Battle of the Books, Book 8: 15 Secrets to Survival

Going into 15 Secrets to Survival, I was fully expecting a collection of gritty, real-life survival stories. Canoes gone wrong, close encounters with bears, stranded after a plane crash and having to start a fire with wet socks and sheer willpower.

I was wrong.

What I got instead was a moderately-paced, fictional survival-ish story filled with heart, humor, and a dose of tween drama.

The back cover compares it to Hatchet with a teamwork twist—which doesn't entirely miss the target—but this story really holds its own. It feels more current, more chaotic, and a lot more relationship-driven. These kids aren’t fighting to survive in the wilderness—they’re also trying to figure out how to work together, trust each other, and maybe not drive each other completely up the wall in the process.

What makes this one stand out is the balance. There’s real tension, eventually, and high stakes, towards the end of the book, but it’s also funny. And that humor makes it feel more real because even in tough situations, people joke, bicker, and mess up. Especially kids.

By the time I finished, I wasn’t thinking about how it compared to other survival books—I was just glad it existed. It’s accessible, engaging, and perfect for middle school readers who want a survival story that also understands what it’s like to be twelve and figuring out your place in the world (while, you know, maybe trying to not get eaten by wildlife).

Highly recommend having this one on your classroom shelf.

Battle of the Books, Book 7: The Boys in the Boat

 Nonfiction and I have a bit of a rocky relationship. I want to love it—I really do—but more often than not, I find myself zoning out as I read. But Daniel James Brown surprised me—The Boys in the Boat didn’t just tell the story of the 1936 Olympic rowing team. It weaves together the story of the Olympics, the Great Depression, an impending World War and Joe Rantz. Brown moves fluidly between the high-stakes races and Joe's childhood, which was equal parts perseverance and abandonment. Rather than bogging down the pacing, the shifts between past and present actually deepened the emotional impact. Joe’s grit on the water makes so much more sense when you understand what he survived on land.

It’s not flashy. It’s not fast. But it is incredibly human—and that’s what pulled me in. Brown’s writing doesn’t just report facts; it builds a story with tension, warmth, and a quiet reverence for the young men at its center. You find yourself cheering for them long before the Olympic boat even touches the water.

 The Boys in the Boat didn’t just hold my attention; it earned my admiration. It’s a powerful reminder that the best true stories often read like fiction… you just can’t make this stuff up.

My Summer Reading Challenge: Battle of the Books Edition

Every summer since I made the switch to teaching middle and high school, I’ve taken on a surprisingly rewarding challenge: read every single book on both the middle school and high school Alaska Battle of the Books lists before school starts again.

Yes, it’s a lot of reading. Yes, I bring a tower of books with me on every ferry ride and weekend trip. And yes, the Homer Bookstore staff can recognize me on sight. (I regret nothing.)

 

This tradition started as a way to keep up with what my students are reading—and to give me a nudge out of my usual reading comfort zone. Battle of the Books titles are a mix of genres, styles, and perspectives I might not reach for on my own. But every year, I’m reminded how powerful it is to read what my students are reading. It gives me concrete ways to connect with them, recommend books they'll actually enjoy, and build a classroom reading culture that feels fresh and relevant, even when I taught high school math.

Plus, when a student shrugs and says, “I don’t know what to read,” I love being able to slide a book across the table and say, “Try this. I just read it. I think it might be your kind of story.”

So here we go again. Two fresh stacks of books, one determined teacher, and a whole summer to read. Let the reading begin.

Battle of the Books, Book 6: Rez Ball

Rez Ball by Byron Graves was’t just a great read—it’s the kind of book that hit me where I live, a place where the gym lights burn brighter than the streetlights and the whole town shows up on game night.

Set in a small Native American community, Rez Ball captures the intensity of high school basketball culture with razor-sharp precision. The pressure, the pride, the rivalries—it’s all there. But what really stuck with me was how Graves layered that world with unflinching honesty. He doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff: racism, alcoholism, grief, and the weight young people carry when they’re planning their future.

Tre’s journey isn’t tidy. It’s raw, real, and sometimes uncomfortable—but it’s also filled with heart, hope, and a deep love for both family and the game.

Graves nailed that basketball-obsessed town dynamic. The stakes feel impossibly high when the whole town is watching, and this book captures that tension in a way that’s totally relatable—even if you’ve never worn a jersey.

Rez Ball isn’t just a sports story. It’s a story about identity, community, and resilience. And it’s one I’m so happy to have in my classroom and possibly inspire me to create a sports lit ELA class.

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.