Whether you’re a current bookworm or someone looking to get into reading, finding a good read can be extremely difficult. Luckily, some of the staff and students at our very own Park High School have some suggestions to make your find a little easier.

Mr. Whitt (football coach, Esports coach, English teacher)
Horror is one of the most popular book genres out there, and Mr. Whitt is an expert on it. “The reason why I like horror,” he says, “both as a writer and a reader is because it provides the opportunity to strip away the pretense of normal humanity. So when we put the situation where it is survive or not, those situations are high stakes, they should be enjoyable to read, they’re page turners, that’s all great.” Check out the top three horror books Mr. Whitt suggests:

• “Clown in the Cornfield” by Adam Cesare
• “The Shining” by Stephen King
• “The Shadows” by Alex North

Eric Rannow (senior, cross country captain, newspaper editor)

Eric falls into the group of people who are not the biggest readers, but even he cannot resist young adult, popularly known as YA, books. “I like how relatable they are to people,” Eric says. “Especially to people our age and other young adults. I like how you can feel the emotions that the characters are feeling.” These are the top three YA books Eric suggests:

• “Radio Silence” by Alice Oseman
• “Chronicles of Vladimir Tod” by Z Brewer
• “Slayer Chronicles” by Z Brewer

Whitney Robbins (senior, cross country captain, newspaper editor, GSA student leader)
Whitney is often known for her large collection of LGBTQ+ books. She explains her obsession with the genre: “I love LGBTQ+ books because they give readers in the community a chance to see themselves in the books. It gives them a chance to feel connected to characters like them instead of reading about the same straight and cisgender characters.” If you’re one of the readers she mentions, check out her top three LGBTQ+ book suggestions:

• “Cemetery Boys” by Aidan Thomas
• “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” by Becky Albertalli
• “Her Royal Highness” by Rachel Hawkins

Evan Vallejos (sophomore)
Sci-fi and fantasy, a genre Evan is quite fond of, is another popular genre. “The stories can keep me entertained for hours on end, “he says. “The interesting plot points and diverse types of characters keep the stories fresh and entertaining.” These are the top sci-fi and fantasy books Evan recommends:

• “The Dune” series by Frank Herbert
• “The Dragon Watch” series by Brandon Mull
• “Wings of Fire” by Tui T. Sutherland

Mr. Abel (English teacher)
Literary classics are the books every high school student reads in school. In fact, they are Mr. Abel’s favorite: “If they can write in a way that can actually impact the way I think about the world,” he says, “that’s very important for me. Also, it’s just that sheer beauty of the language itself.” These are the top three books Mr. Abel recommends (that we may or may not have read in class):

• “Ulysses” by James Joyce
• “Moby Dick” by Herman Melville
• “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerlad

There are so many books and genres out there other than the ones our Panthers recommend. Go find your favorite and join the world of Bookworms!