WTHS Scholar Book Recommendations

As many of our Freshman and Sophomore Scholars complete their first REP books of the year, Scholar Coaches at WTHS had Scholars reflect on their favorite books that they’ve read outside of REP. Scholars made sure to emphasize points of personal connection in their recommendations.

  

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Review by Kelsey Lin '19

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is a YA novel with an explosion of fantastical elements straight out of myths - literally. I read the book when I was younger, but I still find myself going back. The book is like opening a box for a whole new world of stories like the history between Greek gods or Medusa; it’s like a matryoshka with many adventures within the adventure of the main character, Percy Jackson, that I found myself wanting to research and get lost in the world of myths. The characters are not relatable in that I believed that they truly existed, but I felt connected to the series because I wanted these people to crawl out of words, stretch their limbs, and go into the world and live. I recommend this book because it offers a more magical world to go and get lost within. 

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Review by Maryam Beverly ‘20

When I was in eighth grade, my desire to read an adventurous book was fulfilled once I’d read The Hobbit. This bestselling novel tells the tale of a hobbit who is persuaded by a wizard to embark on a dangerous journey with a group of thirteen dwarves in order to reclaim the dwarves’ stolen treasure and land. The story connects to me personally because the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, possesses similar traits to myself. He is initially portrayed as an individual who doesn’t seek adventure and lives a satisfyingly comfortable life as he is. However, Bilbo develops a liking towards danger and excitement in life as the story progresses. Ultimately, I recommend The Hobbit for readers who enjoy thrilling fantasy novels and relatable protagonists such as Bilbo.

Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Review by Mufida Asmar ‘18

When I first started wearing the Hijab (Muslim head scarf), it was a big transition in my life. I personally chose to be closer to my religion and live my life modestly and wanted people to judge me for my mind and personality rather than looks. I came across this book when I had to do a book assignment in middle school, I fell in love with it because it encouraged me to embrace who I am. It is a about a girl who decided to wear the scarf and how she grew, learn and lived life knowing that she decided to be different. It showed how she was treated after  she started wearing it and how that’s okay and also taught me to keep my boundaries as a Muslim. It shows how in this day in age Muslims are looked differently but it all depends how you embrace and react to this change.