Tag: high school

Punching the Air

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Amal is an artist, a poet, a sensitive soul trapped by his circumstances. He was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, and now he’s been sentenced to prison. In gorgeous verse, Punching the Air explores the harsh realities of mass incarceration, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the intersection of race and justice. Yusef Salaam, one of the coauthors, is a member of the Exonerated Five (formally known as the Central Park Five); he and Ibi Zoboi draws on his memories of being a falsely convicted teen to paint a beautiful, heart-rending picture of hope amidst tragedy.

What I loved most:

This book focuses on Amal’s time in prison. There are some flash backs to his life in school, and the night of the incident that landed him in prison, but it’s specifically a book about a teen being incarcerated. I recently heard the authors give the opening keynote at SLJTeen Live, and they mentioned that they are working with their publishers to get copies of this book into the hands of incarcerated teens. I love when authors and publishers are willing to do what’s right – in this case, that they are ensuring that the book will be accessible to the very population who will see themselves reflected in its content.

Another cool thing: the pages of this book are art. Not only is this story written in verse (an art in and of itself), but there are graphic elements on many of the pages. I read the story in an Advanced Readers’ Copy (thanks, Balzer + Bray!), so I’m sure the design will be a little different in the final book. However, the gorgeous layout added so much to the story.

Things to be aware of:

There is a decent amount of swearing in this book, as well as violent content.

Read this book if you like:

Novels in verse, criminal justice reform, artistic expression, books inspired by a true story

Book details:

  • Author: Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
  • Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  • Date of Publication: September 1, 2020
  • Age Recommendation: High school students
  • Look up Punching the Air on Worldcat to find it at a library near you!

K-Pop Confidential

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Candace has always kept her appreciation for K-Pop music on the down low. It seems like way too much for the Korean-American girl to also be into K-Pop. But when she finds out that one of the biggest labels in K-Pop is holding open auditions for the next big girl group in her home state of New Jersey, she takes the jump and decides to audition. She never actually thought she’d make the cut… but then she’s chosen to head to the label’s headquarter’s in Seoul for a training program. Will she be able to rise above the strained social dynamics between her potential group mates, the prohibition on dating, and the intensity of the K-Pop stans to become the next big K-Pop star? 

What I loved most:

This is literally a book that I opened with the intention of reading the first chapter or two before moving on to productive activities in my life… and before I knew it, I was halfway through. I just could not put it down! Books about singers/actors/famous people in the entertainment industry are my non-guilty pleasure (#sorrynotsorry), and I loved following Candace’s journey from standard American high school student to trainee in this super hard core program. I’m also here for any books about identity formation, and watching Candace reconcile who the label wants her to be with who she is on the inside is such a beautiful journey. Other bonus: this is an #OwnVoices book, which I’m always pumped about.

Things to be aware of:

Candace (and the rest of the trainees) are placed on a crazy-strict diet by the label. There’s a lot of problematic body expectations that are placed on all of the trainees, which I do think are an accurate depiction of the way that the entertainment industry treats people. It could be triggering/hard to read for people who have struggled with an eating disorder. 

Read this book if you like:

Books that suck you in right away, K-pop (obvi), the entertainment industry, following your dreams, I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee, summer reads

Book details:

  • Author: Stephan Lee
  • Publisher: Point
  • Date of Publication: September 15, 2020
  • Age Recommendation: High school students and young adults
  • Look up K-Pop Confidential on Worldcat to find it at a library near you!

Show Them You’re Good

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Show Them You’re Good explores senior year of high school for several different boys in Los Angeles. They are from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, attend two different high schools, and come from different levels of privilege, but they share the common journey of applying to college and preparing for life after high school. We see not only college applications, but the real life issues these kids face – immigration, sick parents, stable and unstable home environments, parental illness, relationships with girlfriends, relationships with each other. 

What I Loved Most:

This is a beautiful, quiet work. It is a meditation on a single year in these boys’ lives. This book is not only a reflection on the American journey of collegiate education, but also asks the reader to consider the similarities and differences between the boys’ journeys. The end of high school and beginning of college is such a weird year, fraught with both so much excitement about the future and so much nostalgia for the moment before it even passes. Hobbs does a great job of both showcasing the boys’ individual stories, and looking at the larger issues that impact them, like the political system, the college system, and how one finds their identity in a culture that places expectations on them from the moment they are born.

Read this book if you like:

Learning people’s stories, appreciating both differences and commonalities, reflection

Book Details: