School Books

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As the holiday season fast approaches and the winter cold descends, looking for good books is a quest that grows more and more important. I thought I would recommend a few books that I found wonderful which are about the experience of school (which is after all, what this blog is about).

The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Sallenger: If you want to even start to talk about books about schools, you have to mention The Catcher In The Rye. This book is great and still holds resonance today (despite what anyone says.) You have to read this book.

Looking For Alaska by John Green: I took this book out from the library on a whim and was blown away. I read for a sleepless night until I finished this book. It is a furiously compelling book about what happens after a boy is sent to boarding school and his experiences there both falling in love and dealing with tragedy. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Prep by Curtis Sittenfield: This is another book about an experience in a boarding school, in this case unlike with Looking For Alaska, that of a female protagonist. The book is well written and quite entertaining. A while after I read it, I met a girl who had previously attended a wealthy school much like the one in Prep. The experience of her time in the school were astoundingly alike to those in Prep.

The War At Ellismere by Faith Erin Hicks: Speaking of boarding schools, this graphic novel about teen rivalry is unbelievably wonderful. With great characters, great art and a killer use some of the dialogue from Romeo And Juliet, I would highly recommend this book.

MirrorMind by Tory Woollcott: A really good graphic novel on coping with dyslexia. Highly recommended.

Escape From Special and A Mess Of Everything by Miss Lasko-Gross: One day I was browsing at the library when I saw a book about a girl’s trouble changing to private school. I thought “this will probably be cliched and kind of boring.” I was bowled over by its honesty and power. This graphic memoir begins in its first volume, Escape From Special which is about about Lasko-Gross’s early years growing up and feeling alienated and feeling ‘different’ after being sent to a private school. The second volume details her use of drugs, beginnings of publishing comics and trouble when she learns one of her friends is anorexic. These two books are literally the best and most true things I have ever read about the experience of adolescence.

NOTE: this ended up having a focus on books on boarding school which is funny as I’ve never gone to a boarding school. Perhaps it is the differences between private day-schools and private boarding schools that is interesting to me and that is why I’ve leaned toward those books.

I didn’t provide links to buy the books but if you would like to know where to buy them I would recommend:

FOR COMICS: The Beguiling (601 Markham Street – Toronto, Ontario, Canada) which is an amazing store with an awe-striking selection.

FOR NOVELS: If you’re in New York go to The Strand! Really good deals, really cool place. If you’re in Toronto, I recommend Mable’s Fables or The Flying Dragon or BMV.

Thanks for reading.
Gabe Chazan

(for more writing on books by Gabe, check out his blog: readingbookwatchingmoviesandmore.blogspot.com)

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