It’s not often that I’m surprised by a book, but Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders is unlike anything I’ve ever read before. Part historical fiction, part supernatural fantasy, Bardo breaks free from the traditional format of a novel to tell the story of how Lincoln is haunted – and changed – by the death of his young son during the Civil War.

The author takes two very different tacts in alternating chapters. About half of the novel takes place in the cemetery where Lincoln’s 11-year-old son, Willie, is buried. The cemetery is populated by the spirits of dozens of colorful characters who have not yet passed on to Heaven or Hell. While these spirits tell their stories, they’re encouraging Willie to move on, but Willie lingers, confused, hoping his father will return to bring him home. This part of the novel is pure imagination, whimsical in the quirks that each character is given and the rules  followed by the society within the cemetery gates. These chapters reminded me of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, about an orphan raised by ghosts when his parents are killed.

The rest of the novel is historical fiction, but instead of researching and imagining the people and events, the author uses only excerpts from primary sources. The author quotes the letters of White House maids and politicians as well as news accounts and books of the time. These excerpts, each followed by a short citation, tell the story in the real words of the people who lived. Writing like this is harder than just doing research and summarizing; this requires poring through countless documents, picking out just the right pieces and putting them together in a way that makes sense. I was awed by the task the author undertook as well as the story that was told. For the first chapter or two, I was a little confused by who was speaking. But soon I was drawn into the story and comfortable with the unique structure.

If you like history, especially Lincoln and the Civil War, this novel will fascinate you as it shows how a personal tragedy became a turning point for Lincoln’s policies. If you like fantasy that explores what happens after death, this book offers a lot for you as well.

Featured Photo: Robert Wuensche Illustration / Houston Chronicle

As a librarian, I spend most of my free time reading. But I’m no saint – or snob; I devote my fair share of hours to the TV as well. I can’t say that 2017 was a particularly great year for the small screen, but I will argue that the rise of original shows from nontraditional channels (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon) has led to more diverse, edgy and interesting choices than we’ve had in the past.  Below is a compilation of the best shows I discovered in 2017, the ones I’ve finally given up on, and ones I can’t wait to see in 2018.

Discoveries

Black Mirror: This British anthology series has been called the Twilight Zone for the new millennium.  Released in the UK in 2011, this quirky, sometimes disturbing show about the potential pitfalls of technology debuted on Netflix in 2016. I finally began watching it recently and find each episode surprising and often a bit terrifying. Sometimes the crazy ways they imagine technology being used don’t seem so far from the current reality —  counting “likes” to determine if you qualify for a job such as in Nosedive, or creating a clone of a loved one from a social media profile as in Be Right Back. Because it’s an anthology, you can watch the episodes in any order, one at a time or hours in a row.  If you haven’t watched this yet, check it out.

Dark: Another great Netflix release, this German science fiction series has been compared to Stranger Things, but is closer to Lost in my opinion.  Set in the forested town of Winden, the action centers on the mysterious disappearances of children every 33 years.  There is a creepy series of caves, an ominous nuclear power plant and some very dysfunctional families. Throw in some time travel and the show becomes a complicated puzzle you’re desperate to figure out. The first few episodes may be confusing as you try to keep track of all the characters, but it’s worth sticking with it. I ended up binge-watching the last four and now can’t wait for season 2. You can watch the show in German with English subtitles or dubbed in English.

Black-ish: Some family sitcoms get old fast, but this one on ABC has stayed original, in part because it hasn’t been afraid to mix humor with brutal honesty. Some episodes are used to highlight issues of race, such as season 4’s musical Juneteenth, when father Dre protests a school play about Columbus that whitewashes history (The one-minute video about slavery modeled on Schoolhouse Rock should be shown in every high school classroom). Others are about family issues everyone can relate to, such as the season 3 premiere VIP, when the family heads to Disney World.

Alias Grace: Based on the novel by Margaret Atwood, which fictionalizes a 19th century true crime, this Netflix original focuses on a poor immigrant girl charged with a ghastly murder. The six-episode series explores whether mild-mannered Grace Marks was insane when the crime happened, or knew what she was doing and was driven by the injustices showered upon her gender and class. Most of the show plays like a typical crime drama, but the final episode turned everything I thought on its head.

The Vietnam War: Ken Burns’  PBS documentary takes 17 hours to watch, but I think it should be required viewing for every American. I learned so much: the tragic French occupation of Vietnam whose mistakes our own forces repeated, the U.S. government’s lies and missteps that brought us into war, the physical and psychological toll the conflict inflicted on both sides, the violent and divisive protests at home. I recognized so many connections between then and now, as our deeply divided nation struggles over its identity and priorities.

Disappointments

American Horror Story: I’ve watched most seasons of this F/X horror show, enjoying (while cringing at) Murder House, Asylum, Freak Show and Roanoke. But this year’s Cult turned me off. It wasn’t the gore, although there was a lot of it. It wasn’t the actors, who continue to bring to life their new characters each season. It was the focus on politics, and a leader who sows fear and benefits from a panicked, irrational populace. It struck too close to home, given what’s happening in our country, and I couldn’t finish the season.

Walking Dead: I’ve watched from the beginning, forgiving the show’s many missteps (Glenn’s miraculous survival by dumpster, Carol losing her nerve), but couldn’t continue after the season premiere. Negan was a great villain, but the conflict with him has dragged on too long. When Maggie and company wasted time talking to Negan and his cronies in the first episodes – when they had clear shots at them – I gave up. I’ve since heard there’s been a controversial death this season that has riled up fans, but I’m not curious enough to spend the time catching up.

Debuts

Alienist: This historical crime drama, which premiered on TNT in January, looks intriguing. A journalist, a prickly psychiatrist and a team of investigators work together to solve a series of murders in 1896 New  York City. This unusual team pioneers true-life innovations in fingerprinting, forensic science and criminal profiling over a 10-episode series.

Castle Rock: Stephen King created this fictional town as the setting for many of his stories, and this anthology will bring together some of his most terrifying characters. You’ll find Pennywise from It, the mad dog from Cujo and more in this series created by J.J. Abrams. Since it runs on Hulu, I’ll have to borrow someone’s password to see it.

Roseanne reboot: Of all the sitcoms I watched growing up in the ’80s, I could best relate to the working class Conner family struggling to pay the bills and get along with each other. And while I’m getting tired of endless remakes and reboots and find many of them pointless, I will give this one a shot. I’m curious to see what the characters will be up to this far into the future and how they’ll be impacted by current events. This premieres on ABC in March.

Chi: If I had Showtime, I’d watch this ensemble set in the gritty, sometimes violent South Side of Chicago. The premiere in early January focused on a young boy who discovers a body, and the ripple effect it has on his community. I’m drawn toward stories of young people who battle poverty, violence and other disadvantages as they try to forge their path.

The year 2017 was one of record-breaking and genre-bending music. One of the biggest songs of the year, “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber, soared through the charts. It has the most views of any video on YouTube,  is the best-selling song that isn’t primarily English, and is tied for the longest reign at number one. If it wasn’t for the smash hit, “Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor swift, then Despacito would have remained at the top of the chart for a much longer time.

Despite its release late in the year, Swift’s album, Reputation, was the number one selling album of 2017. In fact, it became the best-selling album after only four days, with 1.9 million units sold. Her friend and collaborator on the album , Ed Sheeran, had the second best-selling album of the year, Divide, and the best selling song of the year, “Shape of You”. He also had the third, fifth, and eigth best-selling songs: “Castle on the Hill,” “Perfect,” and “Galway Girl.” Another outstanding achievement of this year was Cardi B topping the charts with her song “Bodak Yellow.” She is the only solo female rapper to achieve that since Lauryn Hill in 1998.

The highest award a musician can ever get is a Grammy and, in February, many deserving artists were awarded. Adele won the most with five awards including Album and Record of the Year. Later in the year, Bruno Mars dominated at the American Music Awards, with eight awards for his album 24K Magic.

Music has always been a way for people to connect and heal, which has never been more true than in 2017. It began with the horrific  attack on Ariana Grande’s concert in Manchester, England, last May that left 23 dead. To combat this hatred, Grande threw a benefit concert called One Love Manchester with all of the profits going to the victims of the attack. Other musicians began to follow her lead, realizing that they could use their platform to help others. These musicians included Jennifer Lopez, Lin Manuel Miranda, Jay-Z, and Willie Nelson, all for different causes.

In 2017, music started to become more political. Two artists stand out for doing this, Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z, with albums heavily focused on issues that the American people are experiencing today such as racism and intolerance. In addition, several artists returned to the industry after going a while without a new release, including Taylor Swift, Jay-Z, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Katy Perry, Kesha, Eminem, and Lady Gaga. 

Many intriguing movies hit cinemas in 2017 According to IMDb, the most popular movies of the year were as follows:

The Shape of Water
Set in the 1960s, this film directed by Guillermo del Toro is about a young janitor who works at a research center and falls in love with a creature being studied at the facility.

The Greatest Showman
Directed by Michael Gracey, this film is about the origins of the entertainment industry and the influence that one individual had in creating a show that would entertain millions.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
When four teenagers are transported into the world of a video game, they must solve the game in order to return to reality. This remake of a 1995 movie was directed by Jake Kasdan.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
After her daughter is murdered, a woman works to prevent the police from being idle in the search for the culprit. Directed by Martin McDonagh.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi 
Another installment in the Star Wars series, this one directed by Rian Johnson. The Last Jedi is about Luke Skywalker’s training of Rey, who has recently discovered her special powers. Meanwhile, the Resistance and the First Order prepare for combat.

***

My personal favorite movie of 2017 was Coco, directed by Lee Unkrich and co-directed by Adrian Molina. Set in Mexico City, this Pixar-animated film is about a young boy who loves to perform music. However, the boy’s great-great-grandfather left his wife and children years earlier in order to pursue a career in music, causing the entire family he left behind to take a stance against music for generations. Conflicted, Miguel embarks on a quest in the Land of the Dead to locate his great-great-grandfather. Coco is a celebration of music, family, and loyalty and is brought to life with beautiful and colorful animation.

***

Several movies to look out for in 2018 include new takes on classic series and books:

Ocean’s 8
In this film starring Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, and Rihanna, a group of women conspire to plan an elaborate robbery at the Met Gala in a spin-off of the original Ocean’s movies. Hits theaters in June.

A Wrinkle in Time
Based on Madeleine L’Engle’s acclaimed novel, this movie set to premiere in March traces the journey of Meg and her companions as they search for her father in space.

Source: IMDB.com

The year of 2017 was filled with the release of new page-turners hot off the presses. According to Goodreads, a website where users rate and review the books they’ve read, the most popular books of the year were all fictional novels and included the following:

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
Ranked the most popular book of the year, this novel is about a town where everything from its infrastructure to the future lives of its citizens is planned with scrutiny. When a free-thinking artist named Mae and her daughter Pearl move into the town, conflict emerges between the new family and other residents. This book suggests that even careful planning and management cannot prevent the inevitable messiness of life.

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
After Jules’ sister Nel dies in a river nicknamed the Drowning Pool, Jules must care for Nel’s teenage daughter. At the same time, Jules is forced to confront her fears about the place where she and her sister grew up and the nearby frightening river, which has been the site of the mysterious deaths of women over the years.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
This book handles themes of police violence and the divide between wealthy and impoverished communities. When 16-year-old Starr sees her friend Khalil shot by the police despite being unarmed, she enters into the heart of a conflict between protesters and those who support the decision of the police to kill her friend.

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
In the latest novel by the renowned young adult author, teenage friends Aza and Daisy embark on a search to undercover information about a criminal named Russell Pickett. A coming-of-age story, Turtles All the Way Down depicts how Aza learns about friendship and perseverance during her quest to uncover the truth.

Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
This novel was inspired by a true case of child trafficking that took place in the first half of the twentieth-century by Georgia Tann, the director of an adoption organization in Memphis, Tennessee. This novel tracks the fictional kidnapping of Rill Foss and her siblings, who are taken from their family by an orphanage connected to the Tennessee Children’s Home Society.

***

My personal favorite read of 2017 was The Peculiar Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender. Though this book was not published in 2017, I highly recommend adding it to your reading list. The story is about a young girl named Rose who can taste the subconscious emotions of other people in the food that they cook for her. This novel explores the hidden, deeper feelings that humans keep just below the surface of everyday life and conversation.

***

Several new books to look forward to in 2018 include:

A Court of Frost and Starlight (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #3.1) by Sarah J. Maas
This is the third novel in Maas’ series,  about a royal court that rules in a realm full of drama and fantasy.

Obsidio (The Illuminae Files, #3) by Annie Kaufman
This is a science-fiction novel from a series set in the future around the year 2575. After a large corporation invades a small planet, one group of the planet’s inhabitants leaves to find another home. In the third book of this series, these individuals must return several months after the attack despite not knowing what remains of their home planet.

Untitled (Throne of Glass, #7) by Sarah J. Maas
This is the last book in the Throne of Glass series. This series chronicles events that occur in a world of pirates, assassins, and suspense.

Source: Goodreads.com

By Yasmina Berkat

This study of a statue of an angel, done in Mr. Crawford’s art class, took about five hours to complete. The geometry of the angel was easy to sketch out; the only difficult part was the proportions.

click on each picture to enlarge

If you have artwork you’d like to share, please see Mrs. McHugh in the library.

A prism is an object that has refracting surfaces that take light and sound and bounce them off one another, making it seem like you are surrounded by something beautiful. This is exactly what Mr. Wade and Mr. Harden accomplished on Thursday night with the spectacular Prism Concert!

This was the first year that the concert was held, organized as part of the district-wide Choose Presence Program that encourages students and staff to unplug from our devices and social media and connect in real life.  Mr. Harden, the band director, first witnessed this type of concert while at other districts while Mr. Wade, the choral director, experienced it while student teaching. Everyone in the room, performers and audience members alike, were captivated by each performance that took place.

Starting off with a bang, all chorus and the bands collaborated in a beautiful piece called Resonances that truly embraced the definition of a prism. With the chorus singing on the staircase and the band performing from all corners of the room, it truly made you feel embraced by the music. From there on, the night just got better!

Each time a new group would perform, they would be positioned somewhere in the auditorium that you totally wouldn’t expect! Interspersed among the performances were videos in which  students explained what music meant to them and how it made them feel happy and together with other people.

The concert definitely made you feel one with the music! Starting with the ninth grade chorale and ending with the jazz band, it definitely was a night to remember!

Do you enjoy musicals? Are you a fan of mystery and extravagance? Regardless of whether you are drawn to musical theatre or not, The Phantom of the Opera on stage is well worth the ticket. With an iconic soundtrack, intriguing characters, and skilled actors and actresses, the play will entice all audiences, regardless of their interest in classic musicals.

Recently, a group of French students at Hanover High School took a field trip to see Phantom performed live at the Boston Opera House. The play is based on a 1910 French novel by the same name written by Gaston Leroux. The story has inspired many movies and play productions because of its dramatic and original plot.  In the story, a female performer at the Paris Opera House catches the attention of a masked composer who hides below the Opera to conceal his disfigured face. Christine, the singer who attracts the concealed “Phantom,” must choose between an admirer from her childhood and the mysterious, often unpredictable composer. Though the play contains elements of tragedy, the convincing performances by the actors, the beautiful stage sets, and the dramatic music make the experience of seeing the play exciting and suspenseful.

Before watching the play, French teachers Mrs. Dhommee and Mrs. Youngworth took their students to Brasserie JO, a Boston restaurant that serves French cuisine. Students ate from a delicious selection of foods, including French onion soup, a variety of sandwiches, and a plate of French desserts such as crème brûlée. Some even tried escargot—and liked it, for the most part!

Overall, the day served as an enriching learning experience, exposing students to aspects of French culture from baguettes before lunch to French literature performed on stage. It is uncommon for students to leave high school for the day to travel into Boston and experience so much culture firsthand, and it will be an unforgettable experience for all who attended. I highly suggest seeing The Phantom of the Opera when it comes back to Boston again, or wherever it finds you in the future!