Accidental Heroes by Danielle Steel
"On a beautiful May morning at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport, two planes have just departed for San Francisco—one a 757, another a smaller Airbus A321. At a security checkpoint, TSA agent Bernice Adams finds a postcard of the Golden Gate Bridge bearing an ambiguous—perhaps ominous—message. Her supervisor dismisses her concerns, but Bernice calls security and soon Ben Waterman arrives. A senior Homeland Security agent, still grappling with guilt after a disastrous operation in which hostages were killed, Ben too becomes suspicious.
As Ben scans the passenger manifests, his focus turns to the A321, with Helen Smith as its senior pilot. Helen’s military service and her tenure with the airline have been exemplary. But her husband’s savage death in Iraq was more than anyone should bear, leaving her widowed with three children. Sifting through data and relying on instinct, Ben becomes convinced that someone on Helen’s plane is planning something terrible. And he’s right." |
Ms. Edel Vo teaches Physics and sponsors the Science Club and Karaoke. In her free time she likes to read.
So why did she choose this novel? "The title was catchy." She recommends this book for summer reading because: " It is easy to read and offers lots of great life lessons." |
The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall
"George Woodbury, an affable teacher and beloved husband and father, is arrested for sexual impropriety at a prestigious prep school. His wife, Joan, vaults between denial and rage as the community she loved turns on her. Their daughter, Sadie, a popular over-achieving high school senior, becomes a social pariah. Their son, Andrew, assists in his father’s defense, while wrestling with his own unhappy memories of his teen years. A local author tries to exploit their story, while an unlikely men’s rights activist attempts to get Sadie onside their cause. With George locked up, how do the members of his family pick up the pieces and keep living their lives? How do they defend someone they love while wrestling with the possibility of his guilt?"
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Senior Key teacher, Ms. Sarah Rossoni, sponsors Backpack Buddies. She love to travel and will read any genre, but historical fiction is her favourite.
Of this novel she explains: "The storyline is very timely as we navigate our way through the #metoo movement. We always think we'll do the right thing and believe victims of sexual assault, but it's interesting to see how our instincts change when the accused is someone we know and respect. I like that this book puts the reader in this position and also focuses on how accusations of sexual assault impact family members and the community at large. These stories often go untold but are powerful and important in their own right." 
Senior Key teacher, Ms. Kristin Nielsen, coaches Girls Volleyball. In her free time, she enjoys Beach Volleyball, Hiking, and Reading. She is pleased to join Ms. Rossoni in recommending this novel.
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The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
"Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.
Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through." |
The White Bone by Barbara Gowdy
For years, young Mud and her family have roamed the high grasses, swamps, and deserts of the sub-Sahara. Now the earth is scorched by drought, and the mutilated bodies of family and friends lie scattered on the ground, shot down by ivory hunters. Nothing-not the once familiar terrain, or the age-old rhythms of life, or even memory itself-seems reliable anymore. Yet a slim prophecy of hope is passed on from water hole to water hole: the sacred white bone of legend will point the elephants toward the Safe Place. And so begins a quest through Africa''s vast and perilous plains-until at last the survivors face a decisive trial of loyalty and courage.
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Dr. Beverley von Zielonka is the Head of Morven. She is very excited to read this novel and discuss this with students.
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