Guarantee a good read with a Black-Eyed Susan nominee
by Madeline Hull and Emily Watson
May 8, 2019
Every year since 1992, the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award has been given to authors of exceptionally good books chosen by Maryland students. The award is used to promote reading by encouraging students to read quality literature. The Black-Eyed Susan nominations for High School 2019−2020 are: After...
Markus Zusak’s “Bridge of Clay” approaches loss in a masterful blend of past and present
by Elizabeth Anderson, Watermark Editor
December 5, 2018
Five brothers. One Murderer. One mother. One lover. One girl. An odd assortment of animals, including but not limited to a mule residing in the kitchen. From the first chapter, Markus Zusak’s book Bridge of Clay is a rich tapestry of characters and history, backstories and modern day conflict. It is a ...
Bloodsworth: Maryland’s One Book is a tragic, yet inspiring story
by Spencer Derrenberger, Reporter
October 18, 2018
“Heartbreaking, thought-provoking, and well-written.” These are the words forensics science teacher Ms. Jessica Baker, used to describe the events of Bloodsworth: The True Story of the First Death Row Inmate Exonerated by DNA Evidence by Tim Junkin. Every year, the One Maryland One Book program chooses a book according to a theme and encourages communities all over Maryland to read the selected piece together...
Turtles All the Way Down is a literary journey you’ll want to experience
by Natalie Roth and Greyston Harding
January 22, 2018
*SPOILERS AHEAD* John Green. I’m sure you’ve heard his name at one point, whether it was written in the shining lights of a cinema, or merely in a passing conversation with a bibliophile friend. Green is most known for his co-owned YouTube channel VlogBrothers, his speaking out on civil rights and...
Book Review: All American Boys takes a close look at racial profiling
by Elizabeth Anderson, Reporter
October 18, 2016
Eric Garner. Michael Brown Jr. Tamir Rice. Freddie Gray. Keith Lamar Scott. These are just a few of the many African American victims of police incidents reported and sensationalized in the news. And yet with all of the attention this subject is getting, I have never found a book about it until now. It's amazing to read a novel that looks at all sides, beyond the publicit...
Book Review: The Cursed Child is leaving Harry Potter fans turning (time) with delight
by Elizabeth Anderson, Reporter
September 20, 2016
It’s been over nine years since J.K. Rowling’s (@jk_rowling) supposed finale to the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and more than five since the last movie came out, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two. Since then, avid fans have had to resort to re-reading the series, over and over and over again (not that Harry Potter could ever...
I’ll Give You the Sun gives readers much more
by Hannah Haught, Editor
February 22, 2016
When we typically want to escape in books we go to fantasy or sci-fi, but when we really just want to sit down and read a book we can really relate to, realistic fiction is the clear choice. I'll Give You The Sun delivers situations readers can connect with, along with situations some of us could on...
REVIEW: With third book, “The Naturals” reaches potential for great series
by Emily Reed, Reporter
November 4, 2015
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is one of the Black-Eyed Susan nominees for 2015. This book is also the first in the series, with a highly anticipated third book entitled All In, coming out November 3rd, 2015. What initially attracted me to this book was the intriguing cover displaying a black box wrapped...
REVIEW: “The Impossible Knife of Memory” sheds light on PTSD
by Emily Seth, Reporter
October 12, 2015
The book The Impossible Knife of Memory by New York Times best-selling author Laurie Halse Anderson is one of the Black Eyed Susan nominees for 2015. With Veterans Day on November 11, and the story centered around a girl who’s father is a war veteran with a problem known as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, I ha...
Boy Proof: Novel combines love story with Hollywood intrigue
by Jessica Steves, Reporter
March 10, 2014
Most teens know John Green best as the narrator of Crash Course, a YouTube video channel that gives short, humorous explanations of various points and time periods in history. Green is also an author as well as a YouTube blogger, however, and his books (notably Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our ...
