Take a break from your phone or computer screen, and pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read. It not only gives your eyes a break but also your mind and is a great way to pass the time while stuck at home.

Kailey Cubillas, a Jupiter High sophomore, absolutely loves to read and was an avid reader even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My all-time favorite book, I think, is ‘Me Before You’ by Jojo Moyes,” Cubillas said. “I love the story and how even though the ending isn’t the best outcome it still leaves you with a good feeling when you finish.” 

“Me Before You” is a novel based on an unlikely romance that was turned into a movie in 2016 starring Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke.

“I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. It’s really great, and so is the movie,” Cubillas said. 

A member of Jupiter High’s Literature Club, Samantha Porter, a sophomore, is a self-declared bookworm. 

“My favorite book has to be ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ by Roald Dahl. It’s very cute and whimsical and transports you to another world,” Porter said. 

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is a classic children’s novel that was published in 1964 that was turned into an iconic movie in 1971 starring Gene Wilder. The movie was remade in 2005 and starred Johnny Depp. 

“If I were to recommend a book to read during quarantine it would be ‘The Goldfinch’ by Donna Tartt because it is super interesting, exciting and descriptive. It is also super long, so you’ll have enough time to read it,” Porter said. 

A long-time bestseller, “The Goldfinch” is a novel that was published in 2013 and recently turned into a movie in 2019 starring Ansel Elgort, Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson and Nicole Kidman. 

Moriah Carlisle, an English and AICE General Paper teacher at Jupiter High, recommends the “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is one of the required books to read in high school and also a classic novel. 

“The author paints a really vivid picture of what the ‘Roaring 20’s’ was like with all of the fancy parties, social status and perspectives. I have read the book several times, and my perspective changes every single time on who Nick Caraway is trying not to judge throughout the novel,” Carlisle said. 

“The Great Gatsby,” published in 1925, has been described as a cautionary tale regarding the American Dream. It was turned into a film twice, the first time in 1974 then again in 2013. Teens flocked to the remake, starring Leonardo Dicaprio. 

“It’s a beautifully written book with an important theme on life and acceptance during that time,” Carlisle said.

The action of “The Great Gatsby” takes place in an area that stretches from New York City to the suburbs, West and East Egg, that represent real-life locations along the shore of Long Island. 

“Years ago, when I visited New York, I got another copy of the book from the public library with a stamp because I wanted a copy from the setting of the novel. That’s how much I love ‘The Great Gatsby,’” Carlisle said.

Debi Depasquale, an AICE Global Perspectives and English Language teacher at Jupiter High, recommends “The Plain Truth” by Jodi Picoult.  

“I found that book interesting because of the clash between cultures. I often feel bad for students because our heritage and culture instill our values,” Depasquale said. “These cultural values define us as people; yet, our society sometimes places us in situations that go against our cultural values.”

“The Plain Truth,” published in 2000, is a story that follows the murder of a newborn baby on an Amish farm. The book is a portrait of the Amish life that is rarely witnessed by others outside. It deals with teenage pregnancy, infanticide and the trial that follows.