Reading has been a part of students’ lives since before they can remember. They started by reading silly picture books like “The Hungry Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? And Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” (Barnes and Noble). “Now they read favorites like The Naturals, Better Than the Movies, and The Outsiders.” (Barnes and Noble) Many students see reading as a chore because of its association with school, but others find it a relaxing, magical escape from stress and screens.
Students at Edison Intermediate School (EIS) enjoy reading all of the books listed above, and one eighth-grade student, Delaney Maiorana, specifically enjoys “[The] Hunger Games,” by Suzanne Collins.
Seventh grader Oliver Keenan also has a popular favorite book. “My current favorite book is Harry Potter. I don’t read that much.”
Seventh and eighth grade History teacher, Mr. Robert Maver’s favorite book is common among adults: “My favorite book of all time is Lord of the Flies by William Golding.”
Kids are read bedtime stories and taken on adventures through books they can not yet read, but soon will be able to read every word. So many books have a special place in students’ hearts because of this. Seventh grader Eleya Leung declared, “Bad Case of Stripes is easily my favorite book.”
Nicholas also has a favorite book from his childhood that is a staple in many classrooms. He likes “Harold and the Purple Crayon.”
Sixth grader Charlie Smith mentioned that he reads “Pretty much every day.”
This is great to hear, considering that according to The Nation’s Report Card, “Only about 14% of kids read for fun almost every day, and only 22% read for fun once or twice a week” (The Nation’s Report Card).
Another rare mention of consistent reading came from Nicholas Voice. He enthused that he reads, “Once a day, because I’m smart.”
As summer approaches, students have many more opportunities to read. Whether it’s at the beach, by the pool, or sitting by a window and enjoying the sunshine, students have lots of time to be immersed in the world of a great book. Many students don’t take advantage of this, but it is such an amazing way to keep your mind working and get away from the harms of your electronic devices.
Reading is a fun and interesting hobby that all ages can enjoy. Whether it’s mystery, romance, fiction, or fantasy, it is always a good idea to read. While it is so hard to choose a favorite book, here are some of our favorites.
The Naturals series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes is an excellent book with plot twists that make my jaw drop. This book includes an amazing story with very diverse and developed characters. I would recommend these books for people 13 years or older because the books can be heavy during certain parts due to mature concepts such as death. The series is centered around five teenagers with natural abilities to read people, detect lies, tell people’s emotions, and more. The five kids: Cassie, Dean, Sloan, Lia, and Michael, work together with their mentors to escape their complicated pasts and solve murders. They come across many obstacles along the way, making their bond stronger. This series includes four main books with an extra novella at the end of the fourth book. I recommend reading them all to find out the whole story. All of the books are worth a read, but personally, the last book is my favorite! Overall, I give this series five stars. – Lila Spadaro
Another one of our favorites is the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi. This is an emotional, exciting, dystopian series that either leaves me in tears or trying to steady my heartbeat. The series is centered around Juliette Ferrars, a girl born with a scary, powerful gift that made a frame for the rest of her life, which she managed to escape from with the help of past friends and new ones. All of this is happening while complex Aaron Warner tries to win her over in his own way, which everyone thought would not work on Juliette. This book has so many characters I got connected to that made me feel like I was mourning a loss when I finished the last page. Every night, once I closed the book to get sleep, all I could think about was opening it again in the morning to get immersed in the world of Juliette and Aaron. The series includes 6 full-length books and 5 novellas, and there are two books in Tahereh Mafi’s new series that include the same characters fans obsess over, but take place ten years after the events of the last book. While all of the books are must-reads, my personal favorites are Ignite Me, the third book, and Defy Me, the 5th book. – Grace Freeman
