Even without the sound of ringing school bells, it is easy to tell the school year has begun in Tucson. Yellow buses are back. Kids are even wearing shoes again, so what better time to talk about books?
To celebrate the “Back to School” season, the Tucson Festival of Books was asked for its own first-semester reading list of stories set in the classroom.
Here are some recent releases the festival ranks at the top of the class:
“The Maidens” by Alex Michaelides: From the author of “The Silent Patient,” this summer release features Mariana, a group therapist who becomes obsessed with a secret society of female students at Cambridge. They call themselves The Maidens. Her obsession escalates when a friend of her niece is found murdered. Convinced that the murderer is the Greek tragedy professor, Mariana will risk her reputation and more to bring him down. — Jody Hardy
“My First Day” by Nguyen Quang Phung and illustrated by Kim Lien Huynh: This is a visually stunning picture book starring a young Vietnamese boy who sets out in a wooden boat on the Mekong River to attend the first day of school. Facing heavy rainfall and giant waves, he braves the dark unknown to arrive safely and greet his classmates. “My First Day” is a celebration of learning, imagination and nature in a gorgeous book originally published in Vietnam. — Kathy Short
“If We Were Villains” by M.L. Rio: The story is set at a conservatory where students learn the finer points of classical liberal arts. As part of the curriculum, they participate in the school’s elite Shakespeare theatre program. After a student dies, classmates and the police must grapple with what happened … and if it was murder. The narrative drips with quotes and references to Shakespeare’s plays. The characters are literally immersing themselves in all things Shakespeare. The story is told in dual timelines, 10 years after the fateful night, and the year leading up to their final production: Macbeth. — Jody Hardy “Back to School: A Global Journey” by Maya Ajerma and John Ivanko: An informational picture book for young children, “Back to School” uses beautiful photographs and brief text to describe the school experiences of children in 38 countries. Joy-filled color photographs of children studying, learning and having fun depict similarities and differences in what, where and how children engage in learning around the world. — Kathy Short
“The Shape of Home” by Rashin Kheiriyeh: In this vibrantly illustrated picture book, an Iranian girl prepares for her first day of school in the U.S. Nothing feels familiar. When she arrives at school, her teacher invites the children to share the shapes of their home countries, providing a road map of connection and curiosity and inviting a new sense of home for an immigrant child. — Kathy Short “Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo: Alex is recruited to join a group of guardians that monitor the nine secret societies at Yale. She quickly learns that these groups are doing more than dabbling in the occult. They are using forbidden magic and preying on unsuspecting people. The story is dark and filled with ghosts and creatures that you hope you don’t run into in the night! — Jody Hardy
“Girl Giant and the Monkey King” by Van Hoang: In a tale packed with magic, adventure and middle-school drama, Thom Ngho adjusts to life in a new school where she struggles to make friends and hides her Vietnamese culture to avoid being teased. Thom raises important issues of bullying, fitting in and cultural identity while soaring into fantasy and adventure. — Kathy Short “All Girls” by Emily Layden: A debut novel set in an elite boarding school in New England, this recent release follows nine girls trying to find their way to adulthood in the swirl of a school scandal. It may sound like a thriller, but “All Girls” is an examination of the decisions and internal drama surrounding the students. The story is told from multiple perspectives, giving the reader a chance to know all the characters and their struggles. It is perfect for fans who grew up watching Gossip Girl. — Jody Hardy “Educated” by Tara Westover: First published in February of 2018, “Educated” may be the most compelling book of the 21st century so far. It has sold more than 4 million copies and been on bestseller lists since the day it was released. “Educated” is a memoir by Tara Westover, whose family of Idaho survivalists lived so far from the mainstream, the children weren’t even home-schooled. Tara did not see the inside of a classroom until she was 17, yet her journey later included stops at Harvard and Cambridge where she earned a Ph.D. in history. — Bill Finley
“Merci Suarez Can’t Dance” by Meg Medina: Merci navigates the troubles of home and seventh grade as she tries to figure out changing friendships, first crushes and the complex dynamics of her multigenerational Cuban American family. Her science teacher expects her to be as smart as her brother. Her classmate Edna Santos is even bossier and more obnoxious now that she’s in charge of the annual Heart Ball. To make it worse, the person she trusted to help her make sense of her life — he grandfather — is slipping away due to Alzheimer’s. This is a tale filled with humor and heart. — Kathy Short
