One thing TIPsters always ask advice about is what to read.
What books are good enough to capture your interest? Which ones are appropriate for both your age and your academic ability? What’s the next Harry Potter or Hunger Games?
We want to help, so we went to the real experts: you.
We asked TIP families what books other TIPsters should be reading, and we’ve compiled their answers below. Happy reading!
- Maximum Ride (series) by James Patterson – Hope, seventh grade
- Helium 3 (series) and Rocket Boys by Homer Hickam –Martin family, fifth to eighth grade
- Everything by John Green –Corston-Oliver family, teenagers
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, and Ranger’s Apprentice (series) by John Flanagan – Frederick family, eighth grade
- 100 Cupboards (series) by N. D. Wilson – Dowd family, fifth to seventh grade
- Belgariad (series) by David Eddings – Green family, thirteen years old
- Enigma by Robert Harris – Rahaman family, eighth grade
- Lion Down by Stuart Gibbs – Rehaan, eighth grade
- The Martian by Andy Weir – Rolàn family
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – Smith family
- Anything by Alan Gratz – Higgs family
- Nyxia (series) by Scott Reitgen – Golden family, eighth grade
Submit a review of any of these books—or a board game, video game, or movie—by the time the next issue comes out, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Dominion. Find details on the submission page.
Ask Paris will go back to normal next month, so send any questions you have for her, too!
Laura Case says
I’m a parent of two children who participated in Duke TIP. I reviewed this reading list and am really disheartened to see that all of the books recommended are by white men. All of them. Not a single book by a female author or an author of color.
As a Duke employee myself, I know diversity and inclusion are important values at Duke. I feel it is very important to update this list to set an example to children that diversity and inclusion are important, even in reading.
Matt Hartman says
We agree, Laura! Diversity and inclusion are values very close to TIP’s heart, and we work very hard to ensure our classes and activities reflect the diversity of our students. This list was crowdsourced based on responses we received from TIP families about what they’ve been reading this summer. We would love to expand it to include additional authors from other backgrounds—do you have any in mind that your TIP kids loved?
Janice says
We are always looking for inspiring reading lists. Next year, it would be great if you could publish this list a little earlier in the summer. As of today, my kids have already been back to school for two weeks, so we will have to save this for next summer. Thanks!