If you’re looking for an insightful book into the experiences of young girls and how “femininity” is pushed upon them, look no further. Cinderella Ate My Daughter is another incredible release from an author who is pretty familiar to Harker students: Her works have been featured in previous Re-Create Reading lists!

With lyrical writing and a heartbreaking plot, The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue is perfect for artists and storytellers. If everyone you meet forgets you, how do you leave a mark on the world? After making a deal with the darkness, Addie becomes immortal, at a price: no one will ever remember her. Until, someone finally does.

Bri wants to become a rapper; it’s been her dream ever since her father passed away. Now that her mother has lost her job, becoming a rapper is not just a dream: It is a necessity. Following The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas’ new novel deals with race, class, and privilege.

If you’re a fan of poetry, this is the book for you. Following two girls who discover that they are sisters, this book discusses family and loss in a beautiful way. And, if you do choose to read it, the audiobook is fantastic!

This literary fiction novel follows two twin sisters: one who lives her life as a black woman and the other who lives as a white one. Perfect for fans of family dramas and hard-hitting commentary on race and privilege.

This historical fiction novel details the experiences of Lale, a tattooist at a concentration camp during World War II. While historical fiction, the book is based on the real life romance of an individual at Auschwitz.

This Tender Land follows an orphan named Odie O’Banion who is separated from his parents. He is at the Lincoln School where Native American children are sent to be educated in 1932. If you are interested in learning more about the Native American experience, this is the perfect one for you.

After being stopped by law enforcement at a local supermarket for “kidnapping” a child, Emira is swept up into a world of people trying to help her, but perhaps not for the right reasons. This book has a really interesting and humorous exploration of performative activism.

Author Gene Yang reflects on his own experiences with basketball. As a kid, he did not understand sports. But now, he meets with members of the Dragons to learn more about basketball while finding unexpected connections.

In a London plagued by demons, how will the nephilim protect themselves and the mundanes? This urban fantasy series follows the children of the characters of The Infernal Devices. Because of that, we recommend reading The Infernal Devices first. But, you could just start with this one.

A Sky Beyond the Storm is the climactic ending to the story following a slave and a soldier, who team up to fight greater evil. We recommend starting with An Ember in the Ashes, which is the first book in this series based on Ancient Rome.

The Poppy War is a gritty Asian-inspired adult fantasy series about a war orphan named Rin who is taken in by a family in the opium trade. To escape an arranged marriage, Rin tries to get into a school for war. The Burning God is the final book of the trilogy, so we recommend starting at The Poppy War.

Before I Die by Jenny Downham 

A terminally ill teenager makes a bucket list of what she wants to do before she dies. See above about blubbering on the kitchen floor…

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry 

A big fat dusty tale of the old west with so much heart. I spent roughly a month with these lovable characters (it’s 960 pages!). I was suffering from a bout of pneumonia at the time, so escaping into their world was most welcome, and at times, very intense.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

The now contemporary classic about a high school girl finding her voice, her strength, and powerful artistic expression while working through the horrific trauma of being raped. I mean… I didn’t really stand a chance here.

The Great Believers By Rebecca Makkai

A book about the AIDS crisis set in 1980s Chicago. Let’s just say there was a beautifully wrenching moment with a cat that utterly destroyed me. 

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I don’t even need to provide an explanation here, do I?