GMC asked Sequoyah students what they’ve been reading. The questions included what they look for in a book, why they liked the book they’re reading, and a quick little summary. You’ll be reading about Anna Bluestone ’23, Foster LippSmith ’25, and Erika Revel ’24.
Anna Bluestone
I am currently reading [Octavia Butler’s] The Parable of the Sower. It is science fiction about the early twenties environmental climate change. [The protagonist] has to work her way through societal norms while being able to feel others’ emotions. During these times, she feels a strong sense of empathy for those around her. She and many other people struggle with keeping up with them. As the book progresses, we encounter the rise of anarchy and how it impacts people.
I chose this book because I tend to find science fiction attention-grabbing. I’ve also read some of Octavia E. Butler’s other work. She writes these books that show the possible dystopian world. It’s cool to see what our world might become since current issues inspire this particular book. I like to read books that have a gripping storyline and fiction that interestingly touches upon reality. It’s a way for others to see peoples’ problems through a different perspective, a different lens.
Foster LippSmith
On the Come Up [by Angie Thomas] is the most recent book that I’ve read. The author writes a lot about identity. On the Come Up talks more specifically about black identity. In this instance, it’s about this black girl who is raised in the hood. Her father was a rapper who died and her mother had to raise her and her siblings alone. Sixteen-year-old Brianna (Bri) struggles with her mom not letting her rap since she isn’t doing well in school.
I chose this book since I like to read about identity and fiction. I’ve also read this other book by the same author called The Hate U Give. Angie Thomas has a way of writing about identity that captures my attention. Another thing is Angie Thomas writes about young adults most of the time, so I find myself relating to events that happen in the books. On the Come Up shows the struggles of teens wanting to do something but not having the proper support from family and friends.
Erika Revel
I’m reading [Adam Silvera’s] They Both Die At The End. It’s about these two young adults that got their death day alarm. Once you get a call from the Decker’s you’re going to die that same day. Mateo and Rufus get their calls at the same time; they both create an account to find someone to die with. It’s kind of like Tinder but you find people to hang out with. They meet up and Mateo reveals that he hasn’t done anything in his life since he’s always been afraid. Rufus makes him create a bucket list. While crossing out what the objectives are, they become closer and start to expose different parts of themselves.
I chose this book since it was popular on a social media platform called Tik Tok and the concept caught my eye. I tend to look for books that focus on a fictional world and LGBTQIA+ literature. I find it comforting reading about LGBTQIA+ literature since it wasn’t something that was written about. They Both Die At The End always has something going on so I don’t get bored of it as I do with other books.
