Creekers drawn to Big Book Madness
Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Friday, September 10, 2010
Nearly 300 students turned out for the Big Book Madness celebration after school. They had a choice among 25 books in the voluntary summer reading program. (Photo: Tammy L. Lane)
Suspenseful. Edgy. Intense. Engaging. That’s how teens summed up “Thirteen Reasons Why,” one of 25 titles in the summer reading program at Tates Creek High School.
It was the most popular choice by far among the nearly 300 students who participated in Big Book Madness, which earned them extra credit in class.
In the story, Clay receives a box of cassette tapes recorded by his crush, Hannah, who committed suicide. He spends a bewildering and heartbreaking night crisscrossing their town, listening to Hannah’s voice recounting the events leading to her death.
“It’s an excellent book for discussion. It makes you think how small things you say to people can affect them in different ways,” said Lauren Wolfe, a library media specialist.
In previous years, teachers assigned required reading for summer break and subsequently covered the material in English class. This time, Tates Creek gave the kids a choice among the two dozen titles and hosted mini book-club meetings one day after school. Teachers and parents guided the discussion groups, which spilled out of the media center.
“This program is completely voluntary and open to all students, so we are amazed by how many students are choosing to come,” Wolfe said before the Sept. 9 event.
English teacher Meredith Bordas led one of three small groups reviewing “Thirteen Reasons Why.” They talked about possible warning signs of suicide, bullying in school, the turning point for Hannah and the insightfulness of first-time author Jay Asher.
“He did a good job getting into the mind of a teenage girl,” Bordas said.
Sophomores Natalie Betts and Kristen Craig agreed it was one of the most powerful and evocative books they’ve come across.
“It was a really fast read because it was interesting to me. This is on point – I know what she’s going through,” Kristen said of the main character.
Natalie liked how the story began with the girl’s death and then recounted her life, with all its heartache and uncertainties.
“It seemed really relatable, kind of like what we’re dealing with,” Natalie said of why she chose this book. “When I started reading it, it’s like ‘I know how you feel.’”
Bordas plans to use “Thirteen Reasons Why” in her freshman English class.
“It’s a really great book to teach a hard lesson but a good lesson,” she said.
One parent volunteer came to the same conclusion on “If I Grow Up,” about a 12-year-old boy trying to resist the pull of street gangs.
Melinda Massarone, a mother of two and a retired police officer, said the book is an eye-opener for students who sometimes are insulated from harsh realities.
“They can see life from another point of view,” she said, adding, “When you want them to read, you really try to catch their attention.”
Did you know?
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth and young adults in Kentucky. Recently amended state laws require middle and high school staffs to undergo annual training and to hand out suicide prevention awareness materials to all their students.
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