By Madison Jones
Winter break is the perfect time to get cozy under a blanket and read a couple good books. Here are some suggestions from the teachers and staff of Great Valley High School.
For a short read, chemistry substitute Mr. Raftery would suggest a series of essays called Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. If you are looking for something a little longer, he would suggest non-fiction novel A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn.
English teacher Ms. Walsh would recommend novel Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Zaenz.
French teacher Mlle. Rosa suggests historical fiction novel The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave.
History teacher Mr. Oswald recommends non-fiction novel The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown.
English and newspaper teacher Mrs. Iannucci recommends several books, the first, of course, being a classic. Her first suggestion is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. She said that “The last time I entered Heathcliff and Catherine’s story was about 30 years ago, uh, I mean three yeah three! The Bronte sisters were great writers. I like women, who with intelligence, break conventional themes and storylines.”
Mrs. Iannucci believes that the book was even better the second time, and she even re-discovered an amazing word, snoozled. “SNOOZLED! Now that is a word that I try to use every day—it makes me laugh. Thank goodness I have a dog!”
Another suggestion from Mrs. Iannucci is Dogtripping: 25 Rescues, 11 Volunteers, and 3 RVs on Our Canine Cross-Country Adventure by David Rosenfelt. It is a wild from start to finish, while weaving in the love of “all God’s creatures great and small.”
Her last recommendation is the memoir Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. Goggins is a retired Navy SEAL who has faced hardships his whole life. Even from his birth, he had been at a disadvantage. He went through many challenges throughout his life, from enduring pain to facing death head on. But his mentors help him go through life with a Five-Step plan that could help anyone turn their life around.
He provides amazing pieces of advice throughout the book, such as “I don’t stop when I’m tired, I stop when I’m done,” “Don’t focus on what you think you deserve. Take aim at you are willing to earn,” and “Only you can master your mind, which is what it takes to live a bold life filled with accomplishments most people consider beyond their capability.”
Music teacher Mrs. Vogel recommends science fiction novel A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.
Health teacher Mrs. Radcliffe recommends biography Untamed by Glennon Doyle Melton.
Librarian Ms. Bogan recommends young adult novel Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, a book in verse about Will, a teen looking to avenge his brother by taking out his killer. It is available in the GVHS library and on the Sora app.
I recommend The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, a novel depicting America in the near future, now overrun by an extremely religious totalitarian government, and the girls who are because of this new government. Report from Ground Zero by Dennis Smith, recounts the tales of several survivors from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. And This is My America by Kim Johnson follows a young black girl trying to find justice for her wrongly arrested father, while also battling against her own racial inequality.
Hopefully, you can find a good read for winter break from this selection, happy holidays.