Reading Between the Busy Schedule

 

 

Making reading fun is the reason why Erik Stedman ’20 started Canterbury’s book club.

“I wanted reading to be something that wasn’t stressful,” he said. “Here you can just read a book without annotating it or worrying about taking a test about it.”

Thirteen students, so far, are taking advantage of the opportunity.

“During the school year, you get unmotivated to read for fun, so book club is a way to keep me engaged to read for fun, and to experience new genres that I would not have read before,” said Sabrina Capodicci ’20.

Book club member’s choose the books themselves by first presenting their recommendations to the club. From there Erik puts together a Google form where members vote on their first, second, and third choice. A synopsis of each recommended book is also attached so members can familiarize themselves with each book before voting.

“If you don’t like the book chosen, you don’t have to read it,” said Erik. “And if you start the book, and don’t like it, you don’t have to finish it.”

Book club meets the first Tuesday of every month during sit down lunch. So far, there are two tables dedicated to the book club. Mrs. O’Meara and Ms. Bailey sit at the two tables.

“The main reason that I created Book Club was because I wanted there to be a place where you could talk about books with other people, but also because I wanted there to be a way for people to discover new books that they may have never read before,” said Erik.

The book chosen by the club for its first read is Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Here is an excerpt from a review in Kirkus Books.

“A prototypical survival story: after an airplane crash, a 13-year-old city boy spends two months alone in the Canadian wilderness. In transit between his divorcing parents, Brian is the plane’s only passenger. After casually showing him how to steer, the pilot has a heart attack and dies. In a breathtaking sequence, Brian maneuvers the plane for hours while he tries to think what to do, at last crashing as gently and levelly as he can manage into a lake. The plane sinks; all he has left is a hatchet, attached to his belt (Kirkus, 1987).”

If you would like to join the book club you can contact Erik Stedman ‘20.

“Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.” Kirkus Review, Kirkus, 1 Sept. 1987,
www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/gary-paulsen/hatchet/. Accessed 18 Oct.
2018.