Students focus on more challenging books
By:Sharlee Joy DiMenichi
MONROE Many students fill their summer reading list with nothing more taxing than pulp fiction read poolside, but one group of soon-to-be eighth-graders has taken vacation reading to a new level.
Fourteen Applegarth Middle School students joined their parents and their language arts teacher Irene Curran in a summer book club that piqued their literary curiosity and strengthened their relationships. Students and their parents read "Bleachers" by John Grisham and "The Guardian" by Nicholas Sparks and met at local restaurants to discuss their reactions to the books.
Students in the discussion group had been in Ms. Curran’s seventh grade class and look forward to having her teach them eighth grade language arts. Students said discussing the books with others exposed them to facets of the works that they might not otherwise have noticed.
"Well, I definitely got a lot of aspects from other people and a lot of details," said student Amy Richards.
Pupils said they appreciated the opportunity to get to know Ms. Curran in a small group.
"We’re closer now, like, Ms. Curran was telling us stories of when she was young," said student Susie Bonomo.
"The Guardian" tells the story of a young widow’s relationship with the dog her husband left her and details the animal’s efforts to protect her from a threatening boyfriend. In "Bleachers," former teammates of a high school football player who died during a strenuous practice attend the funeral of the coach who had ordered him to do the grueling exercises that caused his death.
Ms. Curran said she chose books, written for adults, to introduce the students to the type of material they would encounter in higher grades.
"I see middle school as the transition, so if I’m preparing them for high school, I want them moved up and into the world of high school reading," Ms. Curran said.
Ms. Curran said that although the books had adults as main characters and dealt with serious plots, students had no trouble understanding them and responded particularly well to "Bleachers."
Students differed on whether they would have allowed their children to play on a team led by the coach in the book and on whether they believed he was responsible for the player’s death, Ms. Curran said.
Student Katie Reynolds said she would not allow her child to play for the coach.
"I wouldn’t want to trust the most important thing in my life with someone who is, I don’t know, so tough," Katie said.
Student Saahithi Karaturi said she would allow her child to play on the coach’s team because rigorous discipline causes athletes to grow.
Asked if she held the coach responsible for the player’s death, Saahithi said, "No, because the kid could have stopped. You have to stand up for yourself."
Parents who participated in the book club said they enjoyed sharing the same reading material as their children.
Carol Reynolds said the club offered her a chance to spend time with her daughter and to establish a common interest at an age when young people’s tastes tend to diverge from those of their parents.
"Now’s the time when it’s very easy to lose your child," said Ms. Reynolds.