Books. Before, if offered a book, I'd respond with the same sass as Regina George from Mean Girls. I needed help to delve into and get lost in novels. High School changed my perspective on books; in my English classes, I read "Night" by Elie Wiesel, "The Odyssey," "Romeo and Juliet," and "Julius Caesar"--little did I know I was dipping my toes into the pool of literature. Now, in my AP Literature class, I read like books will suddenly disappear off the face of the earth! These books would make my ideal bookshelf: "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. At first, I was skeptical--the old English intimidated me, and often, I hesitated to open the book. Reading it has expanded my knowledge of 19th-century England and the suffocating role English women endured. My second choice would be "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston. It is an insightful and emotional story of a persistent Black woman struggling to find love during the Jim Crow Era. This historically accurate book is a treasure to any bookshelf. Other must-have titles on my bookshelf would be "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann, "A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams, "Kindred" by Octavia E. Butler, and "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. All these influential books have provided BookTok with knowledge about different societal issues and messages in various periods. Although these would be on my bookshelf, two books mentioned on BookTok would have a shrine of their own: "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini, one of the most talented authors. This year, my English teacher graced us with "The Kite Runner." As she handed them out, she said, "This book will change your life. I'm serious." Reading it has changed my life. I learned about Afghanistan, a country I knew little about. I learned about the Pashtuns and the Hazaras and the historical difference between the two racial groups. I discovered their cuisine--mouth-watering kebabs and delectable rose water ice cream. I learned about the Soviet invasion that lasted for ten years and displaced many innocent Afghanis. I learned about the creation of the Taliban; this group was seen in a positive light until they started to enforce their suffocating rules on society. Khaled Hosseini included all of these details while telling the story of Amir, a young Afghani boy unable to forgive himself for the past. As he grows up, he goes on an incredible journey full of death, danger, regret, and love to reach forgiveness--an important message that can resonate with many. On BookTok, I've seen many people holding the book and crying because Hosseini crafted an incredible story with an unforgettable message. After finishing "The Kite Runner," my English teacher suggested I read Hosseini's next novel, "A Thousand Splendid Suns." Once again, I got a warning: "This book will hurt more than 'The Kite Runner.'" She was right. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" focuses on Mariam and Laila, two women in Taliban-occupied Afghanistan. This book opened my eyes and the BookTok community to the plight of Afghani women: They could not laugh in public, attend school, work, wear cosmetics, paint their nails, speak--the list continues. Instead, they had to bow down to their significantly older husbands, who treated their alarmingly young wives worse than dogs. This book made me so thankful for my rights as a woman in America while sympathizing heavily with Afghani women. Both of these books hold sacred lessons. They challenge our minds. They encourage sympathy. Khaled Hosseini is a true gift to the BookTok community.

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends," said the late and great Maya Angelou. I want to major in Visual arts and Creative Writing while traveling abroad. My dream of traveling the world stemmed from middle school. My mom and I watched Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown on school nights. I was fascinated by Bourdain's natural ability to connect with others without exploiting people's cultural differences, as many other journalists do. His show was admirable because he didn't just focus on food--he delved into the culture, the rising politics of the country, and the people. Janice MacLeod is another traveler who has inspired me. She published A Paris Year, a gorgeous, artsy book about her yearly Paris trip. Unlike Bourdain, she documented her travels through delicate watercolor paintings and striking photographs. Lastly, as a history lover, I am influenced by Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Food: Delicious Destinations. Zimmern mainly focuses on the historical aspect of food. These three travelers are the backbone of my traveling dream. My dream of writing started during the Pandemic. The Pandemic was massive in its global impact. When reflecting on COVID-19, besides the economic impact, many people neglect to mention the mental and social effects on the world. I can attest to this firsthand. I experienced quarantine in 8th grade and was fully online by 9th grade. I was isolated from human interaction. Many people feared catching or spreading the disease. I had a hard time processing my emotions during this unprecedented situation. I felt hopeless until my parents told me to journal. So I did. My journal was full of conflicting feelings, sparky outbursts, and the terrible tales of 2020. I wrote about how all of my days were predictable and uninteresting. I scribbled about my disdain for online school. Every day, I locked myself in my room, pretending to be a bestselling author writing a memoir about how backward the world seemed. Because of my endless free time, I dusted my bookshelf off and started to read. The most significant book during this time was Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Skloot's descriptive and emotional writing about the Lacks family motivated me to read more. The next book I read was Kindred, created by the genius Octavia E. Butler. Her creativity blew my mind! The last thing that inspired me was Rocky III, one of my favorite boxing movies. I learned that Sylvester Stallone, the creator of Rocky, wrote the underdog story in three and a half days while experiencing homelessness, and I was inspired that someone could write such a masterpiece in their most dire time, and I feel I can do the same. These three writers have inspired my writing dream! I want a degree in Studio Art and Creative Writing. I will travel in and out of the country to connect with others and experience different cultures. I will use my degree in Studio Art to illustrate my observations; my Creative Writing degree will help document my days, thoughts, and the lives and lessons of others. I am a dreamer, and I will put these dreams into action. 'You don't start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it's good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That's why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.' – Octavia E. Butler.

My name is Jaiden Russell; I'm a 17-year-old artist working with elementary-age children at a daycare! One of the many things I value about this age group is their curiosity. They're questioning and exploring the giant world they have yet to experience, and I'm lucky enough to guide them for a couple of hours. One day, a group of children approached me with a book, urging me to read Alice In Wonderland. Seeing the interest and the excitement in their eyes sparked my interest in reading to kids! I changed my voice depending on the character, created sound effects, and involved myself deeply in the children's book; they were so involved with the story that they mimicked my actions. After I finished reading, I encouraged the kids to read; surprisingly, their enthusiasm dropped, and they suddenly lacked confidence. "I don't know how to read," they'd say. I could feel how upset they were. Now, it is my priority to help kids with their reading and vocabulary. I let students play word games on my phone and help them spell on the chalkboard. I make sure to praise their reading efforts. I encourage them to spell out tricky words. I even admit to not being able to define certain words--I want to teach them that mistakes, or simply not knowing, are a part of learning! I am so devoted to helping elementary students because I see myself in them; I remember being their age and finding a whole new world in literature! Charlotte's Web expanded the imagination of my 6-year-old mind. Junie B. Jones's books were a model of what not to be--her bratty behavior motivated me to be a respectful child! I was the biggest fan of "Who Was..?" books--it allowed me to expand my knowledge of historical figures. These books also harbored my love for illustration, bright colors, and expression! Now, in my Senior year, I am creating my AP Art portfolio, and I am incredibly proud of my improvements in illustration. I am absorbed in literature, and I want other kids to be as fascinated by literature as I am. Literacy is crucial to development, decision-making, understanding, education, and so much more. Learning how to read and write can be improved by pairing words with beautiful art. If I am gifted this opportunity, I will create my own children's books. I will continue my journey of teaching and encouraging kids to fall in love with literature and illustration to build literacy and long-lasting confidence!