Battle of the Books, Book 5: Cinder

Cinder by Marissa Meyer—book five in my Battle of the Books reading challenge—definitely delivered on the “sci-fi fairy tale with a twist” promise: Cinderella as a cyborg, living in a plague-ridden futuristic world with political intrigue and psychic moon people.

It’s clear from the start that Cinder is the opening move in a much bigger chess game. The characters are interesting (Cinder herself is smart, scrappy, and sarcastic in the best way), and the worldbuilding is rich and imaginative. That said, you can definitely tell it’s setting the stage for something larger. Some storylines felt like they were just getting warmed up when the book ended, and a few characters seemed to stroll onstage only to wave politely and disappear until, presumably, book two or three.

Which is fine—as long as you have the rest of the series handy.

Thankfully, I already had the rest of the series on order to go in my classroom library. However, I won't be digging into it until I finish the remaining 15 battle of the books titles.

So, if you're planning to read Cinder do yourself a favor and line up the next few books ahead of time. It’s the kind of story that hooks you early and then dares you to keep up. Just don’t expect all the threads to tie up neatly at the end of book one. That’s not the kind of fairy tale this is.

Battle of the Books, Book 4: A Wrinkle in Time

This was another nostalgic pick for me—A Wrinkle in Time was on my Battle of the Books list back when I was in middle school. I remembered loving the concept: strange cosmic beings, time travel, a tesseract (which still sounds cooler than most actual science words). But I didn't go into this reread expecting a warm reunion with an old favorite.

The concept? Still great. The themes? Still powerful. I love a good underdog-saves-the-universe story, especially when it features a brainy, caring girl like Meg. But the prose? That’s where I struggled. For whatever reason, the writing just didn’t pull me in—not now, and honestly, not back then either. It’s not that it’s bad, but something about the tone and pacing kept me at arm’s length. Like I wanted to love it, but it just wasn't happening.

That said, I can see why A Wrinkle in Time has earned its place as a classic. It’s imaginative, ambitious, and it gives middle school readers something big to chew on, and that’s no small thing.

So while this one doesn't quite hold the magic for me, I’m still glad I gave it another shot. Not every reread has to be a home run—but they all help me better understand the kinds of stories that do resonate with my students. And that’s kind of the point of this whole reading challenge anyway.

Battle of the Books, Book 3: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

 This one was a nostalgic reread for me. I first tackled The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy back in high school when I was competing in Battle of the Books. I remember liking it, but I also remember thinking, “Wait… what just happened,” a lot while reading it.

Fast forward a couple decades, and now it’s back on the 2025–2026 high school Battle list. Naturally, I was ready to give it another go. And wow—turns out understanding the jokes makes the book a lot funnier. Who knew?

This time around, I caught the layers. The dry British wit. The delightfully absurd tangents. The way Douglas Adams somehow turns space travel, philosophy, and bureaucracy into a chaotic masterpiece of satire. I mean, it’s still weird. That part hasn’t changed. But now the weird feels intentional—and kind of brilliant.

As someone who regularly reminds students to keep track of their folders and textbooks, I feel strangely seen by a galaxy where even the most advanced civilizations still can’t quite get their paperwork in order.

If you read Hitchhiker’s Guide in high school and felt confused or if you’ve never read it at all I highly recommend it.