that entire year until she sadly moved away. I thought of Anne, and how she introduced herself to Diana’s friend to make more, so I sat up and walked around to find friendly-looking girls and introduced myself. To my surprise, they said yes. I learned two things that day, the first being that everything that happened to Anne would not happen to me, and the second being to branch out even if you’re nervous. Don’t be that little girl sitting alone on the swings; go be Anne Shirley-Cuthbert.  

3. Divergent- Veronica Roth

The first day of seventh grade, my English teacher recommended the book Divergent. Being the kid I am, I went straight to TikTok and watched a lot of edits from the movies. Sadly, I got a massive spoiler alert, which made me very uninterested in finishing the book. My English teacher encouraged me to keep going; thankfully, I decided to listen to her. As I started the first book, I became obsessed with taking the book with me everywhere, which looked strange for me because I was not the type of kid to be reading this much. After I finished the first book, I skipped lunch and went right to English to find the second one, and then onto the third one quickly after. Right once I finished, I sat in my room thinking about what to do, but soon realized that no book up to that point had such a big impact on me. I would laugh at the funny parts, cry at the sad parts, and I think I still want to be like Trish a little bit. I began to realize I shouldn’t be looking for the next thing in life right after I finish one good thing; I needed to appreciate things more for what they truly are.

4. The Boy In Stripped Pajamas- John Boyne

Now, if you want to absolutely bawl your eyes out for hours, this is exactly the book for you. The first time I finished this book was on a plane, and I had to scurry to the bathroom to absolutely sob for thirty minutes. To say I was devastated by this book is an understatement. My jaw dropped to read that Bruno died along with Shmuel. I cried for days before I accepted their fates. Ever since we first learned about the holocaust, I became so fascinated and did so much research, as well as seeing how many books about the holocaust there were. To my surprise, there were only a few that I loved and found interesting, including this one. I immediately began to dissect this book and write as many notes as I could, treasuring it as much as I could. I keep the book in my closet, knowing it’s there whenever I need a good book to read. I recently reread this book and was immediately reminded of the memories that come along with it. The Holocaust will always be something that saddens me deeply, and to this day, I am reminded of the horrors of what they went through. 

5. All the Light We Cannot See- Anthony Doerr

Again heartbreaking story but absolutely incredible, one hundred percent one of my all-time favorite books. I cried for hours at the ending and became incredibly angry that, after that entire time, they decided to kill him off. I didn’t pick up the book for weeks, so incredibly upset with the author. All my friends encouraged me to give it to them, but I refused, not wanting to put them through the pain of that book. After another threeish weeks, I picked up the book and did exactly what I did with The Boy In Stripped Pajamas, taking notes and dissecting it, which I do with most of the books I absolutely love. After dissecting the book further, I began to forgive the author, realizing he did that for a very specific reason. If Maria-Laure and Werner were to end up together, it would be incredibly unrealistic for that time due to it also being during the Holocaust. In the end, even though it made me angry at first, this book taught me a very important lesson: that the universe can be cruel and introduce you to the right person at the wrong time. 

By Harper Farrell

One: The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling 

This book pretty much shaped my childhood and is in a lot of my childhood memories. Around second or third grade, my mom had heard of this book and thought I would enjoy it but she didn’t know a lot about it. Looking back this is incredible to me because, how can somebody not know about Harry Potter? She got the book from the library for me to read. Her and my dad would read it to me before bed every night; I would have never let them skip a night. We were so involved and in love with this book after just the first chapter and we couldn’t put it down. We read through the whole series in a couple years. After we finished each book we would watch the movie and then the next night, start the next book. I remember when I turned twelve I was so sad, quite literally crying, because I knew I would never get my letter. This was the first time I desperately wished a piece of fiction were real and felt like I needed to be in the book with the characters. Little did I know at the time this would happen with so many other books and movies and shows. I genuinely don’t think I would be the person I am today if I hadn’t read Harry Potter.

Two: Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riodan 

As an only child, books were my main way of entertainment when I wasn’t hanging out with my friends. Some books really captured me and, to this day, haven’t let go. Percy Jackson is one of those books. Percy Jackson was actually not the first, or the last, Rick Riordan book that I devoured. My obsession with this author’s books started in fifth grade, when I read The Red Pyramid; the first book of the Kane Chronicles. Now I can’t remember if we had to read it for school or not, but I do remember loving this book and the two that came after it. When I finished this trilogy my mom hunted down some other books by Rick Riodan for me. This is when I found Percy Jackson. I immediately fell in love with everything about this book and everyone in it. When I finished the first one I didn’t waste any time picking up the second (we had bought the whole set). I begged my mom to read it, even though it would be like a kids book to her, because I needed someone to talk to about my intense excitement and love for Percy Jackson. I don’t think this book necessarily changed me but it did give me something new to obsess about. Every summer when I was young my family and one of my cousins I was closest to would go camping. I distinctively remember reading the fourth book of this beloved series one summer. I also remember braiding a friendship bracelet with my cousin and putting in the book to braid instead of using tape. I think that bracelet is still in my book. Percy Jackson and all of Riodans other books sparked an interest in mythology for me. When we read Circe in English last year I was so excited because she was mentioned in Percy Jackson a few times. I liked Circe a lot and I felt like it was a more mature Percy Jackson book. Not only did Percy Jackosn sparked many new interests for me but also led to many more books being read. 

Five: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

This book honestly changed my life. I know that sounds extreme, but changes can be small. In my everyday life I don’t feel the effects this book had on me. However in my subconscious it’s lessons are always there altering my way of thinking. I have always dealt with procrastination. The second I started getting actual homework for school it became even more prominent in my life. I didn’t just deal with procrastinating my school work though. In a lot of aspects of my life I put things off or “waste time”. I don’t like the phrase wasted time, however when I am on my phone scrolling for an hour instead of writing an essay, I call that wasted time. When I got through this rollercoaster of a book, and all the crying that came with it, I was able to take a step back and think about the meaning behind the characters and plot. Life is a gift that we are given everyday and it’s up to you to live it. I absolutely adored everything about this book; the way it was written, the characters, and especially the lesson of living in the moment and not taking things for granted. I honestly don’t think about this book too much, but when I do, I really have to take a moment to think about and respect how much this book affected me.

By Gigi Blake

The Fault in Our Stars

When I was younger, I thought that stories, at least fictional ones, always had happy endings. I thought that was simply how they worked: characters had a problem, and then they fixed it. This illusion was shattered when I discovered The Fault in Our Stars, a story about the lives and love of two terminal cancer patients, in middle school. From the beginning of the story, it was made clear that the main character, Hazel, would face only death at the end of the book. So while I anticipated the result of the book, I had no idea about the result of me reading it. The Fault in Our Stars would uproot my entire concept of what made a story “right” and worth my time. Like in the book, the knowledge of the characters’ impending doom only made their moments of bravery, joy, and love all the more beautiful and profound. It taught me that stories could both be about pain and beauty, life and death, and how the journey of how we spend our lives is far more important and worthwhile than the end of our stories.

The Yellow Wallpaper

Last year, my English class had a unit on short stories, one of the stories we analyzed being The Yellow Wallpaper. I’d never been a fan of short stories, as they often felt underwhelming, and I was under the impression that a story couldn’t have much of an impact without lots of content, however, The Yellow Wallpaper proved that assumption false. It took maybe seven minutes to read, but I thought about it for a long time after I finished reading it, going back over the text not only to find things for my English class, but also because I was genuinely interested in rereading it. The content of it was so obscure and weird, written like a diary, and there was no way of knowing if what the narrator talked about experiencing was real, a hallucination, or a flat out lie. It was the first story I ever read with an unreliable narrator, one who was clearly being manipulated by the people she loved, and who described hearing and seeing things in the wallpaper. It messed with my head in the coolest ways, introducing me to an entirely new method of storytelling, as well as real life issues like the neglect of women in the healthcare industry. Additionally, The Yellow Wallpaper inspired me to read more short stories, expanding my world as a reader.

By Emma Crooker

My reading interests were drastically expanded when, in eighth grade, my teacher assigned Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet. This novel introduced me to survival fiction, a genre that challenged me to think critically about resilience and problem-solving. Brian’s determined survival in the wilderness fascinated me, and I enjoyed trying to imagine what he could do next. It seems silly, but as a kid who was bored in English class, it was the most exciting part of my day. Hatchet strengthened my ability to engage in more complex narratives and taught me appreciation for stories that explore human strength under pressure.

Another book that had an impact on me is The Raft by S.A. Bodeen. This novel deepened my interest in survival literature by presenting an even more intense and emotional situation. Unlike Hatchet, The Raft places its main character alone in the open ocean, where every moment is filled with uncertainty. The plane crash scene in particular remains vivid in my memory because it was the first time I was genuinely anxious for a character. Throughout this novel, I began to understand how authors use pacing, tension, and internal conflict to create a more involved experience. The Raft pushed me to read more maturely, noticing not only what happens in a story but how it is crafted.

Most recently, our summer reading book, A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers, introduced me to a different kind of reading experience. This book was focused not on survival but on reflection. It explores questions of purpose and satisfaction in a calm, contemplative world, which is very different from the chaos of survival narratives. When the robot Mosscap asked what humans need, it encouraged me to think about my own priorities, unlike earlier books that highlighted action and resilience. This novel showed me that reading can help guide personal reflection and emotional growth.

By Isabel Bathe Oyer

Fortunately, the milk… by Neil Gamin

One of my ear surgeries, my mom told me she had an idea. She pulled out a book with an orange cover and a funny name. She told me that she would read to me my entire surgery and that she would make sure not to leave out any words. After she read to me while I recovered, this quickly became one of my favorite books. Even though there were many more books read to me during surgeries, this book was the first, and it will always be the book I think of when asked what my favorite books are. This book is a staple in my life and one that I will definitely make sure my kids get the chance to read. 

Sister for Sale poem by Shel Silverstein

I don’t remember when exactly I came across this poem, but it was some time around the “I think it would be better if my little brother wasn’t in my family” stage. Obviously, I love my little brother, but he reached a point where he started to become annoying. At this time, I had found this poem, and I felt as if I could heavily relate to wanting to get rid of my little sibling sometimes. I would often joke about how it was a smart idea, and I think I even brought the idea up to my mom one time, which she quickly shot down. Even though I sort of wish she hadn’t shot the idea down, I’m grateful she did. I’m also grateful I found this poem because it helped show me that it’s totally ok to not particularly like your sibling at times. 

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

My mom had decided that, as a family, we would start reading together. This was after my parents got divorced, and I think she wanted to make sure that my brother and I still felt special and loved. She introduced us to the Harry Potter series. I instantly knew I wanted to keep reading these books. This series was amazing, and I quickly wanted to know what was happening at a faster pace than my mom was reading. So I stole the books from my mom and finished the entire series in a few months. I loved the books because of how magical they felt, and since my parents had just gotten divorced, it gave me a mystical land of my own to go to.