Since March 13, the race has been on for the final four book contenders in summer reading. The much awaited results were finalized on Friday, March 31, leaving students to choose one of their own to read over the summer. The final four books are All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics, and Pesky Poltergeists by JK Rowling, The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story by Douglas Preston, and Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr is a fiction book which is a recent winner of the Pulitzer Prize. It is a good read for all of those interested in historical fiction, as it focuses mainly on characters during the World War II era. This is a hopeful tale of a young blind French girl and a German boy who meet in France amidst the war.

Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics, and Pesky Poltergeists by JK Rowling is sure to please any Harry Potter fan, as the book, available online, adds more details not provided throughout the books. A short read of 66 pages, this book is sure to please readers interested in reading a collection of short stories from JK Rowling’s website, Pottermore. After learning of this book being selected for the final four, Lucy Pellegrino, avid Harry Potter fan, said, “This is great, i finally have faith in my school again.”

The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story by Douglas Preston is a nonfiction novel following the author and a group of scientists. In this chilling novel, Preston and his team venture into the Honduran rainforest, looking for a city known as the White City, and face many challenges along the way. This book gives any reader the chance to experience a real life adventure through Preston’s eyes, and is sure to entertain.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah includes eighteen personal essays on the comedian’s life. Serving as both a memoir and a nonfiction work, Trevor Noah reflects on his upbringing during apartheid in South Africa. From his difficult upbringing as a child of his black mother and his Swiss father, Noah is able to reflect on his journey with humor and grace, while at the same time educating the reader on his difficult circumstances. Matt Vandenherik, a sophomore, said, “Born a crime is a compelling book that provides insight into the struggles of a young boy growing up in South African. The book is emotional but Noah is also able to weave in bits of humor that make this book excellent.”

The final four books are sure to cater to any reader’s needs, and all cover a variety of issues. With so many great selections to choose from, summer reading after school ends is sure to be a breeze.