Books
8 Books For Your Fav 'High School Musical' Star
Have you got over the news that it’s been a decade since High School Musical hit our screens yet? No, me neither. I’m that person who cried in the cinema watching High School Musical 3 (don’t judge me, it was a lot to take in) — so needless to say, the High School Musical reunion on Wednesday hit me right in the feels.
High School Musical certainly left a hole in our hearts. After we’d all memorized the “We’re All In This Together” dance (right? Not just me?), and come out of our shell to proudly declare we like to bake crème brûlée, there wasn’t much left for us to do except try to move on with our lives — and occasionally re-watch the whole trilogy and sob. But after seeing them all together on Wednesday after 10 whole years (even if we didn’t get the Troy and Gabriella reunion we deserved), I realized that together’s where we belong. We never have to let go of High School Musical . In fact, we can make it a part of our lives.
Let’s start with the books we read. No matter who your favorite High School Musical character is, there’s a book out there with your name written all over it.
1. Troy Bolton: Play Safe by Amber Garza
Troy may not be the most romantic of guys (“Her name’s Gabriella. She’s very nice.”) but he certainly gets swept off his feet when he meets the right girl. And if you like Troy, you’ll love Christian from Play Safe. He’s the jock who falls for the forbidden girl, the one who inspires him to come out of comfort zone at last.
2. Gabriella Montez: Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Just like Gabriella, Brittany Ellis is the "good girl" — but one day, in her Chemistry class, she meets the guy from the other side of town. They're put together as lab partners, and before long, they find chemistry in more than just the test tubes...
3. Chad Danforth: The Contender by Robert Lipsyte
If your favorite character was Chad, you're probably more interested in the sports storylines than the romance. The Contender is the gripping story of 17-year-old Alfred Brooks, and his determination to make it as a boxer.
4. Taylor McKessie: Matilda by Roald Dahl
Taylor is super-bright and switched on, and getting to the top of the class has never been an issue for her. But there's one thing more important than schoolwork to her — and that's her friendships. For them, she's willing to break a few rules. Sound familiar? She's pretty much a reincarnation of beloved literary heroine Matilda.
5. Sharpay Evans: Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers
So Sharpay's your favorite, huh? I know your type. I'm one of you. You probably also love Blair Waldorf, and Chanel from Scream Queens. There's something about mean girls that's just so enticing to watch. Some Girls Are is all about those mean girl cliques at high school. You wouldn't want to cross them, but you'll love reading about them.
6. Ryan Evans: Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
Fans of Ryan love a good underdog story, so Rainbow Rowell's tale of two misfits is ideal. Eleanor and Park have never fit in, but when they're together, they suddenly have a place to belong.
7. Kelsi Nielsen: The Kayla Chronicles by Sherri Winston
If you're drawn to Kelsi, it's probably because you share her love for music — and you think she's a badass. The Kayla Chronicles is a brilliant story of girl power; Kayla joins her school's dance team in order to expose them as anti-feminist, and yet finds herself having the time of her life. It's a celebration of dance and female identity all at once, and I bet Kelsi would love it.
8. Ms. Darbus: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
And of course, there's the magnificent Ms. Darbus. Her love for dramatics and her distaste for modern things like cellphones point to a classic melodrama. If you find yourself nodding along as she talks about a "precious cornucopia of creative energy," then Wuthering Heights is probably the book for you.
Images: Disney (3); Giphy (6)
