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The Anxious Generation

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  Book Review: Jonathan Haidt’s “The Anxious Generation” is one of the important books of our time. It has garnered a spot on the New York Times best seller list for over a year and was a Wall Street Journal Top Ten Book of 2024. A copy of it was sent by Arkansas Governor S.H. Sanders to the governors of every US state and territory to try and rally them around the issues the book discusses. High level endorsements and academic criticism abound. It is one of those rare nonfiction titles that people know about, even if they haven’t read it (yet). So, why all the fuss? In a nutshell, “The Anxious Generation” attempts to explain why kids raised with an ever-increasing dependance on smartphones are experiencing an alarming rise of mental health disorders (depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation, self-harming, suicide, etc.), and what we can and should do about it.           “An urgent and provocative read on why so many kids ar...
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A Great and Terrible Beauty

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 Book Review: This is a hard review for me to write. Libba Bray’s “A Great and Terrible Beauty” (first book in the three-part “ Gemma Doyle” series) gets decent reviews and was picked by the American Library Association as one of the best young adult books of 2004. Students I have talked to about it seem to like it too, so why am I so underwhelmed by this modern Gothic novel? The story begins in India where teen protagonist Gemma Doyle witnesses strange paranormal terrors culminating in the murder of her mother. She is subsequently sent to a girl’s boarding school in London for a fresh start. Here she discovers friendship, belonging, and mysterious connections to her mother’s past which lead to otherworldly experiences of her own. Enough teenage angst, sexual yearning, and petty rivalry here to fill the river Thames. The opening sequence of the book in India was pleasurably tense, featuring a heart pounding chase scene, some shadowy violence with supernatural undertones, a sp...
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The Reader

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 Book Review: “This is a must have for all those who value a good read with genuine character growth, mystery, unique world building, adventure, unyielding bonds of loyalty, and pirates… A fresh, diverse fantasy.” -          SLJ starred review   I just finished “The Reader” , a debut novel from American author Traci Chee. What a start to her writing career! The book has adventure, mystery, magic, and romance. Most of all though, it swirls . Times, places, and characters flow in and out of the narrative like waves, leaving one perplexed and curious. As I worked my way through the story, I kept asking myself, “where are we headed and what is happening?”. Then in the last few chapters, the currents and back-eddies flow together, and the water runs clear and quick. After some four-hundred pages of exciting confusion, the resolution is a satisfying relief. Garnering eight Best Book of the Year awards upon its release, “ The Reader ...
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Most Anticipated Books to Movies of 2026

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 News: From page to screen - who doesn't love a really good adaptation. Here is  BuzzFeed's list of the 24 most anticipated releases in 2026. Get out the popcorn! https://www.buzzfeed.com/noradominick/book-adaptations-movies-tv-shows-2026
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Best Books of 2025

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 News: Looking for something great to read over the Christmas break? Have a look at these suggestions from  Haley Pham... and have a very happy holiday!! Mr. Wedel
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The Girl in the Castle

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  Book Review:  Hannah Doe and Hannah Dory. They are one and the same person but living in different times and places. It’s 1397 and Hannah Dory is in a life and death struggle against starvation. Stealing to keep her family alive seems her only option. If she is caught, will the local baron make her pay with her life? On January 17/23, Hannah Doe is admitted to the Belman Memorial Psychiatric Hospital. She is allegedly experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations. Is she crazy, or does she actually exist in two different times and places at once. “The Girl in the Castle” by James Patterson and Emily Raymond takes this intriguing story setup and runs fast and hard with it. It’s an adrenaline laced, heart breaking ride – and weirdly believable. Natasha Preston (The Cellar) calls it “a brilliant and mysterious novel with a gripping plot”, and Kerri Maniscalco (Kingdom of the Wicked) says “fast-paced and unputdownable… will keep readers turning pages well into the ni...
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On Democracies and Death Cults

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  Book Review:  “Drawing from intensive on-the-ground reporting in Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon, Murry presents a compelling case that places the latest violence in   its proper historical context. He takes readers on a harrowing journey through the aftermath of the October 7 massacre, piecing together the   exclusive accounts from victims, survivors, and even the terrorists responsible for the atrocities.”   (On Democracies and Death Cults) I picked up Douglas Murray’s “On Democracies and Death Cults” on the 2 nd anniversary (Oct. 7, 2025) of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. Two years gone by since the horrific news and the ensuing images and stories dropped. Two years of seemingly senseless demonstrations across the western world in support of the perpetrators of the horrendous atrocities. Two years of confused messaging from our governments, and a rise in antisemitism worldwide not seen since the Nazi era. With the Oct. 10 th Israel/Hamas peac...
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