While reading may not be everybody’s thing, Windham High School wants to support those whose it is. Librarians Kristin Chavonelle and Amy Kneeland at Windham High School lead the WHS Book Club and work to provide an atmosphere where students who do like to read and enjoy books can come and share their thoughts about those books with others.
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| The Windham High School Book Club provides an activity where students who like to read and enjoy books can come and share their thoughts about those books with others. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
This is Chavonelle’s 10th year at WHS. For her first five years, she was a library assistant and was then hired as the second librarian.
“The students' book club was already happening when I started in 2013,” says Chavonelle. “I believe the one that was going on when I started happened because this group of girls loved reading romance novels and wanted a venue to chat about them together.”
Both of the librarians — Kneeland and Chavonelle, are part of the club along with a group of students.
“We all participate, depending on how much of the book we've read,” says Chavonelle. “I think we all join because we love to read and want a place to chat about the stories together.”
So far this year, the book club has read “Five Total Strangers” by Natalie D. Richards and they are currently reading “The Shadow War” by Lindsay Smith. They meet once a month during PRIDE Block.
“I think being a part of the book club offers a fun place to meet new people plus hang out with your friends and chat about books and anything else that comes up,” says Chavonelle. “Plus, we provide snacks!”
Some other benefits of joining a book club are that it gives you different perspectives on the book and it might get you to read books that you otherwise wouldn't pick up. It also improves your writing skills, helps you meet new people, and teaches communication skills in both active listening and speaking.
Kneeland started working as a librarian at Windham High School this year. She had been studying to be a librarian and used to work as an English and social studies teacher in Washington state.
“I am part of the book club because I love reading,” says Kneeland. “I love helping students find good books.”
The current book the club is reading is “The Shadow War,” which Kneeland enjoys and says is like Stranger Things meets World War II.
Reegan Burke is a 2022 WHS graduate and currently a freshman at St. Josephs's College of Maine. She is majoring in history and political sciences with a minor in secondary education. Her goal after college is to become a high school history teacher.
She said that she became a member of the WHS book club in her freshman year of high school and has been a part of the book club for four years, this being her fifth year.
“I was introduced to the book club because I volunteered in the library and I decided to join the book club because I love reading and wanted to talk about books with other people who enjoyed reading,” said Burke. “The way book club works is everyone picks a book from the shelves and then we all vote on which one sounds most interesting, then we all read that book, and meet to discuss it. We meet once a month during the morning PRIDE block.”
For Burke, she loves the book club because it is a very relaxed and fun environment. There is a seat for anyone who loves to read or wants to enjoy reading. Everyone is welcome, even if someone did not finish the book, they are still welcome to attend.
A common misconception about book clubs is that they are boring and only read intellectual non-fiction books, or classics. The WHS book club does not fit into this stereotype; at their book club, the students choose the book.
Their next meeting will be on Nov. 30 during PRIDE block about the current novel that they are reading, "Shadow War" by Lindsay Smith. <
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