Book Review - Glimmer of Hope

📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖

Glimmer of Hope

by March For Our Lives Founders

            On February 14, 2018 the lives of students, teachers and falculty at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida were forever changed when a gunman walked into their school, killing 17 people. Instead of wallowing in their grief, various students began to take action and came together to fight for gun control and formed March for Our Lives. On March 24, 2018, just 5 weeks and 3 days later, their protest took place not only in Washington D.C., but all over the world. This is the story of how they got there.

            An impactful, collaborative collection of stories written by the teens who organized March For Our Lives. These individuals include Jaclyn Corin, Cameron Kasky, David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez, and Alex Wind. Each organizer shares how they felt after that tragic February day, why they decided to get involved, and how they felt on that remarkable March day. Those sensitive to the topic of gun violence may want to pass on this one (though the focus isn’t the day itself) but others should not miss this inspiring read.

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Book Review - Life Inside My Mind

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Life Inside My Mind

ed. by Jessica Burkhart

“A mental illness is a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling or mood. Such conditions may affect someone's ability to relate to others and function each day. Each person will have different experiences, even people with the same diagnosis.”

https://www.nami.org/learn-more/mental-health-conditions

            Nobody is immune to mental illnesses. In this anthology authors share their experiences with various mental health including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These experiences are either with their own mental illness(es) or that of a family member or friend. Each person’s story is different, even those who live life with the same diagnosis.

            Each contributor does a wonderful job sharing their story. Different stories will have different effects on each reader. Just like how no two people experience mental health the same way, no two readers will experience each essay the same way.

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Book Review - We Are Displaced

📖Recommend for Grades 7 and up📖

We Are Displaced

by Malala Yousafzai

            *Refugee (n): a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution.

            Malala Yousafzai is an advocate for girl’s education and Nobel Peace Prize winner. She is also a refugee, forced to leave her home in Pakistan with her parents and brothers. In this book, she shares not only her story but brings together the stories of other girls who are refugees. The road to safety for these girls was not an easy one. Some were separated from their family by who was granted asylum and who wasn’t, while some had family who died along the way. Some may break your heart, while some may also inspire. What all these girls have in common is that for their safety, leaving their home was their only option, and Malala choice to help share their stories.

            The topic of refugees is a big one today, making this an important read. It is an odd feeling knowing the stories these girls share happened in recent history. As the narrative is broken down into individual stories, this makes it easy to stop and process each story before going on to the next one. Malala also prefaces each section with how she came to know these girls and decided to share their story.

*Definition taken directly from Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online

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Book Review - Shout

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Shout

by Laurie Halse Anderson

            Laurie Halse Anderson is an award winning author who is now sharing her personal story. Maybe you are familiar with her books (Fever 1793, Ashes, Twisted, Wintergirls, Prom, and Speak), maybe you are not. Anderson’s story in Shout is similar to Melinda’s in Speak. She is a survivor who no longer wishes to remain silent and is now calling for others to also speak up and take action. Most importantly, allowing others to know that they are not alone. 

            This is a beautifully written novel in verse. Anderson shares her experience, the downward spiral her life took after it, and pulling herself together again. With the subject matter being on the tougher side, this read may be difficult for some at the present moment or overall. For those who can handle the topic addressed, this is highly recommended.

            Read the review for the graphic novel version of Speak here.

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