The bell rings to release students to go to their seventh hour classes. In the Learning Commons, eight maroon arm chairs sit facing a TV. Stephen King novels, among other seemingly similar books are set on display on a table covered in a blue tablecloth. Next to this table Librarian Tara Willen sits and waits to check the students in. Soon, seven of the eight chairs are filled by students who munch on popcorn and candy and sip on soda provided by the Learning Commons just for the occasion. They all wait patiently for the discussion on Stephen King’s Carrie to start.
Carrie was chosen for the discussion due to the latest movie rendition that is set to come out on the 18th of October this year. The release date was pushed back from its original date of March 15. In honor of this, the Learning Commons held the discussion the week before it would have debuted in theaters. In spirit of the movie, the discussion began with a viewing of the trailer from the original film rendition from 1976 and ended with the newest trailer for the upcoming remake. After watching the first trailer, the discussion quickly took off.
“This [discussion] was very successful,” Willen said “It’s not often we lose track of time because the discussion was so good.”
Librarian Angie Davis, who lead the discussion and was slightly frazzled when only seven minutes were left in the period, agrees.
“I thought this one was really successful,” Davis said. “The discussion was awesome! The depth was awesome!”
Davis sees all the book discussions in a positive light because it promotes and rewards reading and students seem to enjoy themselves.
“What’s not to like? They come here, they get out of class, they get snacks, they win prizes. It’s a win-win-win.”
Willen also acknowledges the positive side to the long-lived tradition of book discussions because it gives the students a chance to relate with others who enjoy reading as much as they do.
“Most of our students that come to our book discussions are avid readers and this gives them the opportunity to talk to others about what they’re reading,” Willen said.
Even though Willen didn’t help to lead the discussion and prompt the students with discussion questions, she was still able to get something out of listening and watching the students talk about Carrie.
“I think the best part for me was listening to the kids analyze Carrie’s behavior and Sue’s behavior and getting into all the details about it,” Willen said.
The discussion ends with the viewing of the trailer for the newest Carrie movie. Even though it’s short, it grabs the students’ attentions.
“Are you serious?” one of the students says, completely enthralled and left wanting more. “They should make it longer!”
When the bell rings, none of the students are leaving empty-handed. Each is given a bag of popcorn and a scratch-and-sniff bookmark. One even leaves with a $25 movie gift card after winning the drawing the students entered upon their arrival. The students leave the Learning Commons with smiles on their faces, many of them waiting for the next discussion that will take place May 10 on the book Unwind by Neal Shusterman.
