Students share latest discoveries in reading

Paperbacks rest on desks during study hall, their covers briefly visible before being tucked back into backpacks. There are no organized meetings or shared discussions, just individual students choosing to spend time getting lost in the stories.

Some have recently been spotted reading The Do-Over by Lynn Painter. The romantic comedy follows a teenage girl reliving Valentine’s Day after discovering her boyfriend’s betrayal. “It’s chaotic in the best way,” senior Julia Bright said. “Every time the day restarts, you want to see how she’ll fix things differently.”

In another classroom, a different student is absorbed in Turtles All the Way Down by John Green. The novel centers on Aza Holmes as she navigates friendship and first love while managing intrusive thoughts. “It feels real,” junior Adam Lee said. “It doesn’t make everything magically better. It shows what it’s actually like to struggle with your own thoughts.”

Others are tacking classics, including Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. Set during the Civil War and Reconstruction the novel challenges readers with its length and historical scope. “It’s definitely long, but you get completely immersed,” junior Megan Johnson said. “You see how much the world around the characters shapes who they become.”

While students may not discuss their selections openly, their reading choices reflect a range of interests from lighthearted romance to emotional young adult fiction to sweeping historical drama. In a school environment often dominated by screens and deadlines, the quiet presence of novels suggests that traditional reading still holds a place in students’ daily routines.