“I’ve always had a thing for precocious heroines.”
Category Archives: fiction
The Hollow Land by Jane Gardam
“Books always gift us with something.”
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
“I really appreciate when authors tell stories about people — especially young people — connecting with their identities.”
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
“I genuinely believe that Reynolds has magical powers. One of my students (a self-proclaimed “hater” of reading) read this book for book club, finished it in one night and came in the next day to tell us how good it was. As an English teacher, this is the kind of thing I dream about!”
The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott
“Prescott’s novel is about the power of women, despite their oppressive environments. Even when imprisoned, raped, discriminated against, or silenced, women can overcome and fight back, often in ways that remain secret to those who oppress them.”
A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramée
“Connection is important. It’s how we learn. And, when we find ourselves caught in the middle of the good kind of trouble, then we aren’t alone.”
Five Feet Apart by Rachel Lippencott
“I’m not a doctor or scientist, so it’s not likely that I’ll be developing cures for various diseases any time soon. But, I do like to talk about books. So, when I can share voices and stories of young people who experience adversity like this, I make a point to do so. Maybe those young people will feel less alone because they see themselves in the literature they read.’
A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow
“With a focus on female friendships, social justice, and the power of identity — all with the magic of the sea sprinkled throughout — A Song Below Water is a unique blend of fantasy and reality.”
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
This Friday we have a guest blogger: please welcome District 323 community member, Amy Salamon! How can I leave my mark on the world? What do kids in 1450 Constantinople have to do with me? And who says ancient stories like The Odyssey are irrelevant when much newer and exciting media is being made? Fortunately, …
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Rosanne A. Brown
“The fantastical elements of A Song of Wraiths and Ruin will capture your imagination, but it’s the characters and their ways of surviving adversity that capture our interest and our emotions.”
Bago Book Talk Blog 