Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird

It’s a Sin to Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a book about a little girl named Scout, who throughout the book starts to develop a better understanding of prejudice and racism. Jem, Scout's older brother, helps her understand these words, and why people are this way. Jem and Scout play, make new friends, and come to know of a shadowy figure by the name of Boo Radley, who lives in a neighboring house and yet is never seen. He is rumored to be an evil person, but their fair-minded father, Atticus, who is a widowed lawyer, warns them that they should try to see the world from the other people's perspectives. Atticus gets assigned a case to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, and the whole town of Maycomb cannot believe that Atticus has accepted this case.  I love To Kill a Mockingbird  because it is suspenseful, mysterious, funny, and heartwarming. It shows you the world from a nine year old's point of view. Scout asks why things are a certain way, she states her opinion without fear, and she just wants everything resolved. If you like heartwarming books with a twist, go check this one out! They have made a movie of the book and I suggest you go check out the trailer here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks88MPOyoYc).

                                                         Reviewed by a DHS student

Book Review: Perks of Being Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a book told from Charlie Peter's first person point of view. The interesting thing about this book is that it is told through entries that Charlie records in his journal, making it extremely fun to read considering the short entries and the easy dialogue that the high schooler uses. The book is mostly about Charlie’s experiences as a freshman. He starts out with no friends because the only one he had committed suicide in 8^th grade, giving Charlie a rough start at his new high school. Eventually Charlie meets new friends who are seniors and they give Charlie a year to remember, to say the least.

I would definately recommend this book to anyone who likes books with unexpected twists and also to anyone in high school due to the fun and real circumstances of the book.

You can find this book in the DHS library. Find it. Check it out. Read it. J

                           Reviewed by Mike K.
                                                                                                             (a DHS student)


This book tells you to be a risk taker instead of standing on the fringes of life.  It gives you a different perspective on life.  This book shows you the course of a special territory known as hgih school.  It also talks all about the drama of high school, such as the pressures with sex, drugs, and all the other chaotic tasks that we undergo at school.  The narrarator has written the novel through letters to an unkown friend.  It's like a diary that is meant to be read by the public. 

I really do recommend reading it.  It has an amazing plot!

                                                                                                       Reviewed by Daniela C.
                                                                                                         (a DHS student)

Book Review: The Kill Order

           Set three years prior to The Maze Runner trilogy,The Kill Order follows two friends, Mark, a regular guy, and Alec, a military vet who resembles a bear.  They must save their friends from a group of people gone mad from a recently spread virus and they must do it in the aftermath of devastating sun flares that left the earth in ruin.

            James Dashner’s stunning prequel will leave you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. If you like action, adventure, and intrigue, then this is the book for you. If you haven’t read The Maze Runner trilogy then I suggest you do. This book clears up any questions brought up in The Maze Runner and  is an intermediate read with relatively short chapters that always leave you hanging. To see the book trailer and buy all the books, click here.

                                                                                                             Reviewed by a DHS student 

Do you have the latest.....?

OMG!  I cannot wait for the next book!  Do you have it yet???

If you're looking for the more recent book in your favorite series, look no further!  We have set aside a special place for these books, right next to the newspaper stand. 

As the newest releases come in these series, we'll be sure to put them out so you can find them easily. 

If there is a book you think we're missing, let us know and we'll order it!

Not sure which book in the series you should read next?  Check out the link "What's Next in the Series?" on the right side of the blog homepage.  It's a great website that will tell you the order of books in each series.

Here are the books you'll find in this section today:

Book Review: The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt

This inventive novel follows Frankie Platt, a young woman coming of age in the 1920s, as she travels the world in her pursuit pf her dream to become a writer.  This dream seems impossible at first when her father dies, leaving the family struggling to make ends meet.  When Frankie falls in love with a captain, much older than her and with a sordid past, her mother finds a way to ship her off to get a higher education.  Thus begins Frankie's fascinating journey to Vassar College, New York, Paris, and eventually, back home.  Some of her companions include two exiled Russian princes, a "spinster adventuress", Ernest Hemingway, and the dark captain of her past. 

What makes this novel so unique is that it is told almost completely in full color vintage memorabilia from the 1920s.  Preston uses advertisements, old fashioned note paper, and real photographs from the time period to engross the reader and tranport them to another time.   A lovely story about a vivacious young woman, skillfully told with few words, but a whole lot of fun and heart.

Happy New Year!

Have you made a new year's resolution this year?  Why not resolve to learn something new?  Check out our new book display near the front desk for ideas.

Is your girlfriend's birthday coming up?  
Learn how to bake a cake!  

Eat too much pumpkin pie over the holidays?  Learn how to develop a healthier lifestyle!

Need money but not sure how to get a job that pays?  Learn how to up your interview and resume writing skills!

The Secret Life of DHS Teachers

Did you know that January is National Crafter's Month? The teachers of DHS have really shown off their artsy side in our newest book display.  You can find quilts, ceramics, paintings, and more, all done by your teachers!  (Yes, your teachers really do have lives outside of school.)  Once you've admired their beautiful work, check out a book to learn how to get started on your own favorite craft.  

Here's a list of the teachers who have submitted their amazing art:

Ms. Gober
Mr. Naylor
Ms. V. Smith
Ms. McGregor
Ms. Knox
Ms. Diechman