Suggested Reading

by Dave Connis

In this hilarious and thought-provoking contemporary teen standalone that’s perfect for fans of Moxie, a bookworm finds a way to fight back when her school bans dozens of classic and meaningful books.

Clara Evans is horrified when she discovers her principal’s “prohibited media” hit list. The iconic books on the list have been pulled from the library and aren’t allowed anywhere on the school’s premises. Students caught with the contraband will be sternly punished.

Many of these stories have changed Clara’s life, so she’s not going to sit back and watch while her draconian principal abuses his power. She’s going to strike back.

So Clara starts an underground library in her locker, doing a shady trade in titles like Speak and The Chocolate War. But when one of the books she loves most is connected to a tragedy she never saw coming, Clara’s forced to face her role in it.

Will she be able to make peace with her conflicting feelings, or is fighting for this noble cause too tough for her to bear?

“Suggested Reading is a beautiful reminder that there is nothing simple about loving a book.” —David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author of Mosquitoland

• ISBN10: 0062685252
• ISBN13: 9780062685254
• Publish Date: 31 October 2019 (first published 17 September 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 22 August 2023
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• Imprint: HarperCollins
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 400
• Language: English

Reviews

[shannonmiz]

You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight

3.5*

Ah, who doesn't love a book about books, right? Right. This was pretty enjoyable, so let's get to it!

What I Liked:

• • Books are basically the hero of the story. Sure, Clara and others have a role in ensuring that they get into the hands of those who need them, but they're just the vessel. Books are making the true difference here.



• • Clara isn't always likable. "Wait, what?" you ask. "How is this a good thing?" Glad to tell you! So she's judgy as all get out, and she can be awfully self-absorbed, but the good news is, she goes through a ton of growth as a character and tries to do better. And really, isn't that kind of the best? Plus she's pretty funny and witty, so that is a bonus too!



• • Gosh, the book-within-a-book was fabulous! It's called Don't Tread on Me and I really feel like I need it to be an actual thing? It's Clara's latest book obsession, and I think it really speaks to the quality of the writing that I was able to love a non-existent book.



• • There were some pretty solid messages in this book. Like I said, Clara learns a lot through the course of the book. It's done mostly through her friendships and relationships with her peers, her teachers, the school staff, and her parents.

What I Didn't:

• • There was a bit of a Problematic Moment™. It serves to make Clara wonder if books can be harmful, but I think it was a little too self-absorbed, for one, and not the best way to show it, for another. Jack, who is gay and has parents who are not supportive, tries to kill himself. Clara blames herself for providing him with a copy of Catcher in the Rye. All of this is just... yikes.



• • The resolution was just a bit too easy. I mean, I knew it would probably end a certain way, which is fine. But I just needed it do so in a somewhat more believable way.

Bottom Line: Suggested Reading truly is a love letter to books, and who among us wouldn't appreciate that?