Fiction

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is about a ten-year-old girl living in Copenhagen, Denmark during the Nazi invasion. Young Annemarie Johansen’s life is drastically altered, between her disappearing neighbors, rations on food and Nazi soldiers on every corner.

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver is written in the form of letters from Eva to her husband Franklin, about their son Kevin. It is clear that Eva and Franklin are no longer together, and Eva feels tremendous regret.

The War That Saved My Life is set during WWII and opens up in the Summer of 1939. Ada is ten years old, and has never left her apartment except for one time. The one time she ventured outside she was beaten so badly by her mother.

Room by Emma Donoghue opens with Jack announcing that he's 5 years old today. We learn that Jack lives in a small room with his mom, and that he's never been outside of the room.

One Day by David Nicholls begins on the 15th July 1988, the official day of collage graduates Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew meeting for the first time. In their drunkenness, we find them in bed together, discussing what they want to achieve in life and what the future holds.