The Good Place (Complete Series) created by Michael Schur

 

The Good Place is a fantasy-comedy television series. The storyline primarily follows a woman from Arizona named Eleanor Shellstrop. In the first episode of the series, viewers learn that Eleanor Shellstrop has died in a tragic accident, and is now a member of “The Good Place”. This “Good Place” is a heaven-like paradise designed by “Michael”, an afterlife architect. Upon arriving in The Good Place, Eleanor realizes that the Architect has made a grave mistake. When she passed away, the Good Place mistook Eleanor for someone else with the same name, and accidentally switched the two women. Eleanor Shellstrop is an impostor in the Good Place, and must now do everything in her power to make sure she isn’t discovered. Through Eleanor’s journey, The Good Place explores many themes of ethics, philosophy, and morals.

The Good Place is an incredibly witty, entertaining show. It brings a lighthearted attitude to topics that would otherwise be considered fairly tragic. The dialogue, and the ways in which universally relatable experiences are incorporated into the plot are wonderful. The characters are all incredibly interesting and diverse, and the humor that each one brings to the story is top-notch. The storyline takes place during the present day in The Good Place, The Bad Place, and many other “places” in between. The main characters travel through multiple different dimensions on their journey to understand morality.

Though the various characters all come from uncommon backgrounds, it is not at all difficult to identify with them. The fact that the story is set in the present day adds to the relatability of the story, and the frustrations and delights that the characters share. As the story progresses, each character shows immense development, and the transformation is wonderful to watch.

Michael Schur is an American writer and producer who has created and written for many notable TV Shows such as The Office and Parks and Recreation. He is incredibly talented and creative, and the thought and detail he put into creating the various realms of the afterlife within this story is endlessly fascinating.

The Good Place is four seasons long, and each episode runs for approximately 20 minutes. While the show itself isn’t terribly inappropriate, it deals with quite a few complicated themes. There are lots of conversations within the show surrounding ethics, morality, and various interpretations of what is “right” and “wrong”. I would recommend The Good Place to fans of witty comedy aged 14+

Written by Asha M, grade 10 

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a beloved coming of age novel by Stephen Chbosky. The story takes place in the year 1991 and is narrated by a collection of letters written by a high school wallflower, Charlie. Staying true to his name, Charlie is generally shy and awkward. It’s made apparent that his specialties are reading, writing, and observing the world around him. In his many letters, Charlie tells the anonymous reader about his school life, friends, and family. Following the death of his close friend, Charlie is scared to go into the new school year alone. After all, Charlie just wants to fit in.

The main theme of this novel explores Charlie’s personal growth and development through high school. He learns to be more confident in himself as the story progresses. Charlie encounters love interests, family bondings and breaks, as well as unexpected friendships. Charlie’s narrated voice is witty, expressive, and emotional. As he transitions into a young adult, Charlie learns that his teenage life wasn’t so picture-perfect; full of drama and messy conflicts. His story is surprisingly heart-wrenching and deeply moving. You’ll find yourself rooting for Charlie as he endeavors on his journey.

In all, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend it to a friend. This novel isn’t just a typical teenage fantasy and depicts the realistic hardships that come with being an adult—not once did it feel cliché. In my opinion, the main protagonist is also easily relatable, making the story feel raw and personal. A lot of the mature topics in this book were a bit extreme and over-exaggerated, but overall didn’t get in the way of the main story.

Written by Isole K., grade 9 

Restart by Gordon Korman

“Lose your memory, find your life.” Restart is a realistic fiction novel by Gordon Korman. The book starts out with the main protagonist, Chase Ambrose, waking up in the hospital. He is greeted by many unfamiliar faces, one of which is a lady who claims to be his mom. However, when he tries to reach back into his memories, he pulls a blank. His memory was wiped clean in his fall from the roof. In his journey to regain his memory, he’ll find that he might not like who he used to be. Can he carve out a new path for himself in his eighth-grade year, or will the old Chase take over his new life? Along for the ride are Aaron and Bear, two jocks who are his “best friends,” Brenden, the president of the video club, Shoshanna, who has a grudge on Chase for ruining her twin brother’s life, and Mr. Solway, a cranky war veteran who received a Medal of Honor.

One element I love about this book is how, unlike other books, it doesn’t keep you in the know all the time. You’re just as confused and oblivious as Chase is. You know what Chase knows, and you learn as Chase learns (aside from some little snippets of information from when it switches perspective to other characters). Also, I noticed that leading up to and during the climax of the story I found myself rooting for Chase so much to win, and I felt so much emotion. They managed to make him a very likable character, and they gave him a very satisfying arc in which he grows so much as a character. Speaking of character, each of the characters has their own distinct personality and motivation, like Shoshanna’s stubbornness and grudge against Chase. Each one gets their moment to shine and share their opinion (and biases) when focus in the chapters shifts to them.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it, especially if you’ve enjoyed books like Fish in a Tree and Out of My Mind. It’s not a difficult read, and it only took a little less than three hours for me to finish reading it. I would recommend it for kids ages ten to fourteen. Even if you don’t like realistic fiction all that much, it’s still a great read! I’d give it four and a half out of five stars.

Written by Silas L, Grade 8 

Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Scarlett and Tella live on a small island with their cruel father ever since their mothers disappeared. Scarlett has always wanted to participate in Caraval but has been held back by her father and the arranged marriage she's tied to. One day Tella receives a letter with an invitation and they plan their escape to Caraval. However, once they arrive Caraval doesn't appear to be just a game. Her sister is kidnapped and Scarlett has to win the game in 5 days to get her back before she disappears forever. I liked this book because I love fantasy and the characters were very interesting. There were many mysteries needed to be solved. I highly recommend this book!

Written by Victoria Q, Grade 11

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Set in Jazz Age New York, The Great Gatsby is a historical fiction novel about the decline of the American Dream. What at first appears to be a story about glitz and glamor turns into a tragic tale about a self-made millionaire in pursuit of the woman he loved in his youth. The Great Gatsby is considered a classic of American fiction, and has even been called “The Great American Novel”. The storyline is narrated by Nick Carraway, a man from the Midwest who moves to New York after World War I in order to pursue a career in bonds. When he arrives in the city, Nick takes a house in the village of West Egg, and finds himself living amongst incredibly rich people with incredibly glamorous homes. Nick’s cousin, Daisy, and her husband, Tom, live just across the water in the village of East Egg. The three of them, along with Daisy’s friend Jordan Baker, and a peculiar man named Jay Gatsby, get into many antics together. The summer of 1922 is one that Nick Carraway will never forget.

The Great Gatsby highlights the glamor and allure of the Roaring 20’s while outlining many of the the shortcomings of the “American Dream”. Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald during the 1920s, the novel exhibits quite accurate language and settings for the time. However, the experiences of the characters in The Great Gatsby are not occurrences that many people are familiar with, as Nick and his comrades were much more fortunate than most during this era. This unique perspective gives readers an insight into the lifestyle and frame of mind that those in the upper class lived in during that time. Filled with symbolism and metaphor, The Great Gatsby makes for a wonderful reading experience.

I personally enjoyed reading this story, and found it very educational. I would recommend The Great Gatsby to readers aged 12 and up looking to learn more about American culture in the 1920s.

The Great Gatsby is 208 pages long.

F. Scott Fitzgerald was an American novelist, essayist, short story writer, and screenwriter, best known for his classic novels set in the Jazz Age.

Written by Asha-M, Grade 10

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Every summer Candance Sinclar’s family visits their private island on the coast of Massachusetts. During these summers she especially enjoys spending time with her three closest family friends, Johnny, Mirren, and Gat, a group she calls “The Liars.” A traumatic experience leaves Candance with impossible migraines and a loss of memory. As she attempts to recall her previous love and experience on the island, a dramatic plot twist enhances what she thought her life was.

While the book takes a bit of a slow start, the unexpected elements will leave you completely in shock. I thoroughly enjoyed this book because of how different it truly is. The style of the book isn’t as contemporary, as it has four parts that explain different years rather than chapters.

We Were Liars is a young adult fiction novel containing mystery and romance. The main teenage characters make you feel a part of their friend group while reading through their story. The book is 242 pages and is a quick read, especially the second half. This might be one of my favorite novels, but be prepared because it may leave you in a pile of tears.

Review written by Caitlyn C, Grade 11 

The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan

Pearl is keeping a secret. She is afraid to tell her mother that she has multiple sclerosis, a degenerative nerve disease with no cure. Pearl’s mother, Winnie, has her own secrets. She is haunted by a difficult past which she has kept buried for many years. The only person who knows of both secrets is Aunt Helen. One day, Helen tells Winnie and Pearl that she has a brain tumor. She says that before she dies she wants no more secrets. She makes them promise to tell each other everything that they have been hiding. So Winnie begins to tell Pearl about her past life in China, a life that she tried so hard to forget…

I enjoyed this book. Winnie has a very distinct and likable personality that shows throughout her storytelling. The author does a very good job describing certain Chinese family interactions and aspects of Chinese culture. Like Pearl, I have Chinese heritage but was born in America, and I can relate to many of the family dynamics and uncomfortable moments that she describes.

Review written by Jacqueline, Grade 10