Margin Notes

Make My Wish Come True by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick is a charming holiday romance that brings an inclusive perspective to a familiar trope. The story follows Arden, a Hollywood star returning to her hometown for a PR stunt involving her ex-best friend, Caroline. While the narrative leans heavily into the classic Hallmark formula, it also offers a heartfelt exploration of love, friendship, and self-discovery.

A significant aspect of the story is its portrayal of family and holiday traditions, particularly through the lens of Jewish characters. As Arden and Caroline navigate their rekindled relationship, the celebration of diverse holiday customs enriches the narrative, showcasing how traditions can shape personal connections and community bonds. The authors highlight the importance of family gatherings and shared rituals, illustrating how they can bridge gaps and foster understanding in the context of love and friendship.

While the story unfolds with a comforting familiarity, the warmth of Arden and Caroline’s relationship shines through, making it a pleasant read for those who enjoy light-hearted romances. The focus on LGBTQ+ representation adds a refreshing layer, celebrating diverse identities during a season often marked by connection and belonging.

For readers looking for a cozy escape filled with holiday cheer and a dash of romance, this book will fit the bill nicely. With its festive spirit and charming characters, it’s sure to bring warmth to anyone looking to celebrate love in all its forms this holiday season.

Chelsea Jeffcoat is an educator passionate about fostering inclusive and engaging learning environments. With a background in social studies and literature, she strives to make content accessible to a wide range of students, including those with unique learning needs. Dedicated to personal growth and community engagement, Chelsea enjoys sharing insights and recommendations to inspire both students and fellow educators. 

Jake is a middle schooler who loves rollerblading, musicals, and his Grandma. He’s got a big, beautiful heart which gives love away like the free samples at Walt’s Food Center… But he doesn’t eat the free samples anymore, and he punishes his body with strict exercise. The voice that’s taken up residence inside his head since he was bullied in grade 7 tells him he’s repulsive and that he’s not worth love or even a pretzel. As Jake shrinks, his problems grow. Something seems to be amiss with his grandma, and his mom who was always a distant raincloud of depression is suddenly starting to suspect something’s wrong with him. Plus, his hair is beginning to fall out…

Based loosely on the author’s lived experiences, Louder than Hunger addresses eating disorders, bullying, anxiety, and depression with thoughtful vulnerability. Perhaps most importantly for junior high readers, this book encourages readers to be themselves, because that’s what they – and the world – need most. Written in verse , this book can be read in a day and stay with you for a lifetime. As somebody who dealt with bullying and a negative inner voice in grade 7, I would have found understanding and help in this novel. The story sweeps you along with its sophisticated yet simply executed prose until you can hardly believe you’ve read 300 pages and cried twice. You know your students best, but I’d wager that most middle school classrooms would be a better place for having Louder than Hunger on the shelf.

Leah Friesen is a future teacher passionate about helping others find and grow their passions. Her other passions include painting, reading, and being among trees.

The Beauty of Us is a YA novel that unfolds at Thornton, a boarding school in Belltown, Ontario. It’s the start of a new school year and among the throng of teachers and students, we meet the story’s three main characters and narrators – Zahabiya, Leesa and Nahla.

Zahabiya is new at Thornton. Her mom died of cancer four years ago and she’s hoping for a fresh start. Leesa is maneuvering to cement her position with the elites at the school while secretly in a sexual relationship with a man 12 years her senior. Nahla, 24, is the new French teacher and residence monitor. Her excitement about her new job is tinged with sadness – her father has stopped speaking to her because she decided to live on her own, away from her family.

It feels like anything can happen at Thornton. Teenagers outnumber adults, and the lines of authority blur as the teachers, students and administrators mingle in close quarters. Adding to the feeling of precariousness is the school itself. Despite its good reputation, the food at Thornton is bad and the dorms are dilapidated.

The Beauty of Us is mostly “whodunit”, with a sexual predator standing in place of a murderer.  To uncover the perpetrator, Zahabiya and her friends use surveillance techniques while Zahra works to decode the cryptic entries in a notebook left by Sylvie Leblanc, Zahra’s predecessor who died suddenly over the summer. The suspense is infused with an element of the supernatural – Nahla receives regular visits from Sylvie’s ghost.

Zahabiya’s crew solves the mystery well before the last page, and we are left to watch the characters grapple with the fallout. These moments reinforced for me what I like most about this book: that the characters are not caricatures. The author, Farzana Doctor, doesn’t feel the need to make the story tidy for her readers. It’s not politically correct, or incorrect. There is no moralizing, or “I told you so”; no demons and no angels. It tells a story of a place, a time, an event and the people involved. And like in life, there isn’t an ending, but instead a transition, a turn of the page, and a new season.

Whitney Miller likes conversation, dancing, and being outside on a warm day.  A Haligonian exiled to Toronto for nearly 25 years, she is relieved to be back in the Martimes for teacher training at UNB.