I get to live in a place that looks like this in the fall. How lucky am I? I didn’t take this picture, and it’s actually New Hampshire rather than Massachusetts. The leaves have just begun to turn here. Right now there is a very soft rain falling outside. It’s perfect weather for curling up with a cup of tea and a book.
I recently became the new advisor of the Book Club at my school, and as you might expect, it’s full of smart girls. I wish we could have talked more boys into joining. If they were smart, they’d have joined if for no other reason than that they can meet girls. For their first book, the girls picked Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The plan is to read half the book by our next meeting on Thursday, and then finish the other half for the following week. Then we are going to go see the movie. I am more excited than I can say about the Book Club. For one thing, it’s a proper book club. The girls are serious. They love books. It makes me so happy. If you have ever been an English teacher and tried to get students to love books, then you understand how I feel. If you feel like the world would be a better place if only more people were readers, then you also understand how I feel.
I have also become something of a go-to person for YA in the library, and in the next few weeks, I plan to request a big stack of books for the library. I believe that the school library should be driven by student interest as much as by curriculum. Certainly teachers should request books, but it is my hope that students will also see the library as a place to check out the books they want to read. I will be helping one of our librarians out with a display for Teen Read Week. I am so excited about this role because I’m excited to influence and support our students’ reading. I have been fortunate to hear from parents and former students about my role in their development as a reader, and nothing gives me more pleasure than fostering a love of lifelong reading in a student.
I am about 60 pages into Perks, and so far, what a great book! Charlie, the protagonist, makes a mixtape for his friend Patrick, whom he has drawn as a Secret Santa partner for Christmas. I recreated the playlist minus the Beatles songs, which aren’t in Spotify (I substituted with some cover versions). I shared it with the Book Club girls, so I thought I’d share it with Perks fans here. Take a listen.
Enjoy this glorious fall Sunday!
The thing with school libraries is that the primary duty of them is to support the curriculum that is taught. I know how you feel, as I would like to see kids reading more books of the novel type rather than signing out drawing books. But as long as they are reading and seeking out information, I am happy.
I hear you! But thankfully I have support in my endeavor, so we will see how it goes. Once I'm ready, I also plan to try some book talks in classrooms.
Do the kids buy their own books for Book Club or is there a fund that you use to purchase books for the students? When do you meet? I want to have a book club for interested kids at my school, too but can't seem to get past the first hurdel…how are the books uptained?
Well, the kids buy their own because it's completely voluntary. However, a book club like ours could easily raise funds for books.
First, you ARE lucky to live in an area that displays fall like that. In Florida we just don't really get seasons….the weather changes slowly and the trees don't do like that sadly. I love the colors and feel and even smell of Fall. You're right it's perfect for a cozy book and tea.
Congrats on the library, that would be exciting. Glad to hear the girls are being enthusiastic about it. There are some good ideas on Pinterest for crafts for redoing libraries and small sections of teen corners too. Let me know if you want any links to some folders and ideas.