Seniors
Summer
College
.png)
© SCHOOLINKS INC. • 2023
Book, Podcast, and Documentary Recommendations For Educators
June 8, 2023
June 8, 2023
During the school year, counselors, administrators, and teachers have overwhelming schedules and to-do lists. From checking in on at-risk students to helping families complete requisite application materials to supporting students in exploring their passions, there is rarely any time left over for activities beyond what must get completed. With the more flexible, and hopefully less busy, summer schedule, there are more opportunities to read a new book, listen to a great interview, or watch a fascinating story unfold.
Here is a thoughtfully curated list of books, podcasts, and documentaries that might be enjoyable during the summer months. They vary in topic, format, and seriousness. Pausing to get lost in a story, learn something new, or find models of resiliency and creativity can be restorative and inspiring. We hope these suggestions will spark moments of laughter, reflection, and–maybe, possibly–a little relaxation this summer.
Podcasts For Educators
Beautiful/Anonymous (Summary from Spotify): “1 phone call. 1 hour. No names. No holds barred. That's the premise behind Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, hosted by comedian Chris Gethard (the Chris Gethard Show, Broad City, This American Life, and one of Time Outs 10 best comedians of 2015). Every week, Chris opens the phone line to one anonymous caller, and he can't hang up first, no matter what. From shocking confessions and family secrets to philosophical discussions and shameless self-promotion, anything can and will happen!”
Becoming Wise (Summary from Spotify): “The Becoming Wise podcast offers depth and discovery in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Each episode is curated from hundreds of big conversations with wise and graceful lives. Reset your day. Replenish your sense of yourself and the world. On Being Studios is the producer of On Being, This Movie Changed Me, and more to come. Krista Tippett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living. President Obama honored her with the National Humanities Medal for ‘thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.’”
How to Fail (Summary from Spotify): “How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates the things that haven’t gone right. Every week, a new interviewee explores what their failures taught them about how to succeed better.”
The Lazy Genius Podcast (Summary from Spotify): “Part systems expert, part permission giver, Kendra Adachi, The Lazy Genius, is here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.”
This American Life (Summary from Spotify): “This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal stories with funny moments, big feelings, and surprising plot twists. Newsy stories that try to capture what it’s like to be alive right now. It’s the most popular weekly podcast in the world, and winner of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or podcast. Hosted by Ira Glass and produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago.”
Documentaries For Educators
Angel City (Summary from HBO): “Angel City is a gripping docuseries that goes behind the scenes and onto the pitch of the groundbreaking Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club. Pulling back the curtain on the origin story through the 2022 inaugural season of the female-founded and led team, the series reveals the passion and grit needed to build a franchise from scratch and blaze a bold trail in the world of professional sports.”
Jane (Summary from Disney+): “Drawing from over 100 hours of previously unseen archival footage, director Brett Morgen tells the story of JANE, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. Set to a rich orchestral score from legendary composer Philip Glass, the film offers an intimate portrait of Jane Goodall–a trailblazer who became one of the world's most admired conservationists.”
Our Great National Parks (Summary from Netflix): “Narrated by former President Barack Obama, this stunning docuseries shines the spotlight on some of the planet's most spectacular national parks.”
Science Fair (Summary from National Geographic): “Science Fair follows nine high school students from around the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks and, of course, hormones, on their journey to compete at The International Science and Engineering Fair. As 1,700 of the smartest, quirkiest teens from 78 different countries face off, only one will be named Best in Fair. The film, from Fusion and Muck Media and directed by the DuPont Award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaking team Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster, offers a front seat to the victories, defeats and motivations of an incredible group of young men and women who are on a path to change their lives, and the world, through science.”
Summer of Soul (Summary from Hulu): “In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion.”
Books For Educators
Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Summary from goodreads): “Between life and death there is a library, and…that library contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision…She must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.”
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (Summary from goodreads): “A novel about a mother’s unbreakable love in a world consumed by fear. Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father…For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve ‘American culture’ in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic—including the work of Bird’s mother, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old. Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her…But when he receives a mysterious letter, he is pulled into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Summary from goodreads): “Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium…Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova…Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.”
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (Summary from goodreads): “A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions…With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.”
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Summary from goodreads): “In this exhilarating novel, two friends…come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality…Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.”
During the school year, counselors, administrators, and teachers have overwhelming schedules and to-do lists. From checking in on at-risk students to helping families complete requisite application materials to supporting students in exploring their passions, there is rarely any time left over for activities beyond what must get completed. With the more flexible, and hopefully less busy, summer schedule, there are more opportunities to read a new book, listen to a great interview, or watch a fascinating story unfold.
Here is a thoughtfully curated list of books, podcasts, and documentaries that might be enjoyable during the summer months. They vary in topic, format, and seriousness. Pausing to get lost in a story, learn something new, or find models of resiliency and creativity can be restorative and inspiring. We hope these suggestions will spark moments of laughter, reflection, and–maybe, possibly–a little relaxation this summer.
Podcasts For Educators
Beautiful/Anonymous (Summary from Spotify): “1 phone call. 1 hour. No names. No holds barred. That's the premise behind Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, hosted by comedian Chris Gethard (the Chris Gethard Show, Broad City, This American Life, and one of Time Outs 10 best comedians of 2015). Every week, Chris opens the phone line to one anonymous caller, and he can't hang up first, no matter what. From shocking confessions and family secrets to philosophical discussions and shameless self-promotion, anything can and will happen!”
Becoming Wise (Summary from Spotify): “The Becoming Wise podcast offers depth and discovery in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Each episode is curated from hundreds of big conversations with wise and graceful lives. Reset your day. Replenish your sense of yourself and the world. On Being Studios is the producer of On Being, This Movie Changed Me, and more to come. Krista Tippett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living. President Obama honored her with the National Humanities Medal for ‘thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.’”
How to Fail (Summary from Spotify): “How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates the things that haven’t gone right. Every week, a new interviewee explores what their failures taught them about how to succeed better.”
The Lazy Genius Podcast (Summary from Spotify): “Part systems expert, part permission giver, Kendra Adachi, The Lazy Genius, is here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.”
This American Life (Summary from Spotify): “This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal stories with funny moments, big feelings, and surprising plot twists. Newsy stories that try to capture what it’s like to be alive right now. It’s the most popular weekly podcast in the world, and winner of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or podcast. Hosted by Ira Glass and produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago.”
Documentaries For Educators
Angel City (Summary from HBO): “Angel City is a gripping docuseries that goes behind the scenes and onto the pitch of the groundbreaking Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club. Pulling back the curtain on the origin story through the 2022 inaugural season of the female-founded and led team, the series reveals the passion and grit needed to build a franchise from scratch and blaze a bold trail in the world of professional sports.”
Jane (Summary from Disney+): “Drawing from over 100 hours of previously unseen archival footage, director Brett Morgen tells the story of JANE, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. Set to a rich orchestral score from legendary composer Philip Glass, the film offers an intimate portrait of Jane Goodall–a trailblazer who became one of the world's most admired conservationists.”
Our Great National Parks (Summary from Netflix): “Narrated by former President Barack Obama, this stunning docuseries shines the spotlight on some of the planet's most spectacular national parks.”
Science Fair (Summary from National Geographic): “Science Fair follows nine high school students from around the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks and, of course, hormones, on their journey to compete at The International Science and Engineering Fair. As 1,700 of the smartest, quirkiest teens from 78 different countries face off, only one will be named Best in Fair. The film, from Fusion and Muck Media and directed by the DuPont Award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaking team Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster, offers a front seat to the victories, defeats and motivations of an incredible group of young men and women who are on a path to change their lives, and the world, through science.”
Summer of Soul (Summary from Hulu): “In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion.”
Books For Educators
Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Summary from goodreads): “Between life and death there is a library, and…that library contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision…She must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.”
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (Summary from goodreads): “A novel about a mother’s unbreakable love in a world consumed by fear. Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father…For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve ‘American culture’ in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic—including the work of Bird’s mother, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old. Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her…But when he receives a mysterious letter, he is pulled into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Summary from goodreads): “Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium…Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova…Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.”
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (Summary from goodreads): “A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions…With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.”
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Summary from goodreads): “In this exhilarating novel, two friends…come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality…Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.”
Request a demo
Students
Schools
Years with SchooLinks
During the school year, counselors, administrators, and teachers have overwhelming schedules and to-do lists. From checking in on at-risk students to helping families complete requisite application materials to supporting students in exploring their passions, there is rarely any time left over for activities beyond what must get completed. With the more flexible, and hopefully less busy, summer schedule, there are more opportunities to read a new book, listen to a great interview, or watch a fascinating story unfold.
Here is a thoughtfully curated list of books, podcasts, and documentaries that might be enjoyable during the summer months. They vary in topic, format, and seriousness. Pausing to get lost in a story, learn something new, or find models of resiliency and creativity can be restorative and inspiring. We hope these suggestions will spark moments of laughter, reflection, and–maybe, possibly–a little relaxation this summer.
Podcasts For Educators
Beautiful/Anonymous (Summary from Spotify): “1 phone call. 1 hour. No names. No holds barred. That's the premise behind Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, hosted by comedian Chris Gethard (the Chris Gethard Show, Broad City, This American Life, and one of Time Outs 10 best comedians of 2015). Every week, Chris opens the phone line to one anonymous caller, and he can't hang up first, no matter what. From shocking confessions and family secrets to philosophical discussions and shameless self-promotion, anything can and will happen!”
Becoming Wise (Summary from Spotify): “The Becoming Wise podcast offers depth and discovery in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Each episode is curated from hundreds of big conversations with wise and graceful lives. Reset your day. Replenish your sense of yourself and the world. On Being Studios is the producer of On Being, This Movie Changed Me, and more to come. Krista Tippett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living. President Obama honored her with the National Humanities Medal for ‘thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.’”
How to Fail (Summary from Spotify): “How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates the things that haven’t gone right. Every week, a new interviewee explores what their failures taught them about how to succeed better.”
The Lazy Genius Podcast (Summary from Spotify): “Part systems expert, part permission giver, Kendra Adachi, The Lazy Genius, is here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.”
This American Life (Summary from Spotify): “This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal stories with funny moments, big feelings, and surprising plot twists. Newsy stories that try to capture what it’s like to be alive right now. It’s the most popular weekly podcast in the world, and winner of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or podcast. Hosted by Ira Glass and produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago.”
Documentaries For Educators
Angel City (Summary from HBO): “Angel City is a gripping docuseries that goes behind the scenes and onto the pitch of the groundbreaking Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club. Pulling back the curtain on the origin story through the 2022 inaugural season of the female-founded and led team, the series reveals the passion and grit needed to build a franchise from scratch and blaze a bold trail in the world of professional sports.”
Jane (Summary from Disney+): “Drawing from over 100 hours of previously unseen archival footage, director Brett Morgen tells the story of JANE, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. Set to a rich orchestral score from legendary composer Philip Glass, the film offers an intimate portrait of Jane Goodall–a trailblazer who became one of the world's most admired conservationists.”
Our Great National Parks (Summary from Netflix): “Narrated by former President Barack Obama, this stunning docuseries shines the spotlight on some of the planet's most spectacular national parks.”
Science Fair (Summary from National Geographic): “Science Fair follows nine high school students from around the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks and, of course, hormones, on their journey to compete at The International Science and Engineering Fair. As 1,700 of the smartest, quirkiest teens from 78 different countries face off, only one will be named Best in Fair. The film, from Fusion and Muck Media and directed by the DuPont Award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaking team Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster, offers a front seat to the victories, defeats and motivations of an incredible group of young men and women who are on a path to change their lives, and the world, through science.”
Summer of Soul (Summary from Hulu): “In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion.”
Books For Educators
Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Summary from goodreads): “Between life and death there is a library, and…that library contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision…She must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.”
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (Summary from goodreads): “A novel about a mother’s unbreakable love in a world consumed by fear. Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father…For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve ‘American culture’ in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic—including the work of Bird’s mother, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old. Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her…But when he receives a mysterious letter, he is pulled into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Summary from goodreads): “Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium…Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova…Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.”
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (Summary from goodreads): “A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions…With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.”
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Summary from goodreads): “In this exhilarating novel, two friends…come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality…Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.”
During the school year, counselors, administrators, and teachers have overwhelming schedules and to-do lists. From checking in on at-risk students to helping families complete requisite application materials to supporting students in exploring their passions, there is rarely any time left over for activities beyond what must get completed. With the more flexible, and hopefully less busy, summer schedule, there are more opportunities to read a new book, listen to a great interview, or watch a fascinating story unfold.
Here is a thoughtfully curated list of books, podcasts, and documentaries that might be enjoyable during the summer months. They vary in topic, format, and seriousness. Pausing to get lost in a story, learn something new, or find models of resiliency and creativity can be restorative and inspiring. We hope these suggestions will spark moments of laughter, reflection, and–maybe, possibly–a little relaxation this summer.
Podcasts For Educators
Beautiful/Anonymous (Summary from Spotify): “1 phone call. 1 hour. No names. No holds barred. That's the premise behind Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, hosted by comedian Chris Gethard (the Chris Gethard Show, Broad City, This American Life, and one of Time Outs 10 best comedians of 2015). Every week, Chris opens the phone line to one anonymous caller, and he can't hang up first, no matter what. From shocking confessions and family secrets to philosophical discussions and shameless self-promotion, anything can and will happen!”
Becoming Wise (Summary from Spotify): “The Becoming Wise podcast offers depth and discovery in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Each episode is curated from hundreds of big conversations with wise and graceful lives. Reset your day. Replenish your sense of yourself and the world. On Being Studios is the producer of On Being, This Movie Changed Me, and more to come. Krista Tippett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living. President Obama honored her with the National Humanities Medal for ‘thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.’”
How to Fail (Summary from Spotify): “How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates the things that haven’t gone right. Every week, a new interviewee explores what their failures taught them about how to succeed better.”
The Lazy Genius Podcast (Summary from Spotify): “Part systems expert, part permission giver, Kendra Adachi, The Lazy Genius, is here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.”
This American Life (Summary from Spotify): “This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal stories with funny moments, big feelings, and surprising plot twists. Newsy stories that try to capture what it’s like to be alive right now. It’s the most popular weekly podcast in the world, and winner of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or podcast. Hosted by Ira Glass and produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago.”
Documentaries For Educators
Angel City (Summary from HBO): “Angel City is a gripping docuseries that goes behind the scenes and onto the pitch of the groundbreaking Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club. Pulling back the curtain on the origin story through the 2022 inaugural season of the female-founded and led team, the series reveals the passion and grit needed to build a franchise from scratch and blaze a bold trail in the world of professional sports.”
Jane (Summary from Disney+): “Drawing from over 100 hours of previously unseen archival footage, director Brett Morgen tells the story of JANE, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. Set to a rich orchestral score from legendary composer Philip Glass, the film offers an intimate portrait of Jane Goodall–a trailblazer who became one of the world's most admired conservationists.”
Our Great National Parks (Summary from Netflix): “Narrated by former President Barack Obama, this stunning docuseries shines the spotlight on some of the planet's most spectacular national parks.”
Science Fair (Summary from National Geographic): “Science Fair follows nine high school students from around the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks and, of course, hormones, on their journey to compete at The International Science and Engineering Fair. As 1,700 of the smartest, quirkiest teens from 78 different countries face off, only one will be named Best in Fair. The film, from Fusion and Muck Media and directed by the DuPont Award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaking team Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster, offers a front seat to the victories, defeats and motivations of an incredible group of young men and women who are on a path to change their lives, and the world, through science.”
Summer of Soul (Summary from Hulu): “In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion.”
Books For Educators
Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Summary from goodreads): “Between life and death there is a library, and…that library contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision…She must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.”
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (Summary from goodreads): “A novel about a mother’s unbreakable love in a world consumed by fear. Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father…For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve ‘American culture’ in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic—including the work of Bird’s mother, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old. Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her…But when he receives a mysterious letter, he is pulled into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Summary from goodreads): “Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium…Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova…Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.”
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (Summary from goodreads): “A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions…With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.”
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Summary from goodreads): “In this exhilarating novel, two friends…come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality…Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.”
Download Your Free eBook
Fill out the form below to access your free download following submission.
During the school year, counselors, administrators, and teachers have overwhelming schedules and to-do lists. From checking in on at-risk students to helping families complete requisite application materials to supporting students in exploring their passions, there is rarely any time left over for activities beyond what must get completed. With the more flexible, and hopefully less busy, summer schedule, there are more opportunities to read a new book, listen to a great interview, or watch a fascinating story unfold.
Here is a thoughtfully curated list of books, podcasts, and documentaries that might be enjoyable during the summer months. They vary in topic, format, and seriousness. Pausing to get lost in a story, learn something new, or find models of resiliency and creativity can be restorative and inspiring. We hope these suggestions will spark moments of laughter, reflection, and–maybe, possibly–a little relaxation this summer.
Podcasts For Educators
Beautiful/Anonymous (Summary from Spotify): “1 phone call. 1 hour. No names. No holds barred. That's the premise behind Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, hosted by comedian Chris Gethard (the Chris Gethard Show, Broad City, This American Life, and one of Time Outs 10 best comedians of 2015). Every week, Chris opens the phone line to one anonymous caller, and he can't hang up first, no matter what. From shocking confessions and family secrets to philosophical discussions and shameless self-promotion, anything can and will happen!”
Becoming Wise (Summary from Spotify): “The Becoming Wise podcast offers depth and discovery in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Each episode is curated from hundreds of big conversations with wise and graceful lives. Reset your day. Replenish your sense of yourself and the world. On Being Studios is the producer of On Being, This Movie Changed Me, and more to come. Krista Tippett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living. President Obama honored her with the National Humanities Medal for ‘thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.’”
How to Fail (Summary from Spotify): “How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates the things that haven’t gone right. Every week, a new interviewee explores what their failures taught them about how to succeed better.”
The Lazy Genius Podcast (Summary from Spotify): “Part systems expert, part permission giver, Kendra Adachi, The Lazy Genius, is here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.”
This American Life (Summary from Spotify): “This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal stories with funny moments, big feelings, and surprising plot twists. Newsy stories that try to capture what it’s like to be alive right now. It’s the most popular weekly podcast in the world, and winner of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or podcast. Hosted by Ira Glass and produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago.”
Documentaries For Educators
Angel City (Summary from HBO): “Angel City is a gripping docuseries that goes behind the scenes and onto the pitch of the groundbreaking Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club. Pulling back the curtain on the origin story through the 2022 inaugural season of the female-founded and led team, the series reveals the passion and grit needed to build a franchise from scratch and blaze a bold trail in the world of professional sports.”
Jane (Summary from Disney+): “Drawing from over 100 hours of previously unseen archival footage, director Brett Morgen tells the story of JANE, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. Set to a rich orchestral score from legendary composer Philip Glass, the film offers an intimate portrait of Jane Goodall–a trailblazer who became one of the world's most admired conservationists.”
Our Great National Parks (Summary from Netflix): “Narrated by former President Barack Obama, this stunning docuseries shines the spotlight on some of the planet's most spectacular national parks.”
Science Fair (Summary from National Geographic): “Science Fair follows nine high school students from around the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks and, of course, hormones, on their journey to compete at The International Science and Engineering Fair. As 1,700 of the smartest, quirkiest teens from 78 different countries face off, only one will be named Best in Fair. The film, from Fusion and Muck Media and directed by the DuPont Award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaking team Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster, offers a front seat to the victories, defeats and motivations of an incredible group of young men and women who are on a path to change their lives, and the world, through science.”
Summer of Soul (Summary from Hulu): “In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion.”
Books For Educators
Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Summary from goodreads): “Between life and death there is a library, and…that library contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision…She must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.”
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (Summary from goodreads): “A novel about a mother’s unbreakable love in a world consumed by fear. Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father…For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve ‘American culture’ in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic—including the work of Bird’s mother, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old. Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her…But when he receives a mysterious letter, he is pulled into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Summary from goodreads): “Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium…Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova…Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.”
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (Summary from goodreads): “A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions…With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.”
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Summary from goodreads): “In this exhilarating novel, two friends…come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality…Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.”
Speakers
No items found.
Join the free webinar.
Fill out the form below to gain access to the free webinar.
During the school year, counselors, administrators, and teachers have overwhelming schedules and to-do lists. From checking in on at-risk students to helping families complete requisite application materials to supporting students in exploring their passions, there is rarely any time left over for activities beyond what must get completed. With the more flexible, and hopefully less busy, summer schedule, there are more opportunities to read a new book, listen to a great interview, or watch a fascinating story unfold.
Here is a thoughtfully curated list of books, podcasts, and documentaries that might be enjoyable during the summer months. They vary in topic, format, and seriousness. Pausing to get lost in a story, learn something new, or find models of resiliency and creativity can be restorative and inspiring. We hope these suggestions will spark moments of laughter, reflection, and–maybe, possibly–a little relaxation this summer.
Podcasts For Educators
Beautiful/Anonymous (Summary from Spotify): “1 phone call. 1 hour. No names. No holds barred. That's the premise behind Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, hosted by comedian Chris Gethard (the Chris Gethard Show, Broad City, This American Life, and one of Time Outs 10 best comedians of 2015). Every week, Chris opens the phone line to one anonymous caller, and he can't hang up first, no matter what. From shocking confessions and family secrets to philosophical discussions and shameless self-promotion, anything can and will happen!”
Becoming Wise (Summary from Spotify): “The Becoming Wise podcast offers depth and discovery in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Each episode is curated from hundreds of big conversations with wise and graceful lives. Reset your day. Replenish your sense of yourself and the world. On Being Studios is the producer of On Being, This Movie Changed Me, and more to come. Krista Tippett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living. President Obama honored her with the National Humanities Medal for ‘thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.’”
How to Fail (Summary from Spotify): “How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates the things that haven’t gone right. Every week, a new interviewee explores what their failures taught them about how to succeed better.”
The Lazy Genius Podcast (Summary from Spotify): “Part systems expert, part permission giver, Kendra Adachi, The Lazy Genius, is here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.”
This American Life (Summary from Spotify): “This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal stories with funny moments, big feelings, and surprising plot twists. Newsy stories that try to capture what it’s like to be alive right now. It’s the most popular weekly podcast in the world, and winner of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or podcast. Hosted by Ira Glass and produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago.”
Documentaries For Educators
Angel City (Summary from HBO): “Angel City is a gripping docuseries that goes behind the scenes and onto the pitch of the groundbreaking Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club. Pulling back the curtain on the origin story through the 2022 inaugural season of the female-founded and led team, the series reveals the passion and grit needed to build a franchise from scratch and blaze a bold trail in the world of professional sports.”
Jane (Summary from Disney+): “Drawing from over 100 hours of previously unseen archival footage, director Brett Morgen tells the story of JANE, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. Set to a rich orchestral score from legendary composer Philip Glass, the film offers an intimate portrait of Jane Goodall–a trailblazer who became one of the world's most admired conservationists.”
Our Great National Parks (Summary from Netflix): “Narrated by former President Barack Obama, this stunning docuseries shines the spotlight on some of the planet's most spectacular national parks.”
Science Fair (Summary from National Geographic): “Science Fair follows nine high school students from around the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks and, of course, hormones, on their journey to compete at The International Science and Engineering Fair. As 1,700 of the smartest, quirkiest teens from 78 different countries face off, only one will be named Best in Fair. The film, from Fusion and Muck Media and directed by the DuPont Award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaking team Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster, offers a front seat to the victories, defeats and motivations of an incredible group of young men and women who are on a path to change their lives, and the world, through science.”
Summer of Soul (Summary from Hulu): “In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion.”
Books For Educators
Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Summary from goodreads): “Between life and death there is a library, and…that library contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision…She must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.”
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (Summary from goodreads): “A novel about a mother’s unbreakable love in a world consumed by fear. Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father…For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve ‘American culture’ in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic—including the work of Bird’s mother, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old. Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her…But when he receives a mysterious letter, he is pulled into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Summary from goodreads): “Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium…Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova…Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.”
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (Summary from goodreads): “A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions…With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.”
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Summary from goodreads): “In this exhilarating novel, two friends…come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality…Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.”
Get In Touch
Download your 1-pager
During the school year, counselors, administrators, and teachers have overwhelming schedules and to-do lists. From checking in on at-risk students to helping families complete requisite application materials to supporting students in exploring their passions, there is rarely any time left over for activities beyond what must get completed. With the more flexible, and hopefully less busy, summer schedule, there are more opportunities to read a new book, listen to a great interview, or watch a fascinating story unfold.
Here is a thoughtfully curated list of books, podcasts, and documentaries that might be enjoyable during the summer months. They vary in topic, format, and seriousness. Pausing to get lost in a story, learn something new, or find models of resiliency and creativity can be restorative and inspiring. We hope these suggestions will spark moments of laughter, reflection, and–maybe, possibly–a little relaxation this summer.
Podcasts For Educators
Beautiful/Anonymous (Summary from Spotify): “1 phone call. 1 hour. No names. No holds barred. That's the premise behind Beautiful Stories from Anonymous People, hosted by comedian Chris Gethard (the Chris Gethard Show, Broad City, This American Life, and one of Time Outs 10 best comedians of 2015). Every week, Chris opens the phone line to one anonymous caller, and he can't hang up first, no matter what. From shocking confessions and family secrets to philosophical discussions and shameless self-promotion, anything can and will happen!”
Becoming Wise (Summary from Spotify): “The Becoming Wise podcast offers depth and discovery in the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Each episode is curated from hundreds of big conversations with wise and graceful lives. Reset your day. Replenish your sense of yourself and the world. On Being Studios is the producer of On Being, This Movie Changed Me, and more to come. Krista Tippett is the author of the New York Times bestselling Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living. President Obama honored her with the National Humanities Medal for ‘thoughtfully delving into the mysteries of human existence.’”
How to Fail (Summary from Spotify): “How To Fail With Elizabeth Day is a podcast that celebrates the things that haven’t gone right. Every week, a new interviewee explores what their failures taught them about how to succeed better.”
The Lazy Genius Podcast (Summary from Spotify): “Part systems expert, part permission giver, Kendra Adachi, The Lazy Genius, is here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.”
This American Life (Summary from Spotify): “This American Life is true stories that unfold like little movies for radio. Personal stories with funny moments, big feelings, and surprising plot twists. Newsy stories that try to capture what it’s like to be alive right now. It’s the most popular weekly podcast in the world, and winner of the first ever Pulitzer Prize for a radio show or podcast. Hosted by Ira Glass and produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago.”
Documentaries For Educators
Angel City (Summary from HBO): “Angel City is a gripping docuseries that goes behind the scenes and onto the pitch of the groundbreaking Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club. Pulling back the curtain on the origin story through the 2022 inaugural season of the female-founded and led team, the series reveals the passion and grit needed to build a franchise from scratch and blaze a bold trail in the world of professional sports.”
Jane (Summary from Disney+): “Drawing from over 100 hours of previously unseen archival footage, director Brett Morgen tells the story of JANE, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. Set to a rich orchestral score from legendary composer Philip Glass, the film offers an intimate portrait of Jane Goodall–a trailblazer who became one of the world's most admired conservationists.”
Our Great National Parks (Summary from Netflix): “Narrated by former President Barack Obama, this stunning docuseries shines the spotlight on some of the planet's most spectacular national parks.”
Science Fair (Summary from National Geographic): “Science Fair follows nine high school students from around the globe as they navigate rivalries, setbacks and, of course, hormones, on their journey to compete at The International Science and Engineering Fair. As 1,700 of the smartest, quirkiest teens from 78 different countries face off, only one will be named Best in Fair. The film, from Fusion and Muck Media and directed by the DuPont Award-winning and Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaking team Cristina Costantini and Darren Foster, offers a front seat to the victories, defeats and motivations of an incredible group of young men and women who are on a path to change their lives, and the world, through science.”
Summer of Soul (Summary from Hulu): “In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary—part music film, part historical record created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion.”
Books For Educators
Midnight Library by Matt Haig (Summary from goodreads): “Between life and death there is a library, and…that library contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision…She must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.”
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng (Summary from goodreads): “A novel about a mother’s unbreakable love in a world consumed by fear. Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father…For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve ‘American culture’ in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic—including the work of Bird’s mother, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old. Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her…But when he receives a mysterious letter, he is pulled into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.”
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Summary from goodreads): “Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus. After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium…Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova…Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.”
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld (Summary from goodreads): “A comedy writer thinks she’s sworn off love, until a dreamily handsome pop star flips the script on all her assumptions…With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.”
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (Summary from goodreads): “In this exhilarating novel, two friends…come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality…Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.”
Related Content
All Resources