Biography/Memoir

I had to read this book for my AP English class and usually I am not the biggest fan of books I have to read for school but this one was really good. This book contains a bunch of different stories of comedian Trevor Noah's childhood, ranging from the small interactions with his family and friends to the event that changed his life. Trevor Noah delivers these stories in a fun and lighthearted way even if the stories themselves are not. The book was fast paced and really well written. The humor combined with the pacing helped me to stay engaged and I really enjoyed reading it. I enjoyed how short the stories were and how it helped the audience to empathize with Trevor and gave them an insight to what it was like to grow up in South Africa. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick and lighthearted read.
Reviewer Grade: 11

The Boy who Harnessed the Wind is a nonfiction autobiography about a boy falling in love with science. The boy, William Kamkwamba, is the son of a poor African farmer. William grows up creating toys and playing games. When his father can no longer afford to send William to school, William goes to a library and learns about electricity generation. William soon builds a windmill out of the discarded items found at the local junkyard and provides his house with electricity when the windmill spins. Word of his incredible accomplishment spreads, and soon William gets the opportunity to fly to other countries and talk about his accomplishments and how his technology can be imitated throughout Africa to make life easier for Africans. Because of his success on the world stage, he now has the connections and money to send himself and his siblings to school. After completing college in the United States William moved back to his old hometown and inspires young children by giving them opportunities to enrich themselves in education.

The graphic novel “Real Friends” is about a girl named Shannon. Shannon and Adrienne have always been best friends, but when Adrienne begins hanging out with the popular girl, Shannon is just left in the dust. The novel follows Shannon as she goes through one big roller coaster called middle school. The book touches on the subject of how difficult middle school can be and challenging middle school friendships.
I enjoyed this book because I can relate to the lessons and feelings Shannon has towards her friendships and surroundings. Middle School is a tough and confusing time in everyone’s life, and knowing that you have similar experiences to others is nice to know. I would recommend this book to anyone who is struggling to find themselves throughout middle school or even awkward years.
Reviewer Grade: 8

The Doctors Blackwell tells the story of the Western worlds first few female physicians, notably the sisters Elizabeth and Emily Blackwell. The thoroughly researched tale documents the trials and tribulations of women in the 19th century, and provides a nuanced perspective on the origins of our healthcare system.
I had to read this book for a school competition about medical professionals, and it certainly is a story. I don't feel like I can really judge this book too harshly, since I was required to read it and nonfiction isn't my forte, but I will do my level best. The best part of this book is that it's a comedy. The sisters, especially Elizabeth, have such distinct and strong personalities that they almost seem like caricatures. They're both overtly haughty and condescending in ways that could be considered annoying but I considered to be excellent comedic characterization. There are several entries in this book where Elizabeth rails about how dumb all other women are and how she's a paragon that will lead them to enlightenment. That stuff is hilarious. The sexism in the book also starts being funny after a point. While the frustration of the repeated rejections by men comes through very strongly, the way almost every man in this book is terrified of a women doctor is absolutely insane. There's a bit where a man almost has a conniption working with Elizabeth, who has to coach him to treat her as a patient so he doesn't lose his mind sharing a job with a women. Comedic gold. Besides this, the book was also a brilliant insight to the developments in medicine in the 19th century and the changing forces of the time.
My main issue with this book was the seeming lack of authorial voice. I get that this is nonfiction and it doesn't really matter, but about half the book was quoted directly from letters, and with the hilarity of the subject matter I would've enjoyed having a narrator that indulged in the content the same way I did. The dryness of these quotes definitely drove down my enjoyment of the book. All in all, this was a very strong story about the Blackwell sisters, and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in medicine or flawed historical figures!
Reviewer Grade: 12

This was a light and hilarious read, though probably not a good choice if you are looking for something more informational. Jim Gaffigan is a great comedian, and the care he put into organizing this book about food is evident. It was nice that Gaffigan didn't take himself too seriously in each chapter. Since most autobiographies that mention food discuss more negative pressures of food culture, this book turned it around into a positive ode to food, a reminder to never feel bad about fueling your body with good food. Unexpectedly, it was also a reoccurring theme for Gaffigan to discuss the fear of not being a good enough parent and other anxieties about social norms that relate to food. Pick up this book if you are already a Jim Gaffigan fan or you just need a comforting book.
Grade 12

Each page of this book was a joy to read, as it gives readers a glimpse into how different cultures affect the children who grow up within them. Trevor Noah is a talented comedian and an even better storyteller. Each narrative in the book felt like I was experiencing the moment with him, as he struggles with his identity in the boundaries of apartheid. The way Noah describes his mother- strong, resilient, yet strict from a place of love- is a very realistic concept that many people don't discuss. Parents aren't perfect and grow with their children, but it's their true intentions that determine whether or not they are really doing what's best for their child. I also found it fascinating how Noah communicates having to choose between two races that he isn't truly apart of. I highly recommend reading Born a Crime because of the lesson that everyone is more connected than they realize, and where you grow up shouldn't restrict who you grow to be.

I enjoyed this nonfiction book a lot. This book was very informative of what Tourette’s Syndrome is. The author, Evie, walked the readers through the pros and cons of having Tourette’s Syndrome.
I follow Evie on social media platforms and see this journey documented through there too. However, her channel is not as informative as this book. I love how this book brings awareness to Tourette’s Syndrome and the people who suffer from it.
If any reader wants to be more aware of this condition, I recommend reading this well written autobiography by Evie Meg.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer is a nonfiction story about a young man named Cris McCandless. After graduating college in 1991, McCandless left without a trace hitchhiking around the United States. During his travels, McCandless goes by the name Alex Supertramp wanting to reinvent his life. He meets and changes countless people's lives. McCandless had his sights set religiously on Alaska, thinking it his last grand odyssey. McCandless wanted to fend for himself in the Alaskan wilderness, which inevitably proved fatal. This beautifully written book is full of adventure and life lessons. Overall, I would rate this book four out of five stars.

This book was pretty good. The main reason I picked to read it was because I thought it was crazy that Kim K took such an interest in the author. So, the lady that wrote the book got arrested for drugs and in was in the 90s. She got sentenced to life in prison. She served 20 years and then Kim K heard wanted to help her get out since she was a non violent criminal. She literally contacted the president to get her out. I did find the story interesting because not many celebrities do things like that. She literally fought for the author who was a stranger to her. It was pretty good.

"Soul Surfer" was very interesting to read. Sometimes it takes me forever to get into a story, but with this book I liked it from the first chapter. It is the story of a 13 year old ( I'm only 14) that loved surfing and when she was surfing one day, she was attacked by a shark and the shark bit her arm off! The main story line talks about how she dealt with her new life without an arm. I liked how she wasn't negative and she didn't give up on anything. I also liked how she changed so much, like all of the different stages she went through to get to the end of the story. I am going into the 9th grade.