There comes a time in every kid's life when Curious George and the Baby-Sitters Club don't cut it anymore. In fact, for a select group of RMS seventh graders, it's time to move on to the Oprah Book Club and Lois Lowry, heavier selections that even some adults have trouble comprehending.
Unfortunately, though the Russellville Middle School library houses a legion of books for students on lower reading levels, it is virtually barren when it comes to the kind of stories these gifted guys and gals enjoy.
Reading specialist teacher Darlene Ryan helps the students "read a little more into it" by hosting a book club once a week, complete with hot chocolate and doughnuts for those 'hungry' to learn more.
It's not often when someone doesn't want to take credit for instituting an innovative concept, but Ryan is pleased that the kids took it upon themselves to get the group going.
"This was not my idea," she says. "I heard these girls talking about books in the hallway, books that our library isn't equipped with, and it was their idea to begin discussing them."
Of course, this contingent is in no way "all talk and no action." Besides engaging in friendly banter and snack time, the kids write book reviews (read a few of them on this page) that they hope will inspire other students to invest more time and energy into reading.
"I love to read," says Abby Clark, who borrows her mother's books on occasion and says that sharing books with her friends is half the fun.
Actually, the entire school is making reading a priority, having adopted the Accelerated Reader program last year. Every class at RMS has 15-30 minutes of silent reading time each morning, though Ryan's kids have taken that several steps further.
"They know their reading levels are high school-worthy," the teacher reveals. Fortunately, Ryan looks for the library landscape to change, integrating books more suited to gifted readers.
Understandably, not every reader accelerates at the same rate, but Ryan's group can go from 0-60 in no time. Don't expect to find these precocious pupils struggling over symbolism or "sounding out" the big words. Kids like John Jensen can finish off the thick book The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien in as little as two days.
"The Accelerated Reader books for our age are boring," points out Caitlin Reeves, who also feels that most kids just "go in the library and grab a book for its pretty cover. I consider what's inside."
What's 'inside' Reeves' book bag are young adult novellas such as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares or A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks.
Not surprisingly, Sparks' tale, with its romantic-yet-realistic take on teen love, has made quite an impression on all the girls in Ryan's talented troupe. The book has taken Hollywood by storm, too, what with the recent movie adaptation starring Shane West and Mandy Moore.
However, teachers don't have to worry about these kids renting the video in order to weasel out of a book report. Almost every member of the group stresses that they like reading the book better than watching the movie, noting that the written form is much more detailed and insightful.
In seventh-grade male tradition, the boys that join the book discussions don't go for "that mushy stuff," preferring adventure novels such as the aforementioned work by Tolkien. Each guy cites one of his books as their favorite.
Not all pieces are so easy to agree on, of course, and some novels are too 'mature' even for these upper-level readers. The room is divided over Harry Potter books and 'classic' masterpieces, which some find boring and others say are stimulating.
"Mom's the word" when it comes to a few "grown up" books like Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding. "My mom won't let me read that one," admits Rebekah Epley.
Of course, members of this outfit realize that they are the exception-- not the rule-- at their school. For their peers whose reading isn't quite up to speed, Amber Brown recommends "the Ramona Quimby books and the Sweet Valley High series."
As exciting as the books (not to mention getting out of class) are, advanced reading isn't all fun and games. "A lot of people have improved on their portfolios," remarks Taylor Ray.
"Reading good books helps them improve their writing style and vocabulary," agrees Ryan, who is currently on her way to attaining national certification in the Accelerated Reader program.
The scholastic benefits are certainly wonderful, but perhaps the most important gain Ryan has seen is that kids who once shrugged their shoulders and shunned 'babyish' books are now digging deeper into the literary arena-- and loving it.
Kids... they grow up so fast these days!
The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks is an emotional roller-coaster for all who read it. Denise and Taylor meet by a twist of fate on a stormy night, when Taylor rescues Denise's auditory-impaired son.
They immediately fall in love, but in some ways, the author makes the relationship seem too perfect. Everything suddenly falls into place in both of their lives.
For example, Denise's son starts rapidly improving with his lessons, which wouldn't normally happen. For the experienced reader, this book seems very predictable. You can tell when the relationship starts heading for trouble. This book had many low points in the middle that made it hard for me to keep reading.
There are, however, many things I loved about the book. The characters were very well-developed, and they're normal people that you can really relate to. They also have a certain depth because of the dark secrets that are left unrevealed for part of the book.
The plot is intriguing, and once I got through the low parts, I couldn't put this book down. The ending doesn't leave you hanging; it just sums up the book. I also think what happens is moving and surprising.
The book is very well-written and is a good read for people of all ages. This is first novel by Sparks that I've read, and I'll definitely be reading more of them!
Alex Porter
The book The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is about a small creature called a hobbit that is paid to go on an adventure with 13 dwarfs. A dragon has taken over the Dwarf Kingdom, and they need the hobbit to be their burglar when they go kill the dragon.
My favorite character is Bilbo Boggins, the hobbit, because they underestimated him from the beginning, but he rescued them from some pretty close calls.
The most different thing about this book is that it's action-packed the whole way through. In most books, the real action is only in two or three chapters.
Don't judge this book by its cover. I would recommend it to any action-adventure fan.
Wesley Rutherford
It's funny how one shy girl can change someone's life forever. In this unremarkable yet extraordinary Nicholas Sparks book, A Walk to Remember, which is touching and riveting, a young girl-- the daughter of a Baptist minister-- changes a young man's life.
Our favorite character in this novel is Jamie. You rarely find a young girl with such a sweet and generous heart as hers. Someone who overlooks the negative qualities of people and lives their life for God isn't always easy to find.
Jamie, under any circumstances, tries to make the best decisions. She doesn't care what her peers think of her, but only cares what God thinks of her, which is an example of a perfect Christian.
What we like most about this story is that people can relate to it. Unlike other books in our library, this novel (set in the 1950s) ends realistically, not with a fantasy. It doesn't end like a fairy tale, but this story has true meaning.
This tale of everlasting love will have you hooked within the first chapter, because Sparks keeps your attention with vivid details and realistic scenes. We strongly recommend this novel for anyone who loves to read.
Ann Whitley Morris
Taylor Ray
Post a Comment
