Library
Find the next book in your favorite series or discover something new at the South Hills Middle School Library. With over 10,000 titles in our collection, you’ll never run out of fantastic books to read! You’re also welcome to use one of the student computers or engage in some fun, hands-on learning at our Makerspace tables.
Library Hours
Mondays: 8:35 – 3:05
Tuesdays – Fridays: 8:35 – 4:05
Library Links
Librarian
Mrs. Whitney Moses
(208)732-5160 ext. 4048
moseswh@tfsd.org
Student Recommendations
Hadley
The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden is a captivating book. It follows a young girl named Zoey as she faces the challenges of living in poverty with her three younger siblings. Between struggles with her mom and nagging from her teacher, Zoey is often put under a lot of stress. Her only friend, Fuchsia has her own problems, too, and is constantly leaning on Zoey for support. Throughout the book, Zoey frequently compares herself to an octopus, reminding the readers that she could handle all the pressure if she had eight arms and could camouflage herself. I love the way Ann Braden explains Zoey’s thoughts and feelings. The author does an outstanding job of depicting modern problems in the book, such as the cultural divide between rich and poor and the gun debate. There is so much depth in this novel, you won’t want to put it down. The Benefits of Being an Octopus is one of the first books that I truly enjoyed reading. It made me view the world differently, and I’d recommend it.
Elizabeth
Heartless by Marrissa Meyer is a heart-wrenching novel. Once I started reading it, I was immediately pulled into the storyline, and I couldn’t put the book down. It takes place in Wonderland, a place full of quirky talking animals as well as terrifying monsters. The main character is a girl named Catherine, the daughter of a Marquess and Marchioness. The King of Hearts is in love with her, but she does not share his affectionate feelings. When the new court joker arrives, her emotions get the better of her, and she ends up loving him when she should be falling in love with the king. Catherine’s mother wants her to marry the king, but Catherine can’t even bear to imagine a future with him by her side. When the story twists tragically, Catherine is forced to make a choice, whether she likes it or not. I recommend this book to anyone who loves reading romance and fantasy novels.
Hartly
I rate this book a 10 out of 10. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is an amazing book with a suspenseful storyline. It is set in the Upper West Side of New York, and it’s about a sixth-grade girl named Miranda. The novel begins with Miranda’s house key going missing, and she starts to receive mysterious notes from someone who knows all about her. The notes even accurately predict things that are about to happen in her life. The first note says, “M, I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. I ask two favors.” Each note makes Miranda more convinced that she is the only one who can prevent an awful death until the final note makes her think she’s too late. I enjoyed this book because of all of the mysterious elements. It has a lot of good surprises. You can’t guess what is going to happen next.
Samantha
If you love suspenseful books that keep you on the edge of your seat, you should read Running Out of Time by Margret Peterson Haddix. This amazing book is about a teenage girl named Jessie who lives in the frontier village of Clifton, Indiana in 1840. The terrible disease diphtheria strikes, and the village children start dying. Jessie’s mother sends her on a dangerous mission to bring help. Beyond Clifton, Jessie discovers a strange and complicated world, and she realizes that her whole existence is based on a lie. She soon finds her own life in jeopardy, as awful people are trying to find her and kill her. Can she get help before the people in Clifton run out of time? This question keeps you from putting the book down. I would recommend this book to everyone!
Bricelyn
Louis Zamperini was an Olympic track star whose life was chronicled in the compelling biography, Unbroken, by author Laura Hillenbrand. Louis was not the most well-behaved child until his older brother forced him to start running. Louis was reluctant at first, but eventually, he started to enjoy it. He trained his whole high school career and was unstoppable. At the age of 19, Louis got accepted into the 1936 Olympics. He is still the youngest American to qualify for the Olympics in the 5,000-meter race. Shortly after he came home, WWII broke out. Louis joined the Army Air Corps. While on a rescue mission, Louis and his crew crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Eventually, he and one other member of the aircraft crew were captured and taken to a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. His captors tortured him, but what he had experienced earlier in his life helped him survive. This book is hard to put down and just overall amazing!
Daycia
Ever since Piper was a baby, she has been able to hover. By the time she’s a preteen, she can actually fly. If the people of Lowland County found out, they would be afraid of her, so her parents try to hide it from the world. Piper is sent to a school for specially gifted people like herself called I.N.S.A.N.E., where she meets people who have extraordinary powers like X-ray vision, size manipulation and telekinesis. Piper likes her new school, but she soon finds out that it might not have her best interests at heart. Rather than being a safe place, it might be the most dangerous place she has ever been. I felt so scared for Piper when she was trapped at the school. The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester is a fantasy-adventure book that I highly recommend.
Lyric
Dangerous by Shannon Hale is a book for science and space lovers. The main character, Maisie Brown from Salt Lake City, Utah, sees an advertisement for a space camp on a cereal box. When she goes there, she is met with many surprises. She’s put on a team with other kids and sent into outer space. Maisie is given the very difficult task of saving the world by fighting aliens. Maisie was born without an arm, and she receives a high-tech prosthetic one. I liked how quick thinking she was. When I was reading Dangerous, I was dying to know, “Will she be able to save the world? Or will it just be too hard? What would I do in her shoes?” This book has many plot twists and a bit of romance. It’s one of my favorites, and I hope it will be one of yours too!
Amy
Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina is a great book! Merci is heading into her first year at a private middle school in southern Florida. She never thought middle school would be so different and so full of challenges. Merci is assigned to be the “buddy” of a new boy which causes a lot of trouble between her and some of the girls at the school. Edna becomes very jealous of her for spending so much time with this new boy. Merci is bullied. She doesn’t feel like she belongs there since she is not rich like her classmates. Things at her home aren’t so good either. Her Grandpa Lolo has started to forget some very important things, and her family won’t tell her anything about what’s going on. I definitely recommend this book for someone who likes to read realistic fiction.
Kaija
Are you looking for a compelling and mysterious story? Are you interested in reading about young prodigies? Look no further, the book I recommend for you is called The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. At the beginning of the book, children from all across the globe take part in a test of intelligence and problem-solving skills. After completing these tests, four extraordinary children are selected to be a part of a dangerous secret mission. They must work together to determine the plan of the evil psychopath, Ledroptha Curtain, who just so happens to be their employer’s brother. To prepare, they must learn how to communicate with one another through Morse code and develop their many skills to have any chance of success. Can they work together in secret to accomplish this impossible feat? Read the book to find out, and make sure not to miss out on the rest of this series.
Jeremiah
People who love the video game Five Nights at Freddy’s and horror stories will like Fazbear Frights: Into the Pit, a collection of short stories by Scott Cawthon. In the first story, “Into the Pit,” Oswald doesn’t want to have a boring summer. He gets his wish when he discovers how he can travel back in time. Unfortunately, a killer follows him back to his own time. The next story, “To Be Beautiful,” tells about Sarah who just wants to be admired. A stranger helps her, but at a terrifying cost. “Count the Ways” is Millie’s story. She wishes to disappear from the face of the earth. A bear grants that wish but in a twisted way. Millie has to choose how she dies. As you follow middle-schoolers Oswald, Sarah, and Millie, you can see how their twisted stories turn out.
Breidi
If you’re a fan of dystopian fiction, fantasy or science fiction, then the Hunger Games series is for you. A young 16-year-old girl named Katniss Everdeen lives in a dystopian world called Panem where 12 districts are controlled by the capital. To take away the citizens’ hope, President Snow forces two kids from each district to compete in the Hunger Games each year where they fight against each other to the death. There can only be one victor, who is promised great amounts of food and money for the rest of their life. When Katniss’s younger sister is selected, Katniss volunteers in her place. Her experience trying to survive is traumatic. This amazing series will keep you on the edge of your seat. I enjoyed reading it, and if you check it out, I’m sure you will too.
Cynthia
From a young age, I have always been interested in mythology. Loki’s Wolves by K. L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr, the first book of the Blackwell series, is based on Norse mythology and describes the adventures of Matt, Fen and Laurie. Matt is a descendant of Thor, the god of thunder. Fen and Laurie are descendants of Loki, the trickster god. Fen has inherited the ability to shapeshift, and he tries to protect his cousin Laurie from the knowledge of their powers. She doesn’t even know that she is related to Loki. Matt has been chosen by his family to slay an evil serpent that is trying to destroy the world, and he discovers a terrible secret that they have hidden from him. Matt, Fen and Laurie decide to work together to kill the serpent. Loki’s Wolves shows all three perspectives of the main characters by changing the point of view with each new chapter. This book is filled with lots of twists. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading mythology books, especially Norse mythology.