Nov. 3 Book and Breakfast Club
November 3, 2006
St. Louis Review Online
http://www.stlreview.com/article.php?id=11768
Final Fridays start new chapter for Ritter readers
by Barbara Watkins, Review Staff Writer
What would make teens — an age group not known as early risers — come to school 45 minutes before class starts?
The surprising answer is — a good book.
The Final Friday Book and Breakfast Club at Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory High School held its 11th meeting last week, with close to a dozen students in attendance to discuss "The Icarus Girl" by Helen Oyeyemi.
"We usually meet from 7:30 to 8:10 a.m. the last Friday of each month, and we usually have between 10 and 12 students each time, not always the same students," said Christine Turland, librarian at Cardinal Ritter Prep and the book club’s moderator. "We have regulars, but the club is open to any student."
The students come to the library and meet with Turland, who provides handout sheets with information about the book and author and discussion questions. Turland also has breakfast on hand for the students, with donuts, bagels, fruit and drinks.
"I try to have some breakfast foods that are related to the book," she said. "The Icarus Girl" takes place in England and Nigeria, and Turland had English tea for the students.
Turland started the book club in May 2005. "I wanted to offer a forum for students who really liked to read, so they would be able to share their thoughts. I just made an announcement about the club (over the public address system), and it was sort of, ‘If you have it, they will come.’"
The first meeting was after school, and the first book was "Romiette and Julio," by Sharon Draper, an award-winning author and former National Teacher of the Year. Draper’s book was a contemporary retelling of the Romeo and Juliet story.
Turland said she often finds books her students can relate to, including books about people their own age and books that feature African and African-American culture. Cardinal Ritter Prep, in Midtown St. Louis, serves a primarily African-American student body.
"And I have student input on the books too. We try to put together the list with the help of the regulars in the club," Turland said. "It’s nice to have a mix of titles, books both girls and guys want to read, or maybe a collection of short stories."
Copies of each month’s new selection are available for purchase at cost from Turland or can be checked out from the library.
Last year the book club featured "Miracle’s Boys," a story of orphaned brothers growing up in a tough urban environment. The author, Jacqueline Woodson, earned a Coretta Scott King Author Award for the book.
Woodson was brought to St. Louis by the St. Louis Public Library last April. Among the sites she visited was Cardinal Ritter Prep, where she spoke to the freshmen and sophomores.
"It was great for the students to hear the author speak and be able to ask her questions," Turland said.
Turland would like to have an author come to a book club meeting as well. "I think that’s one of the best things for a book club to have," she said.
The book club meetings often, but not always, have more girls than boys, Turland said. "It just depends." While the Book and Breakfast Club meets before school, Turland said alternative times, such as a Book and Brown Bag lunch meeting, could be a possibility as well.
"That could be an option for students that might not be able to get to before or after school meetings," she said.
The most recent club meeting featured a lively discussion about "The Icarus Girl." All were intrigued by the story, a haunting tale about a young girl with a Nigerian mother and English father who visits Nigeria with her family.
In the story, the girl finds out she had a twin who died. The students discussed how they would feel, learning about that.
One student said, "It would make me mad, not to have known." Another replied, "It wouldn’t matter that much to me."
A third student pointed out, "But this is a little girl (in the story), and she doesn’t know what to do about this." They also discussed the book’s title and the myth of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun on wings of feathers and wax and died when the wax melted.
One student said, "Maybe Icarus didn’t know the wings would melt."
Another student pointed out that Icarus was warned by his father.
"Besides," a third student said, "I don’t care what time period you’re from, if you put heat on wax, it melts."
Several Ritter students shared their enthusiasm about the book club with the Review.
Sophomore Ania Cunningham, stopping to check out a book from the library, said, "I like to read a lot. I wanted to read this book ("The Icarus Girl") and I like to discuss my feelings with other people."
Taylor Davidson, a senior who just joined the book club, explained, "I come to the Book and Breakfast Club because not only does it help with reading skills I need to develop for the ACT, but because I don’t read enough.
"I’ve begun to realize how many great stories I miss out on because I rarely read. This activity is an organized club, so I organize myself a time to read a book so that I can participate. It’s one of the best clubs to join." Taylor added, "I enjoy being intrigued by a book and anticipating the story."
Photo: (l to r)R.C. Patterson, senior; Tavon Wilson, freshman; Ania Cunningham, sophomore; Daniel Shields, senior; Alexandra Parker, junior and librarian Mrs. Turland.
Photo by Rebecca Venegoni Tower
