Milton High School’s Community Book Discussions (2020-2021) 

 September 10  Internment by Samira Ahmed  Would you be silent if they came for your neighbors and friends? In this horrifying near-future USA, Muslim Americans are forced into internment camps and stripped of their rights. *  

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei A graphic memoir recounting actor/author/activist George Takei's childhood imprisoned within American concentration camps during World War II. Experience the forces that shaped an American icon -- and America itself. * 

 October 8 The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang This is a fairy tale teeming with identity, young love, art, and family. But there are secrets that must be shared and rules that must be broken.   A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer This is Beauty and the Beast like you have never heard it told before. Life has never been easy for Harpe, but when she gets pulled into this magical world, everything gets turned upside down, and she has to learn whom to trust. 

  

November 12 Heroine by Mindy McGinnis A talented softball player is prescribed painkillers to heal from a horrible car accident. What starts out as a way to get back in the game, turns into a battle for life or death as addiction sends her life spiraling out of control.    

Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones You have heard of the opioid crisis, but how did it all start? Explore this investigative journey into the world of pharmaceutical pioneers, Mexican entrepreneurs, and survivors while learning more about this massive threat facing America.   

 December 10   Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson For all the true crime fans out there, this is a look into the lives of the wrongfully imprisoned and one man’s efforts to fight for their freedom. This book will change the way you view our criminal justice system.   Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay 

A coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder. *  

* Indicates summary taken from Goodreads 

 January 14 Beartown by Fredrik Backman All of the hopes of this small town rest heavily on the shoulders of the junior hockey team. All of that pressure is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave the town in turmoil and forever changed.  Michigan vs. the Boys by Carrie Allen When the girls’ hockey team is cut, Michigan has no choice but to join the boys’ team if she wants to play. Everyday is a struggle to prove her worth, but once hazing crosses the line into assault, she has to decide whether to speak up and risk her future or stay silent.     February 11 Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi 

Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas--and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives. * 

March 11 One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus  The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide. * One of Us Is Next by Karen McManus The sequel to One of Us Is Lying. New mystery. New Rules. A game of Truth or Dare gone wrong.  

 April 8 

Pride by Ibi Zoboi In a timely update of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, critically acclaimed author Ibi Zoboi skillfully balances cultural identity, class, and gentrification against the heady magic of first love in her vibrant reimagining of this beloved classic. * Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen This is a classic romance that stands the test of time. Elizabeth Bennet must deal with her embarrassing family, the social constraints of the time, and a suitor that blows hot and cold. Don’t judge this book by its age or cover!  May 13 Genderqueer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe Started as a way to explain to eir family what it means to be nonbinary and asexual, Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity--what it means and how to think about it--for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere. * 

Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes In her own voice, author and poet Nikki Grimes explores the truth of a harrowing childhood in a memoir in verse. Growing up with a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and a mostly absent father, Nikki Grimes found herself terrorized by babysitters, shunted from foster family to foster family, and preyed upon by those she trusted. *