SPECIAL SUMMER SERIES FROM FREDERICTON HIGH’S WRITING 110 STUDENTS
As the school year draws to a close, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for another year of dedicated work and commitment. With summer upon us, we hope you find time to relax and enjoy everything the season has to offer.
Every reader’s voice matters, and that includes the insightful and passionate voices of teenagers. We are thrilled to introduce a special series featuring recommendations from the talented Writing 110 students at Fredericton High School. These students, guided by their amazing teacher Liz Andrews, dove into their chosen books and emerged with thoughtful and engaging recommendations that reflect their unique perspectives.
This initiative is a celebration of young readers who are eager to share their thoughts with a broader audience. By providing an authentic platform for these students, we hope to amplify their voices and highlight the importance of diverse viewpoints in our reading community.
Starting next week, their recommendations will be posted every Tuesday throughout the summer and into the fall. We hope you enjoy this series as much as we do and find inspiration in the books that have resonated with these readers. Stay tuned to see what titles captured the hearts and minds of Fredericton High School’s Writing 110 students.
Thank you again for your dedication to literacy teaching and learning. Enjoy your summer, take time to rest and rejuvenate, and spend quality time with friends and family. And, as always, happy reading!
Author Amanda Peters is a mixed-race woman of Mi’kmaq and European ancestry who was born and raised in Nova Scotia. Her debut novel, The Berry Pickers, is an adult novel that delves into heavy topics so this interesting read is not for the faint of heart; however, for mature Grade 11 and 12 readers, it should be in your classroom. Peters shows her readers the ins and outs of trauma within the story of Ruthie, a four-year-old Indigenous little girl who disappears while her family is in Maine working the blueberry fields. Peters allows her readers into the minds and thoughts of the family mainly through the eyes and memories of Joe, the sibling closest to Ruthie in age. Peters uses the technique of flashbacks within this novel, and Joe shows readers in flashbacks the way he and his family deal with Ruthie’s vanishing. Joe struggles with many issues over his life— guilt, regret, grief, death, loss, anger, abuse, alcoholism to name a few —and readers will be captivated by the vivid descriptions and images that Peters carefully crafts. Readers can easily visualize what Peters writes and the words come to life on the page — this is a definite plus of the novel as a movie is taking place in the reader’s mind with every turn of the page.
The Nerdette Podcast, which is an interview show featuring people you either already love, or will be delighted to learn about, has started a new regular feature called “Burden or delight”.
Tori Spring is tangled in a mess of fake friendships and family issues. With such a complicated life and everything only getting worse, Tori can only seem to find solace in her blog. The chemistry of Tori’s situation may seem toxic, but she manages–until a series of Post-Its leads her to Solitaire, an empty blog… and Michael Holden. In the beginning, Solitaire seems to be a harmless organization, but of course, the blog’s impact crescendos, and leads to damage beyond anything anyone could’ve anticipated. Tori is certain that Michael Holden is involved, but she simply cannot understand what his role is within Solitaire and what their goal could be… and as the story progresses, she realizes that Michael Holden may be her only reliable friend. All the while, Tori must deal with her own mental health struggles, but she is determined to keep it together for her brother, Charlie, whose anorexia has left him dependent on her support.
Hanwell Park Academy recently hosted its second annual Student Film Festival to celebrate student learning and showcase the incredible talent and creativity of their middle school students. We were thrilled to receive an invitation to attend. The festival is an initiative started by teachers Megan Young-Jones, Stephen Stone, and Sara Stevenson, who aimed to foster traditions in a new school that would engage learners, provide an authentic audience, celebrate student leadership and achievement, and allow students to take pride in their accomplishments.
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a heartbreaking, inspiring, and insightful novel which takes place in 2011 Syria during the early Civil War. This book finds a way to fuse terrifying, devastating, unfathomable historical events with the innocence of youth, love, and relationships, ultimately humanizing complex issues and providing young readers a perspective that is both informative and relatable. Salama, the protagonist, is enduring something that many young, western readers will have never experienced, while giving a voice and story to many Syrian people who have undergone similar circumstances and have grappled with the same complexities and dilemmas throughout the ongoing civil war. Salama has lost so much already and is left to protect her best friend/sister-in-law who is pregnant with her niece, as well as the members of her community who need medical attention. She was studying to become a pharmacist, but her role in healthcare suddenly became much more than that. Katouh adeptly blends Salama’s youthful mind, filled with anxieties, dreams, and awkwardness, with the psyche of a traumatized, heroic figure which is fostered within Salama’s healer/protector identity. This story is anchored by a theme of fear and uncertainty. Salama fears what might happen if she leaves Syria, however, lives in fear every day she remains there. This feeling is something that many people can relate to, the uncertainty about leaving behind a context you feel the need to protect, or remain connected to, without thinking of yourself first. To me, this novel perfectly articulates this feeling and balances a love for Syria with a powerful, heartbreaking reality that is seeking refuge from your homeland.
Graceling is a fantasy graphic novel, written by Kristin Cashorein and illustrated by Gareth Hinds, that tells a story in the mythical land of The Seven Kingdoms. A king rules each of the Seven Kingdoms, all striving to maintain their own eminence and prowess over their kingdom. The gracelings, who are born with a specific talent, are what give the kings of the seven kingdoms their power. Meanwhile, there is only one way of distinguishing a graceling from the general public: by looking at their eye colours. Katsa, the blue and green-eyed heroine of the story, the niece of the king of Middluns, is graced with killing. The king of Middluns uses Kasta’s skill to his benefit, but in return, Katsa is left bitter, alone, and exploited. When the King of Middluns sends Kasta to yet another killing expedition, she encounters Po, a graceling who is the prince of Lienid with the skill of combat; Katsa is then drawn into a liberation quest across the Kingdoms.