Sophomores, juniors and seniors discuss summer ReCreate Reading books

On August 22, students reunited with their ReCreate Reading groups to discuss their summer reading books and enjoy snacks together in various classrooms across campus. Last April, sophomores, juniors, and seniors selected books from a diverse range of genres, from classic horror like *Dracula* to humorous reads such as *Diary of a Wimpy Kid*.

Teachers had the freedom to shape their sessions as they saw fit. For example, some groups watched film adaptations of their books, such as *Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life* by James Patterson, which was sponsored by Modern and Classical Languages department chair Abel Olivas, along with students Ariana Gauba (12) and Jia Jia Jiang (12).

History teacher James Tate and senior Jessica Wang led a session on *Catch-22* by Joseph Heller. Given the book’s complex characters, Tate facilitated a discussion for students to express their varied perspectives.

“I enjoyed *Catch-22* a lot,” Tate said. “There was great engagement, and students were eager to discuss it. Since I love the book, I appreciate hearing others’ thoughts, whether positive or negative.”

Junior Anika Rajaram explored *The Last Lecture*, a reflective book about a professor’s final lecture before his death. She valued the book’s poignant reflections on life’s brevity.

Math teachers Caren Furtado and Anu Aiyer co-sponsored a session on *Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously* by Julie Powell. The memoir, which features the protagonist recreating recipes from Julia Child’s *Mastering the Art of French Cooking*, provided a multifaceted view of the author’s experiences.

“The book was a memoir with several short stories, each offering a new perspective on the author,” Rajaram said. “ReCreate Reading allows us to delve into books and their deeper meanings with our peers.”

This year, students led 25 book sessions with different teachers sponsoring each book. Most groups were limited to 15 members, though exceptions were made for co-teachers. For instance, assistant upper school head Kelly Horan and physics teacher Lisa Radice sponsored *Lessons in Chemistry* by Bonnie Garmus.

Sophomore Lauren Xi read *Good Omens* by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, alongside friends Beibei Shen (10) and math teacher Ambi Bobmanuel. Lauren appreciated the relaxed atmosphere and the chance to engage with her peers.

“I loved hanging out with my friends in the same ReCreate Reading group,” Lauren said. “The best part was the snacks. Bobmanuel brought lots of Capri Sun, and someone even baked cookies with toffee. We made the book discussion really enjoyable.”