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​Two of my students, Maria Ortiz (left) and Zada Cologne (right) chose the same young adult novel to read. They were very surprised to show up for class presentations with the exactly same book. This tells me, I have to check out their choice. You may find it an interesting read as well.

​Why is Last Night an important YA novel?
Last Night provides a historical context for uniquely queer oppression and the reason for why events such as pride are crucial. It is because for the vast majority of American history (and history in general), queer people were stigmatized, ostracized, and marginalized into only being able to live their full lives in shadows away from the law. It provides an important perspective of what the path of discovery was like for queer people before institutionalized oppression was lifted.
In some places, these oppressions still exist, and in places where they don’t, people are trying to resurrect them. Some people do not understand that queer rights had to be protected, and there is a continuous fight for these rights.  Last Night is a tragedy because of heteronormative oppression, and it is a cautionary tale of why we should not return to the past.

Till next Friday,
​Leilya

​Are your students looking for book recommendations?
Send them to browse through the picks for this or past years.
 For the picks from 2023 click here 
For the picks from 2022 click here
For the picks from 2021 click here
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For older picks click from 2019 click here.
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​I like to read about the author of the novel a little. It helps me understand the story and its characters better. Laura Nowlin has a B.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. She has published two books: This Song is (Not) for You and If He Had Been With Me. Her third book, If Only I Had Told Her, is a companion novel to If He Had Been with Me, and it is expected to be released February 6, 2024. From her Goodreads profile, readers learn that, when Nowlin “isn’t at home agonizing over her own novels, Laura works at the public library where the patrons give her plenty of inspiration for her writing.”

​Read the novel to find out more,
Taylor

​The novel examines various themes and concepts, among which are:
• Mortality: How awareness of death affects life choices. This could create discussion amongst students; they could write a journal from the perspective of a character that knows their life is ending soon.
• Friendship and connection: The impact of meaningful relationships, relationships that transcend romance and friendship. Could encourage students to learn different types of relationships.
• Living vs. existing: Teachers could have students create poems that capture the essence of 'living' versus 'existing', using metaphors and imagery.
• LGBTQ+ themes through Rufus and Mateo’s short but impactful romance. Students could “save” the protagonists by rewriting their own endings for Rufus and Mateo’s stories.

Come back for more book suggestions next Friday.

Happy reading,
​Leilya

Are you looking for something to read? 
​Check out our weekly suggestions!
Are your students looking for book recommendations?
Send them to browse through the picks for this or past years.
 For the picks from 2023 click here 
For the picks from 2022 click here
For the picks from 2021 click here
For the picks from 2020 click here.
For older picks click from 2019 click here.
For the even older picks click here.

​​The Infinite Noise is Shippen’s debut navel based off her award-winning audio drama series The Bright Sessions. 
Lauren Shipen was named one of Forbes's 2018 30 Under 30 in Media and one of Movie Maker Magazine's and Austin Film Festival’s 25 Screenwriters to Watch. She was born in New York City and grew up in Bronxville, New York. She currently lives in Los Angeles but travels frequently to New York. The book is a direct spin-off of the podcast and even includes direct lines of dialogue between Caleb and Dr. Bright

Caleb is an atypical teenager, an individual with enhanced abilities. It sounds pretty cool, except Caleb's ability is extreme empathy―he feels the emotions of everyone around him. Being an empath in high school would be hard enough, but Caleb's life becomes even more complicated when he keeps getting pulled into the emotional orbit of one of his classmates, Adam. Adam's feelings are acute and all-consuming, but they fit together with Caleb's feelings in a way that he can't quite understand.

Why would you choose this novel?

• I chose this book because it has creative ways to show how to visualize and process emotions which are important skills for students.
• I really enjoy that it’s a queer novel where “coming out” isn’t the focus of the story and instead dives into the emotional development of the protagonists
• Touches on depression, overstimulation, PTSD, anger management issues, and reality vs. facade.
• The fantasy elements make the exploration of emotion more fun for students and allows the teacher to carefully broach sensitive topics.
• I don’t think it will become a literary classic, but it’s a book that will stay with you in the back of your mind because if readers connect with the characters, the book stays with them. 

I hope you will find it relatable and like it as much as I did.
Thank you for reading,
​Mary