“Books to me are a way to escape, relax and enjoy but it is also a way for me to get to know other people’s perspective, and things that are happening in the world,” said Elizabeth Donovan, an RCMS librarian.

 People like to read because books will take them to another world and they can learn from it. Our most loved librarians encourage students and help them find a book just right for them.

Historical books let Mrs. Donovan know about an event that happened that she didn’t know about and books about different cultures and different backgrounds. It lets her know about people and connect with people more.

“It is for me to know other people’s perspectives and about other things happening to the world,” she said. “Books are everything to me.” 

Windows and Mirrors are a way to expand on learning and imagination. 

“There is a saying that books could be windows and mirrors”, said Kirk Treakle, an RCMS librarian. “Windows because they allow you to look into a world that you haven’t been before, whether that was made up in their mind like Lord of the Rings or The Hunger Games. It can also be realistic and historical based on facts.” 

“Books can also be mirrors because you can often read about life that reminds you of a part of your life. It can be comforting because you are struggling with something or you find joy in something. If it is written you could say someone feels that way too,” said Mr. Treakle.

Books are a get away from life. 

 “Books to me are another dimension where I want to go when I feel down and it opens my imagination, ” said Ama Owusu-Afriyie.

Mrs. Donovan

Mrs. Donovan’s favorite book is Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. The book is about a group of boys who were in a plane wreck and they are stranded on a deserted island. The boys are young, ages about 8-13. As they are trying to survive, they break into two groups and the groups start fighting. The boys have a disagreement about how they should run things. At first they tried to set up a government, then they tried to elect leaders but it didn’t work either. One group starts to get obsessed with hunting because they think that the most important thing is killing and hunting for food. The other team thinks keeping the fire alive is the most important thing because that is how they alert other ships. People are at war, and they are aware that there will be killing.

The story’s all about this certain group of boys. Mrs. Donovan said, “It would be interesting if they updated the book and added girls or just to imagine how it would be different if there were girls there as well.” 

In tenth grade English, Mrs. Donovan’s teacher read the book aloud for her class and she remembered that her teacher was really into the book. Her teacher made her and the class feel so excited that it made everyone who read it love it.The book ends in a sudden shocking way .

“It seems like there were children playing a game,” said Mrs. Donovan.

“It reminds me of when you were little, when you got involved in your imagination it became so real and that is what happened to the boys.”

Mr. Treakle

Mr. Treakle likes the book A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park, Bomb by Steve Sheinkin, Okay for Now a Novel by Gary D. Schmidt and many more books.

The book A Single Shard is a historical fiction book. It is about a young orphan boy, in 12th century Korea, who lives under a bridge with a crippled man. His dream is to become a porter. He was spying on a grouchy old man, the best porter in town, through the cracks of the wall. There was pottery outside stacked up and the boy accidentally bumped it and the pottery broke. The old man makes the boy work for him for what the boy caused. Eventually the old man becomes the boy’s mentor.

Ama Owusu-Afriyie

Ama, an eighth-grader from RCMS, says that one of her favorite books is The Inheritance Games, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. She likes the book because it is a mix of mystery and romance. It’s balanced and she doesn’t have to deal with “mushy and gushy” stuff. The book is about a rich man who died in Texas and he wrote a bill, not to his family but to a random girl even though she is not related. Mostly the book is about finding out why he gave it to her and he left her with riddles and clues. 

Mrs. Ross

A few books Kelly Ross, an RCMS English teacher enjoyed are When Stars Are Scattered, by Victoria Jamieson, and is a graphic novel. 

When Stars Are Scattered is Omar Mohamed’s true story. Victoria Jamieson, a famous author who wrote Roller Girl, is the author of the book When Stars Are Scattered. Omar and his younger brother are in a refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya. They lived in the refugee camp for 6 years with an older woman named Fatima. They escaped the war in Somalia after their dad was killed and they got separated from their mom.

“Books take you any place, anywhere and anytime you want to go,” said Mrs. Ross

Mrs. Ross wants all of you to read.  

“Keep looking for the right book!”