Take the summer reading challenge!
Pledge to read one of our suggested reads and get a cute sticker!
Come back in August and PROVE you read one or more of our books and we'll enter you in a draw to win one of our limited edition UHS Red Devil Reader t-shirts.
Social belonging and responsibility
Now that you're settled in to UHS and have figured out the school's culture, you can think about how you want to show up in the school's community. How can you engage as a socially responsible citizen at UHS? How do you communicate with your friends and with wider groups?
Below you'll find some recommended fiction and nonfiction books that are all on the theme of interconnection.
Fiction
Cancelled by Publication Date: 2024Brynn is cancelled after a misleading Snapchat video circulates through her high school, so she decides to tackle the underlying problem of double standards by starting a club calling for a "femolution." High school drama with spark and snap and a little romance too! (ebook)
The Circle by Publication Date: 2014In this near future worryingly plausible scifi novel, Mae Holland starts working at a feel-good tech company but as she becomes more involved with its social media experience, she starts to wonder what the end goal is. (in the library)
Didn't See That Coming by Publication Date: 2023Set in Indonesia, this is a cute romance, but also a pretty harrowing story of the effects of cyberbullying. (ebook)
Do You Dream of Terra-Two? by Publication Date: 2019In this intriguing sci novel set in the near future, a 23-year mission is launched to an idyllic second Earth. Four adults and six teenagers make up the carefully selected and trained crew but nobody knows how they'll cope living in close quarters for such a long time. Of course, it all goes wrong! (ebook)
One of Us Is Lying by Publication Date: 2017The Breakfast Club meets Agatha Christie in this riveting mystery novel when a student's sudden death threatens to reveal the secrets of four others. (in the library, ebook, and audiobook).
The Rumor Game by Publication Date: 2022Three high school seniors get tangled up in social media rumors and rumormongering and discover that it’s not a monster you can control in this well-told cautionary of-the-moment novel (ebook).
The Serpent King by Publication Date: 2017The heart of this novel is the friendship between three social outcasts, likable and beautifully-drawn characters, as they go through their high school senior year. (in the library and ebook)
Nonfiction
Accountable by Publication Date: 2023A complex and shocking real-life story involving teens from Albany High School and the fallout from a racist, sexist Instagram account. This very readable narrative gives much to reflect on. (in the library and ebook)
High School by Publication Date: 2019The Canadian singer-songwriters and identical twins recall navigating their high school years and discovering their musical talent in this compelling memoir. (in the library and audiobook)
Like Ability by Publication Date: 2022This reader-friendly guide to likability combines real-life stories, explanation of concepts, short quizzes, and some suggestions for building an action plan.
The Twittering Machine by Publication Date: 2020Thoughtful reading about the positive and negative effects that social media has on society. (SFPL)
