A lot of people do like to read, but being forced to read books you probably don’t care about while being graded on how you read the book, often sucks the fun out of it. The school’s book club is focused on making reading fun instead of a chore.
The president of the book club, Caitlyn O’Connell, described the club as being more focused on activities than assigning books to read. The group reads short stories or poems that you can finish in one sitting voted on by everyone. One of the stories the club read was The Fall of the House of Usher which is a short story by Edger Allen Poe.
Last year some of the group activities included black out poetry, puzzle books, and discussing stories. This year so far the club has read to children at Bradley Elementary and read to children at the library while doing crafts with them.
Caitlyn O’Connell hints at future activities and stories: “I am most excited for the activities I have planned for the next stories we’ll be reading…I have some fun tricks up my sleeve I think everyone will enjoy!”
“I am very happy to be the book adviser,” said Ms. Storm, the club adviser. “I would say that the most rewarding part for me is seeing students excited about literature and being involved in the school community.”
Reading is a healthy habit that has many benefits including reducing stress, helping you sleep better, and can keep your mind from decaying with age.
Mindlab International at the University of Sussex conducted an experiment on the benefits of reading. “Studies have shown reading helps reduce stress, likely because it requires concentration and focus. Researchers at the University of Sussex found that participants who read for just six minutes experienced reduced muscle tension and a slower heart rate.”
Some people may be on the fence about joining, especially if they sometimes struggle with reading, but it really is different than a classroom or assigned reading. Any reading that you do participate in is short, interesting, and interactive. The stories are agreed upon by the group and if there’s a specific book picked that you really don’t want to read, no one can force you. There’s not the threat of grades, so you can read and discuss books without worry.
The club is a fun stress-free way to read more and connect with other people in the school. Join the Google classroom if you have an interest in the club.
