A Fresh Perspective: A Review of The Mists of Avalon

By: sophia.fratta
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The legend of King Arthur and the Round Table has been told many times. Over the years, it has been rewritten as the story of an injured American trying to modernize medieval England, turned into a comedy starring shrubberies and flesh wounds, and adapted into fantastical role-playing games. This year has seen a reboot, The…

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Trusting Minds: A Review of Graceling

By: sophia.fratta
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  “See you later!” I moved away from the group, re-playing our conversation in my head. Had it gone well? I wondered idly. Did they like talking to me, or were they only being polite? I hoped not. Maybe I was too strange, though. Or maybe I was just overthinking things. I shook my head,…

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Top Three Books: June 2019

By: sophia.fratta
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We’ve been all over this month, visiting New York, Paris, and more–including libraries and bookshops. Here are this month’s best finds: The House of Windjammer, by V. A. Richardson The heart of the house of Windjammer is in their ships. When their magnificent Star Fleet is lost on a long and fruitless journey to the Americas,…

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#WisdomForFuture: A Review of A Civil Action

By: sophia.fratta
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On Friday the fifteenth of March, Greta Thunberg proclaimed another #FridaysForFuture—a day when students skipped school to protest for responsible energy usage and a cleaner, greener planet. I watched videos of thousands of students out on the streets, holding up signs and shouting things like “You’re killing our lungs!” The same day, I accompanied a…

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Vines and Threads: A Review of Leviathan

By: sophia.fratta
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We sped past the pine trees, leaving only exhaust in our wake. The wooded area by the highway was lush and green, but I recognized a plant that should not have been there. The kudzu vine is invasive in my area; you see it everywhere. How could we contain it? I frowned, gazing at a…

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Late-Night Education: A Review of Little Soldiers

By: sophia.fratta
Book Reviews, , 4 Comments on Late-Night Education: A Review of Little Soldiers

I sat in the back of the classroom, sketching the enormous vase of flowers in front of me. A girl walked in and looked over my shoulder. She was maybe eight years old, and Asian—probably Chinese, since they taught Mandarin as well as art here. After a few minutes of conversation, the girl announced, “I…

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