By Tamara Najia, Year 10
If you are trying to find the perfect novel that has the depth and intensity you are looking for or if you simply want to read for fun to expand your mind and imagination but you have no idea where to start, here are a few recommendations from pupils at our school!
All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony Doerr
All the Light We Cannot See is written by American novelist Anthony Doerr and is a historical fiction war story. This novel tells the story of a blind French girl and a German boy who meet in France when they both attempt to escape World War II’s devastation. In 2015, the novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The story is described as one of hope and resistance.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
Stephen Chbosky’s novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower is young adult fiction. Charlie, the protagonist, is a fifteen-year-old boy who writes the novel in a series of letters to an unidentified “friend.” I’ve read this novel several times and highly recommend it since it depicts the narrative of a boy my age and his struggles, as well as telling a very profound and complex story.
Wuthering Heights
Emily Brontë
If you enjoy classic novels like Jane Eyre or Huckleberry Finn, I highly recommend Emily Brontë’s work Wuthering Heights. The story is centered around the main character, Heathcliff, and his life. Heathcliff progresses through the ranks of his adoptive parents before being demoted to a servant position and fleeing when the young woman he loves marries somebody else. He reappears later in life, wealthy, and vows to express his vengeance on the families. The novel’s central topic is good versus evil, with the ultimate lesson being that love is painful.
All The Bright Places
Jennifer Niven
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven is a fiction novel about mental illness and loss and its powerful effects on the person suffering. This is shown through the main characters, Finch and Violet, two high school students. Throughout the novel, we pick up a lot about Finch’s character and how heartbreaking it is to see his behavior change throughout the novel. The novel truly makes the reader feel touched and leaves them heartbroken.
Shatter Me
Tahereh Mafi
Tahereh Mafi’s fantasy dystopian novel Shatter Me is set in the future, and there are a total of 11 books in the Shatter Me series! The story is about Juliette, a 17-year-old girl with a deadly touch, meaning she kills anybody who comes in contact with her. Juliette is in a mental institution after killing a child.
Looking for Alaska
John Green
Looking for Alaska is a novel written by John Green, an American author who has written many famous novels such as The Fault In Our Stars and Paper Towns. I highly recommend this novel as not only is it my favorite novel of all time but it also tells such an upsetting story and is beautifully written. It contains some of the best quotes I have ever read and will never forget. This book is set in two timelines, before and after, and slowly leads up to the dramatic climax of the novel. It tells the story of Miles, a teenage boy who is about to attend a private boarding school, where he meets a group of friends and a girl named Alaska.
Little Women
Louisa May Alcott
Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women was published in 1868 and is a coming-of-age story. Little Women is a literary classic about four sisters, Beth, Jo, Meg, and Amy, as they grow from childhood to womanhood. It is set in Massachusetts and begins with the explanation that this is their first Christmas without their father, who is serving in the Union army during the American Civil War.
Interview with Ava Pariente
The Express interviewed Ava Pariente, year 10, about the values of reading and what she would recommend to her fellow classmates.
- Do you think reading is important, if so why?
Reading is definitely super important because not only does it educate us in a sense that we accumulate a more varied vocabulary, it is also a pastime that is healthy for the brain and can be used as a form of escapism. Books can also portray many experiences and issues, and make you understand the seriousness of them, or simply the different choices you have with them.
- What is your favourite book and why?
Out of all the books I have read, it is definitely super hard to say which one is my favorite. Some of the best ones for me personally include Crescent City by Sarah J. Maas. It’s a fantasy book that helps you escape into a completely different universe and when you read it, you don’t have to focus on real-life, only on the book. I also loved Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard because of its dystopian world, and Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë is my favorite classic because of the complexity of the characters. A fun comedy book I would recommend is Red White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston because it’s funny and lighthearted.
- How would you encourage reading?
I would say that first, you need to find the type of genre you like. If you find the correct one, there’s a big chance you will enjoy reading. It can be hard to find it, but when you do, it makes you enjoy reading a lot more.
- How many books do you recommend reading a month?
It really depends on how much you enjoy reading, and how much free time you have on your hands. Personally, I read around 3-4 books per month, because I only read on weekends, and not during the week. If you do not particularly enjoy reading, I would start with 1 per month.
- What made you start reading?
As a kid, my mom was constantly reading stories to me, so as soon as I could read, I would pick them up myself. I was pushed to read as much as possible until I could pick up a book and read it with no encouragement.
- Did reading help you improve at school (e.g. with english essays)?
I would say definitely. Reading has enlarged my vocabulary, and that has increased my grades. It also gives me more of an imagination if we have to write a story of some sort.
