Librarians share their recent reads for the Reading Challenge

The Hassenfeld Library’s Spring 2018 Reading Challenge is almost halfway over, and your friendly school librarians have been reading some great books to match the challenge categories. Here are four book recommendations, just in time for Spring Break. Come to the library to check one out.
Library Director Mary Buxton: In the category of books with a blue cover, “Truly Devious” by Maureen Johnson delivers a great middle school mystery. Brilliant kids are selected to attend a boarding school on top of a mountain in Vermont in a mansion that is beyond belief and shrouded in the unsolved disappearance and murder of the wife and young daughter of its original owner. Quirky kids go on a quest to solve this mystery, and it hooks you from the beginning.

Library Assistant Kristin Frank: For category No. 3, a book about a culture different from your own, I am reading one of our new Middle School books, “I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives” by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda. Caitlin is a middle-class American girl, and Martin is an impoverished boy living in the slums of Zimbabwe. The story of their pen pal relationship is told through alternating first-person chapters and is a beautiful story of two people from different worlds and how they become lifelong friends.

Library Assistant Kayla Lindsey: I read a graphic novel called “Pashmina” by Nidhi Chanani, about a girl named Pri who feels like her mom keeps too many secrets from her. Who's her father? Why did her mom leave the rest of her family behind in India and move to the United States? One day, Pri finds a magic scarf called a pashmina that lets her see beautiful visions of India, which make her want to visit India and meet her family. I loved this book because the art is beautiful, and I got to learn more about India right along with Pri. If you're running short on time, read a graphic novel for any of the categories. They're fast reads.

Librarian Kate Pritchard: For the Biography category, I read “The Invention of Angela Carter” by Edmund Gordon. Angela Carter, one of my favorite authors, was a British writer best known for her collection of retold fairy tales, “The Bloody Chamber.” It was fascinating to read about how she changed, pretty dramatically, as a person and a writer over the course of her too-short life, and to be reminded of what I loved about her gloriously weird and unsettling stories.
Back

More USN News

List of 3 news stories.

  • Spring sports season ends with podium finishes, trophies

    The girls lacrosse team ended its season in overtime to become state runner-up. Tennis players Carter Kojetin '29 finished as a state quarterfinalist, Sophie Oliver '26 and Mary Kate Adler '28 finished as state semifinalists, and Veer Kodali '29 and Max Parker '29 finished as state champions. Meanwhile, eight runners competed at the state track and field meet in Knoxville, where Griffin Davidson '27, Caleb Freifeld '28, Drew Zwerner '28, and Jack Fruin '27, sprinted to first in the 4x800m relay and Jack also placed first in the 800m dash.
    Read More
  • Interim Director Juliet Douglas roars with laughter as students hold photos of her on sticks during the High School Awards Assembly on Friday, May 8 in Durnan Auditorium.

    USN creates the Juliet Douglas Endowed Fund for Student Success

    For the entire USN community: an invitation to give in gratitude, in celebration, and in honor of the woman who has given so much to our school. Make a gift at usn.org/giving to support students with needs beyond tuition and honor Interim Director Juliet Douglas.
    Read More
  • The team poses for a photo after competing in the Middle School Quiz Bowl National Championships.

    Middle School Quiz Bowl competes at national championship

    The Middle School Quiz Bowl finished off another successful season with a trip to the Middle School National Championship Tournament in Chicago. The team fought hard and ended the season as a top-100 program in the country, finishing 75th overall. Congratulations to the team on a great performance and to Lucas Lupu ’31, named an All Star for being the fifth-highest scorer nationwide.
    Read More
Archive

Contact

Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212

Phone:  615-321-8000
Fax:       615-321-0889 
Email:    info@usn.org

River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218

Resources

USN Mission: 
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.