Students Find New Ways to Enjoy Books

Students Find New Ways to Enjoy Books

Anna Staropoli, Staff Writer

Romeo and Juliet. Fahrenheit 451. The Great Gatsby. Animal Farm. Sometimes the classics required on the syllabus make it difficult to expose students to books they’re actually interested in. But as the weather cools down and students no longer need to worry about November 1 deadlines or study for the PSAT’s, they may find time to appreciate literature outside the classroom.

Our school alone offers multiple opportunities for students to get involved with books. Mrs. Pastore heads the Literary Magazine, in which students meet at lunch time to share their own poems, stories, or other ideas. Students offer feedback to their peers and discuss ways to further their writing abilities. The club meets Fridays during lunch in A140.

If students would rather discuss pre-existing stories than compile their own, they can meet in Ms. Johnson’s room in A139 for Book Club. With Mrs. Kipp on maternity leave, Ms. Johnson now has the chance to bestow her love of reading into student’s lives. The club meets after school on the first Friday of the month and at lunch on the third Thursday.

“We come together, come up with questions, and just discuss the books,” Ms. Johnson says.

And what is Ms. Johnson currently reading? The Last Lecture, by  Randy Pausch. The story follows Pausch, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, and his insight into dreams, goals, and meaning.

“It’s nonfiction,” Ms. Johnson says. “The students really seem to be enjoying it.”

For students who prefer fiction, Ms. Johnson recommends It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini, which book club just finished reading.

“I’m starting to read Young Adult fiction because of book club,” Ms. Johnson says.