BY CHEYENNE PUETZ
In this beautifully written novel by Justina Chen, high school dream girl Terra Cooper is perfect. Well, almost. Born with a port wine stain—a reddish-purple birthmark—running down the side of her cheek, Terra has lived her whole life being judged as a freak, especially by her rude and judgmental father. After receiving countless laser treatments and going through daily makeup routines to try to mask her “flaw,” Terra begins to wonder when she will be able to please everyone and stop the stares being cast her way. When she meets Jacob, a Goth boy who knows how not being accepted feels, he makes her rethink what beauty really means. Jacob teaches Terra what really matters in life and shows her that she holds the power to control her own life. Taken on a journey of self-discovery, Terra has the choice to embrace every aspect of who she is, flaws and all, or let everyone around her determine how she sees herself. Much more than just another young adult novel, “North of Beautiful” is about learning how to accept people for who they are and not judge someone just because they do not look the way you want them to.
“12 Years a Slave”
BY ANGELA DELANEY
This film was released on Oct. 18, 2013 and is based on a true story. It is about a free black man, Solomon Northup, living in New York. Then one day, he was abducted and forced to become a slave. In the years that he was a slave, he faced many challenges such as one malicious slave owner, who threatens his life and dignity. In his twelfth year, Solomon Northup met a Canadian abolitionist that altered his life forever. Though it has won many Oscars such as Best Motion Picture of the Year and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, and was nominated for many more, it is rated R and is not suitable for immature audiences. However, this is truly an amazing and empowering movie that makes viewers want to pick up the memoir on which its based. “12 Years a Slave” earns 3.5/4 stars.
“The Kill Order” by James Dashner book review
BY LINDSEY RUSSELL
“Mark struggles to make sense of his new, post-disaster world in this prequel to ‘The Maze Runner’” (summary provided by Delacorte Press Publishing Company). In this dystopian young-adult fiction novel, Dashner expands on the disasters (sun flares) that ravaged the world prior to the main series “The Maze Runner.” Mark and Trina, the two main characters, must adapt to this new world (along with a few others) and a new, quickly-spreading disease of an unknown origin that is threatening the existence of the human race.
This book is fast paced, and I would highly recommend reading “The Maze Runner” series before reading this. The series has three books: “The Maze Runner,” “The Scorch Trials” and “The Death Cure.” Also, look out for the movie based on “The Maze Runner” which debuts in theaters Sept. 19, 2014.
A review of “Wonder”
BY JULIA WICKHAM
August Pullman is 10-year-old boy who is about to start middle school. Starting school can be a scary thing for anyone, but for August it’s especially frightening. August is just like everyone else except for one difference that makes kids run away screaming and adults cringe. August was born with a facial deformity. Told from not only the perspective of August but also from others who were touched by him, R.J. Palacio’s story creates characters you want to hug and people you can understand. Auggie tells his story of going to school for the first time with humor and childlike intelligence which makes “Wonder” a joy to read.
“It’s okay, I know I’m weird-looking, take a look, I don’t bite. Hey, the truth is, if a wookie started going to school all of a sudden, I’d be curious, I’d probably stare a bit! And if I was walking with Jack or Summer, I’d probably whisper to them: Hey, there’s the wookie. And if the wookie caught me saying that, he’d know I wasn’t trying to be mean. I was just pointing out the fact that he’s a wookie.”
In “Wonder,” August faces mean kids and mean adults, but he also encounters amazing friends that encourage and uplift him. This heartwarming book will make you smile and think about the characters long after you turn the last page.
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