Teenagers face a great deal of growing pains when it comes to family, relationships, and their future life ahead. Love, Hate, and Other Filters, written by Samira Ahmed, tells the story of a young American-Indian-Muslim woman, named Maya who goes through the trials of growing up in the Midwest with traditional parents and new American values. Maya with traditional parents and new American values. Maya grows up in a very strict household often not being able to uphold her parents expectations, when all she wants to do is be a normal American teenage girl. She really just wants to hangout with friends, film everything she can, and date the boy of her dreams. All while experiencing many instances of islamophobia all demonstrated by one boy at school. While reading this book the thing that surprised me the most was definitely just how strict her parents were. Maya had really wanted to go to NYU for film school and she ended up having to choose between her dream or her parents, ultimately she pursued her dream and her parents disowned her. This was somewhat hard for me to understand because something that Maya should have determined was so easily willing to be thrown away by her parents. Although the tense plot with Maya’s parents, my favorite part about the book was the way in which it was told. It was given this sort of modern feel. I loved how the author incorporated various text messages, emojis, new reports, and stories to add to the overall style of the book. After this book I definitely learned more about the reality of minorities living in the United States. I had known before of their struggle but this helped me understand it from someone around my age's point of view. Samira Ahmed does a wonderful job of portraying the story of a young girl trying to find herself amid all the chaos of growing up in a small American town. I like how she brought light to things that teenagers had never thought of or understood until after reading. “Even if we lived in India, I would still be who I am and want what I want. Geography wouldn't have changed that.” by Amelia D.
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Being vulnerable and honest are great strengths to have. They help you gain the perspective of others. The book All These Wonders by The Moth displays numerous ways to open up in both comedic and serious ways. The Moth is a non-profit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. In All These Wonders, there are 45 different stories. Each story was specially selected by The Moth to be included in this book. Instead of chapters, there are 7 different categories. These categories are The Eternal Music of Spheres, Things I’ve Seen, Keeping the Lid On, Grace Rushes In, Like a Man Does, To Face the Fear, and By Every Claim of Love. Each of these sections has both lighthearted, eye-opening, and depressing stories. The main point of The Moth is to give people the opportunity to open up, be honest about the person you were in that time frame, be vulnerable, have an emotional weight lifted, and so much more. This book was incredibly enlightening. The story that has stuck with me the most emotionally is called, “R2, Where are you?”. “R2, Where are you?” tells the story of a girl named Tig; who lives with her mother and step-father. Tigs mother was incredibly supportive and emotional… on the other hand, her stepfather Rick was cold and blunt. Tig dropped out of high school and pursued becoming a standup comedian. Rick told her, “... my career was a waste of my time and a waste of my intelligence, and he thought I should become a doctor or lawyer”(141 Notaro). Reading that line almost crushed me with disappointment. It reminded me of the school system. Yes, the school system cares about our livelihood; however, they want us to go to college to live a life with stable money, stable hours, a stable house, stable family, etc. Don’t get me wrong, that would be a very comfortable and safe life to live… but don’t we want more? More with our lives? To pursue our dreams? Just some food for thought. Moving along, Tigs mother grows very ill and passes quickly. After the funeral, Rick begins to break down, and he apologizes to Tig. Apologizing for how he treated her, and he felt remorse because he didn’t understand her. Rick tried to push his life route onto her because he thought that would be for the best. When Rick opened up to Tig he created an opening for a new type of relationship. He removed the barrier blocking a connection between them, which created a path to each other. Feeling defenseless is uncomfortable. But it is something humans need to do to understand each other. This book has stories from a teenager feeling nervous for her friends to see that she enjoys having deep talks about the stars, to a man trying to keep his family in the U.S. to protect them from their past nightmares. Telling those stories would have been nerve racking yet relieving. People suppress stories and emotions to keep from reliving the past but all they’re doing is keeping themselves in the same spot mentally. We have to open up about our past and be vulnerable to truly be able to move on. “In the deepest, blackest night of despair, if you can get just one pinhole of light… all of the grace rushes in.”(166 Sandstrom) by Sally L. Being gay isn’t a choice, people can not help who they like and they should not have to hide who they are. Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens is a story following the life of Nima Kumara-Clark. Nima is a young teenager with an average life, she lives with just her dad after her mom left with unusual circumstances. Nima has two main friends Charles and Ginny who Nima has a crush on. After Nima’s failed attempt to tell Ginny her feelings she goes through a downward spiral until the carnival comes around. Nima goes to a show called punk poetry where she is captivated by the performer. Nima’s sleepy life suddenly changes when she finds herself at a drag show at the carnival which ends up leading her into what seems to be a whole new world.“But I told myself if I could just get past my house and hammock without being sucked in by the guaranteed comfort, something else might be waiting for me on the other side, something that might color me outside the lines and flow into other parts of my life.” As the story progresses we see Nima struggle to keep her normal life and her new exciting life together along with finding out the real reason her mom left. I was really surprised at the characters of the book each one was so different from anything I had ever read and it made them feel real. I have never read a book that was about characters struggling with their identity and being exposed to the LGBTQ community. I thought that the LGBTQ community was accurately interpreted without over- exaggerating the whole community. It surprised me how much I related to Nima as a character, her anxiety really made sense to me because of the drastic changes her life takes. Gordon Grant’s character development surprised me because, in the beginning, I thought he was the typical bad guy with no character ark. As the story progresses we see him change his views and even learn that he is struggling with his self-identity. It was really refreshing to read a book that accurately presented the LGBTQ in a positive, not over the top way. This reading without walls was supposed to be about finding stories with characters who you don’t relate to, however, while I relate to some aspects of Nima there are other aspects of her life I don’t. Nima had never known how big the LGBTQ community was, I on the other hand knew how big the community was and how for the most part they are very welcoming and friendly. Throughout the book, I saw Nimas’ way of thinking change. In the beginning, she was fine about her sleepy life but after the drag show, she began to want to explore more of the world she thought was small. I also really enjoyed reading about the character Gordon Grant, I felt like he represented people who don’t feel comfortable in their own skin but they aren’t able to explore who they are without judgment from their peers. Overall this story was a great book to read and it really captivates the reader. I would recommend this story to anyone who is struggling with their identity or anyone who wants to read a good book. by Olivia S. At some point in most people's lives they’ve wished that things could be different. Less financial stress, where they live, or how they look. In “I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika L. Sánchez the main character Julia struggles with the feeling of change. Julia resented her altered life after her older sister Olga died due to a bus accident. Still, she wanted her life to be something else, something good. She had dreams of going to school, for writing, in New York. Throughout the book she talks about all of the problems going on in her life. First and foremost, Olga’s sudden death, leaving a huge impact on her mother, Amá, and her father Apá. This transformed her whole family dynamic. As she grieves, she becomes obsessed with her sister's life. While struggling with financial difficulties, pressures from family, and anxiety and depression; she unravels her dead sister's hidden life. The author wants us to know that every person has an internal battle going on that you might not know about. Each main character in the book had a conflict that wasn’t revealed right away. For example, Julia’s mother had a tragic incident while crossing the border. Juanga, Julia’s friend, was kicked out of his house by his parents for being gay. Julia originally didn’t like him, but after spending more time and learning stuff about him she realized he has problems too. This book had a considerable number of unexpected events going on from beginning to end. It really surprised me when Julia self-harmed by cutting because she had never mentioned thoughts of suicide or self-harm. The author was bringing us in that direction though seeing as Julia was constantly talking about how much she hated her life. She mentioned multiple times how she was hungry, and never had privacy or trust from her parents. This was challenging to imagine since my parents have always given me those necessities and a safe environment without me asking. Something I also noticed while reading; she was giving signs of depression throughout the story. However, not many noticed or tried to help until she went to the hospital from self-harming. One of the only characters who truly saw her pain and talent with words was her teacher, Mr. Ingman. He gave her words of encouragement that she hadn’t heard before when he said, “You were one of the best students I’ve ever had, and I want to see you do well. You have to get the hell out of this neighborhood. You have to go to school. You can become something great. I see it in you. You’re a fantastic writer” (Sánchez 168). While this motivated her greatly, those words had never been said to her. This confirmed that not everyone cares enough to notice the little things before it’s too late. I usually don’t read this genre or type of literature. Nonetheless, it taught me much about the inequalities of life. I’ve always been grateful and appreciative for what I have; this book showed me more insight to what everyday life is like for someone in Julia’s position. The story made me feel inspired that someone can still work hard and never give up their dreams. Despite the odds stacked against them. Julia found wonder and light in the smallest things like fresh tortillas, the smell of books, and being outside. It gives me hope that, though it might not seem like it, circumstances can change for the better. Finding beauty in the things you enjoy, no matter how small, can enrich your life. by Thea S. What is life like in the eyes of other peoples? This story just goes to show how much different someone’s life is two countries away. This story takes place in the present Barrios in Guatemala. The story is told by both Pulga and Pequeña who are cousins. Chico, Pulga's brother, is also part of the group. The three are faced with hardship everyday. People around them are being forced to join gangs or are getting killed. They decide that they can no longer live this way and set off on a treacherous journey for a better life. Leaving their families is difficult already but the path ahead will be much harder. Many dangers lie ahead of them including riding atop the dangerous trains called La Bestia (the beast). There is no turning back. The book was surprising when I read it because I had no idea the journey to America is so difficult. It was so unbelievable to me that people do this everyday. These people come from terrible places and face the risk of death even to escape. Most of the time, when people actually end up reaching the border to the United States they will be sent back to their countries from where they fled. I want to learn more about the lives of real people who have gone on this journey and have yet to go on this journey. This story hit me pretty hard. I felt a lot when I read it. I could not believe how tough life is for people south of the US. The journey is unimaginable, I can’t even begin to wrap my head around how stuff like this happens on the daily. It breaks my heart that most people set off on this trip and almost reach their destination only to be turned away. I felt my satisfaction with the US dwindle a bit. When I started reading this book, I had no idea the impact it would have on me. I just wanted to keep reading it. I have never read a book this fast in my entire life. After reading this, it has opened up my world by only showing it to me through something the size of a keyhole. It is an amazing story to follow and I would recommend it to everyone. By Julia S. “Maybe it's the desert, maybe it's the closeness of life and death, maybe it's the tension between the two cultures we carry inside us. Whatever it is, I'll never understand it unless I'm close to it" (Cantú 23.) Being from a Mexican immigrant family can be difficult. Francisco Cantú spent four years in college studying international relations and learning about the border through policy and history but was in search of more. The Line Becomes A River is a novel about Francisco Cantú and his journey as a Border Patrol agent. Cantú needed more than to just learn about the border through books and history, so he signed up to be a Border Patrol agent. Throughout reading this book it became clear that Cantú wanted his readers to understand how the border really is. He wanted his readers to understand what Border Patrol agents went through on a daily to ensure American citizens are safe. While I was reading through Cantú’s book I was in awe of his bravery. I was extremely shocked when I learning he had chosen to become a Border Patrol agent even after his grandma left Mexico to come to America. I know he explained his reasoning to his mom in the book for wanting to become a Border Patrol agent, but I am still trying to wrap my mind around why he would want to handle dead bodies and take living detainees to detention centers when those people are part of his heritage. This book really confirmed my thinking about how complicated things on the border really are. Cantú did a really good job of showing how gruesome the border can be not just for immigrants trying to get to a better life, but also for the Border Patrol agents. This book has changed my thinking towards the U.S. Border Patrol because of José Martinez’s story in the last part of the book. José left the U.S to go back to Mexico to visit his dying mother and was arrested trying to come back in. Although he was undocumented, I still feel it is so unfair because he wasn’t trying to hurt anyone. José was just trying to make a living for his family working as a maintenance worker in a market in the U.S. My favorite part of the book was the ending when Cantú added in José’s perspective. This was my favorite part because we were able to see the other side of José. by Kyleigh B. I never realized how fast you could become in love with a stranger, until I read Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. Eleanor and Park is a book that alternates between Eleanor’s perspectives and Park’s perspective. Eleanor is a 16-year-old girl with curly red hair, and Park is a half- Korean, 16-year-old boy. They meet each other on a school bus on Eleanor's first day at the school and gradually connect through comic books and mixtapes of '80s music, sparking a love story. Park grows to love Eleanor and Eleanor learns to understand Park. What surprised me the most is how close Eleanor and Park grew throughout the story. In the first chapter of the book Eleanor got on the bus for school, and had nowhere to sit. Park hesitated but eventually let her sit with him. The next few chapters Park and Eleanor became very close. I was challenged because of how much Eleanor and Park became to like each other, it didn’t make sense. Eleanor had horrible conditions at her house with her abusive stepdad and tiny home. She was also bullied everyday. Where as Park fit in with all the popular kids at their school and his home was filled with love. However, I noticed that the author was trying to get people to understand that there is more to people than what is just on the surface. Eleanor may have dressed weird and had not many nice things, but she was so much more than just a chubby, quirky girl. The same goes for Park. His father was a very masculine guy and took pride in it. So park put on a fake appearance of being tough and rugged, when really he was very insecure about his size and heritage. This book changed me in many ways. It taught me about understanding that people are much more complex than what you may think. I learned that just because people dress differently or act different doesn’t mean they are weird or different at all. In this story Park fell in love with a girl who he thought was weird, which shows how alike everyone is. I learned so much from this book. I learned that the saying “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” has such a deep meaning and is so true. I’m a person who used to judge people before I really even knew who they were. After reading this book however, I have changed my ways. I truly understand how unique people can be and how much they have to offer when you really get to know them. This book has changed me forever and changed me for the better. I will never again judge a person because of their looks or how they dress, but by what kind of person they are, deep down. I'm a completely different person because of this book and I can’t believe the effects it had on me. This book is going to help me for the now, and for the future. I feel that because of the relationship Eleanor and Park had I am able to connect with people on a much deeper level. by Lane R. The title itself is plenty to explain the story, it's confusing yet seems to make sense at the same time. Not only does it provide an interesting read, but is also beautifully crafted to make someone question their outlook on mental health and their assumptions of people. John Green’s book Turtles All The Way Down uses high school romance, friendship, loss, and mystery as the background for an interesting story that takes a look into the mind of a 16-year-old girl suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder. With that, the book provides this look into Aza's mind by having her tell the story. By that, I got to "see" the seemingly wild thoughts of someone diagnosed with OCD. In my mind, the book was... odd... to read as there is a lot of focus placed on recurring ideas and lines as well as metaphors, which make the book a bit repetitive. However, I think this is outshined by the fact that this is how Green depicts Aza's OCD and does a fantastic job of it due to his personal experience with OCD. As far as the book changing my thinking goes, I think it's done a brilliant job of making me question why with most books that I have read, do mental problems never get brought up in any sense. Perhaps I just need to expand my horizons and read some more books like this. All in all, the interesting combination of genres and characters makes for an eye-opening read. A major piece I've taken away from this has to do with one of Green's quotes, "Your now is not your forever". I think this is quite self- explanatory, but being able to have examples to apply it to and being able to read it makes it inspiring. Anyway, reading this book has helped me question lots about what I read. With that, I've realized that there is quite a lot that I can change having to do with my outlook on mental illness and peoples' problems in general. Basically, I need to read more that have to do with peoples' different situations in life and learn more about what those people have to deal with so that I can apply that to my ideas and thought process. by Max W. 1⁄3 of America’s population is living below the poverty line and it’s almost impossible to get out. With a ruthless economy that keeps them stuck and only serves the 1%, as well as everyday life that becomes tremendously harder without the cushion of money, Linda Tirado, author of Hand to Mouth, explains the hardships of being poor in the United States. She also tackles the many stereotypes that people associate with being poor, explains all aspects of living life being poor, and how society treats them. Linda Tirado wants to explain to us what living in poverty is like, how simple it is to treat people with respect, and how “destructive behaviors” aren’t really destructive at all. I think that it’s important for everyone to read this to get a small glimpse into understanding a person's life along with experiences and to stop judging. It has shown me things like how the United States doesn’t do a lot for the poor and that minimum wage isn’t liveable off of, or how a lot of people view poor people as being lazy. Tirado does a very good job explaining the stereotypes as well as the difficulties of being poor, her explanations and personal experiences give you a view into what it’s like. She also does a very good job explaining the hardships of working a minimum wage job, and how big corporations prey on their workers, giving them little to nothing for the long, hard hours of the job. This book gave me a different perspective on life relating to money and how society treats those who are poor with disregard and push ugly stereotypes onto them. I think the main point of the book was to get people who aren’t poor to understand and to realize that being poor doesn’t make someone “lazy” or “unmotivated” to work, but instead that they are tirelessly working against a system and a society that views them as such. Tirado quotes, “I am not asking for sympathy. I am just trying to explain, on a human level, how it is that people make what looks from the outside like awful decisions.” by Ramsey Z. Conflict with family is inevitable and can be incredibly difficult to deal with at times, especially if that conflict creates a rift between you and the ones you trust most. Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake is the story of bisexual teenager, Mara McHale, and her inseparable twin brother, Owen. Ever since they were little, they’ve spent nights together on their roof staring at the night sky and sharing stories based on the constellations. After one wild night of drinking and partying, Mara’s friend, and Owen’s girlfriend, Hannah accuses Owen of rape. Despite their parent’s convinced by Owen’s pleas of innocence and how much Mara wants to believe him, she can’t shake the feeling that he’s holding something back. This creates a rift between the two, as well as between Owen and his best friend Alex. Broken-hearted and desperate for comfort, Alex and Mara go from just friends to something more while trying to distract themselves. And to make matters more complicated, Mara’s relationship with her best friend, and former girlfriend, Charlie is strained. Navigating this new terrain, Mara must come to terms with her traumatic past, confront the difficulty of sexual assault, and decide where Charlie, Alex, and Owen fit into her future. Girl Made of Stars addresses the uncomfortable topic of sexual abuse while answering difficult questions surrounding it. However, the book brings so much more into perspective. It also addresses the subjects of complicated relationships, self-identity, and overcoming high school drama. When Owen is introduced, it’s easy to grow attached to him as Mara’s dorky, loveable twin brother. This made it harder for me as the reader to comprehend the possibility of him committing rape because it completely contrasts with his personality. Even so, this conflict allowed me to better understand Mara and the difficult position she’s in throughout the story. I chose to read Girl Made of Stars by Ashley Herring Blake because I was interested in a book with an LGBT+ main character. The characters show wide varieties of diversity and I was fascinated by how similar yet different they all were. It was particularly interesting to read about Charlie, who struggles with accepting herself while interested in girls. Her parents are aware and supportive of her sexuality, but have no idea she’s questioning her gender identity. This was eye opening for me, as I haven’t thought much about people coming out more than once and how that can be just as difficult and just as scary as coming out the first time. I was also interested in the topic of sexual assault, as it’s sadly common in today’s society. Although being a female and knowing someone who’s been through sexual assault, like Mara, I can’t imagine what it’s like to be in that position. It was also eye opening to read about Hannah’s experience because it never occurred to me that rape could occur within a consensual relationship. This changed my viewpoint on how sexual assault can occur and that the situation isn’t always black and white. Despite the challenges Mara encounters, I admire her audacity and courage when it comes to facing those difficulties head on. Quote: “And I’m not sure I ever will recover from what Mr. Knoll did. Not fully. It’s changed me forever, but changed doesn’t have to mean broken. And I know my family will never be the same either. My brother’s and my connection has been altered, never broken but twisted into something I never expected, never wanted. We’re no longer the twins in the sky, and I have to figure out how to live with that,” (Blake, 270). by Jenna H. |
AuthorSTenth grade students at Decorah High School share how they're reading outside of their own experiences and how it has changed them. Categories
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