Student Voices

Student Voices: Christina Diaz Gonzalez’s Visit to Kellee’s Middle School

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I am so lucky because my principal began an initiative at my school where we get to have an author visit our school yearly (2025: George O’Connor, 2024: Jerry Craft, 2023: Christina Diaz Gonzalez, 2022: Nathan Hale, 2020: Neal Shusterman, 2019: Jennifer A. Nielsen). The author sees all students in the school, so it is a great community literacy event for my school, and I love being able to bring this experience to all of my students each year!

This year, we hosted Award-Winning Author Christina Diaz Gonzalez again!

We are so thankful to Christina Diaz Gonzalez for being with us all day. Not only did she present to over 900 students about her books and writing life, she did a signing time for any student who wanted his autograph, she did a special presentation for our newer enrolled ELL Spanish-Speaking students, and she stayed after to sign books for teachers & bookmarks for our Literacy Night 2026: A Night of Christina Diaz Gonzalez participants! It was such a wonderful day!

Here are some reflections from my students after the visit. I asked them to think about what they learned, what they enjoyed, how they were impacted, or anything else they wanted to share:

  • I got to see how she comes up with book ideas which makes me wanna write my own books more.
  • My biggest take away was how Christina gets her ideas and how she was inspired by some daily things like getting coffee at a coffee shop.
  • I really liked the day. Christina’s presentation was very interesting.
  • It is important so that we can promote reading from ALL backgrounds.
  • My biggest takeaway is that being different is OKAY and not having everything all together is okay as well! (I got this second part from when she was explaining how she does her writing processes.)
  • The visit helps me understand the books I’ve read from her and the motivation and inspiration for them.
  • I really enjoyed it and I liked Christina. I loved how she made sure everyone understood by switching languages and how she made people feel comfortable to ask questions.
  • The day overall was an amazing day, and when I went to the visit it was fantastic. It was very interesting and fun
  • It’s important to have an author visit the school because it allows kids to learn about how books come to life and where the ideas started. Plus it can get kids into reading since they’re hearing what a book is about directly from the author and they can get in better detail than with google.
  • My biggest takeaway is that you can become an author and write books no matter where you grew up and no matter what your first language is.
  • Author visits are important because it allows for many different author to tell their stories to the next generation of kids so that they can pass on the message and hopefully, be the next generation of authors.
  • I loved learning more about her, and I think its very interesting to know the process of making her books.
  • An author visit, to me, means that Ms. Moye, Ms. H, and the other staff care about us gaining knowledge based on other peoples experiences, and the author helping us understand ourselves and what we are interested in.

  • I loved the day! I enjoyed the presentation and the signing, and I heard there was a presentation in Spanish, and I just felt glad there was an option for many to feel included.
  • My biggest take away is that most of the time Christina Diaz Gonzalez creates ideas for her books in public places which I think could help me too if I want to become an author.
  • It’s exciting to have people inspire you, and an author visit gives you something to be excited for each year.
  • My biggest take away was that anyone can be an author.
  • This visit was important because it taught me more about Christina Diaz Gonzalez and she also talked about her writing process and how she came up with ideas. It is important and powerful to have an author visit our school because then kids have the opportunity to learn about different authors and they could possibly find out about new books they may like, whereas if we didn’t have these visits, students may not learn about new authors and find new books to read.
  • I think its important to have an author visit for us to know more about some of these books and engage with them.
  • The visit impacted me in a way which showed me that confidence and taking risks is okay and this really helped me realize that not getting things on the first try is GREAT and not a bad thing.
  • The biggest take away was we can become a storyteller, too, and reading and writing can open doors to imagination and understanding.
  • The visit impacted me in a positive way since I got to learn more about an author which I enjoy doing.
  • A yearly author visit means that every year there is a new fun experience for me and my friends.
  • The visit impacted me by now when I read her books, I love how I can see the resemblance between her side and how the book was written.
  • This author visit is important because it emphasizes the ability for people to make stories in any environment.
  • Not every school gets author visits, but our school does, and it is a gift.
  • Author visits mean memories, and they are just a fun way to learn more about authors and their writing process.
  • An author visit makes reading and writing exciting. It shows us anyone can write a book and inspires us to be creative. We learn how stories are made and enjoy books more.

 

  • Author visits are really fun and a fun time to meet authors, and it means I get to meet people who live out my dream of being an author.
  • It impacted me by showing me that it is okay to change your career and you can still be successful.
  • Anyone can become an author, no matter where they were born or if something interesting happens to them.
  • You can do anything you put your mind to.
  • This visit was important because since Christina Diaz Gonzalez is a Spanish speaker, it allowed students who only speak Spanish to learn about writing. It is important and powerful to have an author visit our school because it may inspire students.
  • It helped me to think more and be aware, like memorizing what happened in a day to be able to make a story out of it or help myself in a way.
  • The visit made me realise that any person is capable of thinking up stories and becoming a successful author.
  • Having a visiting author yearly experiencing (new) exciting authors and learning about their works.
  • Remember to always revise your work.
  • It impacts me by making me realize that there are much more books than just manga and graphic novels.
  • Author visits show me that my school is very fortunate, and I am very fortunate to be able to meet these authors who have won awards and left their mark on the literacy world.
  • Yearly author visits show that our school cares about literacy, and it’s always interesting to learn about an author especially if I’ve read their books.

As you can see from the comments and love, my students and I would highly recommend a yearly schoolwide author visit and specifically Christina for a school visit!

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Student Voices: Mark Oshiro’s Visit to Kellee’s Middle School

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This year, in addition to our yearly author visit that we’ll have in February (2026: Christina Diaz Gonzalez, 2025: George O’Connor, 2024: Jerry Craft, 2023: Christina Diaz Gonzalez, 2022: Nathan Hale, 2020: Neal Shusterman, 2019: Jennifer A. Nielsen), a colleague and I were lucky enough to win an auction for a full day visit from Mark Oshiro!

 

Mark spoke to students about being an author, writing for the Percy Jackson universe, hints and tricks for writing better dialogue, and hosted a Q&A session. Students in one presentation were even given a sneak peek of an upcoming novel!

Here are some reflections from my students after the visit.

How did the author visit impact you as a student & what was your biggest educational takeaway?

  • The visit motivated and inspired me to put my mind to my goals, because I got to see Mark as a kid wanting to be an author, and being a New York Times bestselling author.
  • It impacted me as a student by allowing me to get introduced into a new type of writing style and allow me to learn more aspects to the book writing process.
  • It made me want to go for my dreams.
  • It made feel confident about reading.
  • I learned more about writing that I didn’t know before.
  • Being able to meet and talk to someone as famous (and has worked with famous authors like Rick Riordan) one on one and learn from them as to what they do to be successful.
  • it made me realize how long it takes to write books and also two people can make a book together and how they make the book
  • I just feel as though I learned a lot and they were informative and helpful to me as a younger kid (like 8) who all I wanted to be was an author.
  • I think the author visit impacted me by teaching me there are always more options and it’s never to late to change and do your passion
  • I learned that if I chose to write or do anything in life you can’t just always blindly follow the rules and it’s important to always push boundaries
  • That it doesn’t matter where you start as long as you start somewhere.
  • what ever you dream is do it like when mark wrote a book when he was 11 and he is still writing books
  • Being able to learn how to properly make characters talk and also a lot of writing tips.
  • Everyone writes differently and there’s no specific set of rules
  • That it is ok to write about anything that represents you.
  • That writing a book is a long process and you can’t just sit down and write a good book in a day.

Why was this visit important? Why is it important and powerful to have an author visit our school?

  • For kids who may want to be authors to get inspiration.
  • The visit was important because because it can motivate kids dreams and a really fun thing to do. Overall, that day really made my month.
  • i personally think it is interesting to meet authors and hear about the reasons why they do what they do, and i often end up reading many more of their books after the visit
  • This visit was important because it helps to teach kids that things about being an author. Its powerful to have an author visit our school because it can help inspire kids that are doubting their talents and their ability to pursue a career in it. Seeing the perspective of someone who had a childhood dream to be an author, and ended up being successful gives students motivation and hope for their futures.
  • This visit was important because it allowed us to hear the background behind their stories. It’s important to have an author visit our school because it gives us that educational experience you wouldn’t normally get in class plus it comes with a long lasting memory.
  • It’s important because many students get inspired by authors and it gives students an understanding about the author’s books. Author visits encourage and influence kids.
  • It was important for inspiration and was also important for the author promote their book.
  • It was important to me because it can help make people feel better when their writing about something.
  • This visit was important because it allows us to learn about different perspectives and about things that we may have not heard of before. Having author visits at our school can be powerful because it could maybe allow someone to find out that they want to write or be an author.
  • To be able to hopefully inspire the kids to continue to read and write their way through life.
  • This visit was important because learning more about writing and being an author can inspire other kids to peruse with their older. It is very powerful to have an author visit our school because it inspires and it’s fun and different from every other day in the school year. I am so happy that our school does this!
  • Because it makes us understand why books are still important and because its so fun to be with a famous author and getting to know them.
  • it is a rare occasion and a great gift for authors to come to our school and trach us some stuff about writing books.
  • It is important to have an author visit because it encourages kids to learn about new authors they may like and encourages reading. It also is good for the author because they can possibly get good feedback from their own readers, especially younger people. I think it is important to have a STRONG author too, because then kids don’t get bored as easily, and it is more fun and exciting to come see this author, especially if they write books that are more common for middle schoolers to read, ex: Mark Oshiro.
  • I think the reason author visits are important because it shows that you have more options in life then you think and you don’t always have to go work an office job and it shows us that with hard work you can make your dreams come true.

What was your favorite part of the visit?

  • The Q & A part because Mark interacted with us in a way that was very nice!
  • My favorite part was when they talked about how they, with Rick Riordan, ended up writing the Nico series together.
  • Being able to see an authors perspective in general, and when they read us a part of new book that’s not published yet.
  • Mark was really funny.
  • I love being able to get to talk and get to know someone who has worked with someone as well known as Rick Riordan and also get a sneak peek into what secret projects their working on.
  • My favorite part was learning interesting facts about Mark because they are a cool and funny person.
  • Hearing Mark Oshiro talk about their experiences.

How did you like the visit overall?

  • Honestly I thought it was really fun and I had such a good time with my friends and listening to Mark Oshiro talk
  • I enjoyed it a lot and they were funny and relatable in some ways
  • i loved it, i learned a lot about Greek mythology and Percy Jackson. I loved Mark’s energy and the way they interacted.
  • It was really fun and I’m so grateful that I got to meet Mark Oshiro and get my book signed.
  • I really liked the visit it was very fun and interesting.
  • IT WAS AMAZINGG
  • I LOVED it! They were such a kind and relatable person.
  • I really liked the visit I think this is my favorite author visit I’ve been to.

As you can see from the comments and love, my students and I would highly recommend Mark for a school visit!

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Student Voices: What Kellee’s Students Read in September

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What Kellee’s Students Were Reading in September

I thought we could do a beginning of the year check in with my middle schoolers to see what they are currently reading. My students do an It’s Monday! What are you reading? post whenever I do one here on Unleashing Readers; I love keeping up with what they’re currently reading and what they’ve thought of what they finished. Here is a roundup of the book covers, in no particular order although I tried to keep series/authors together, of middle school books that my Student Literacy Readers read in September:







 



What a variety! Here’s to more great reading!

Student Voices: Insights Into Kellee’s Middle School from Makenna A., Amber D., Valiya T., and Edie M.

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Insights Into Kellee’s Middle School

“Favorite Book Quotes from Students” by Makenna A., 8th grade

Magic Book By Colgreyis by chabien on DeviantArt

Books can really leave a mark on people long after they read it. When people read a book quote they love, they will remember it forever. These are some quotes that people love from some books in our library. 

  • “Death makes the whole world kin.” Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman, Anonymous
  • ““I want to try for another record tomorrow. What was that last kind I had? With the chocolate chunks?”  “Stracciatella.”  “I’m naming my first daughter after it.”  “Lucky her.”” Love and Gelato by Jenna Welch, Sophia L, 8th Grade
  • “Every day means everything’s possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time. If you want to rebel, rebel from inside the system.” – Legend by Marie Lu, Raegen B, 7th Grade
  • “Look, I didn’t want to be a half-blood.” Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, Anonymous
  • “Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you’d like. It was only ever yours to break anyway.” The One by Kiera Cass, Layla N, 8th Grade
  • “It’s always the fear of looking stupid that stops you from being awesome“ The Selection by Kiera Cass, Maddie M, 7th Grade
  • “Things seemed to go back and forth between reality and imagination–except that it was all reality” Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, Anonymous 
  • “Best friends are important. They’re the closest thing to a sister you’ll ever have.” The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, Nathalia G, 7th Grade
  • “I will digest your words like a chicken leg bouncing around in my stomach.” House Arrest by K.A. Holt, Anonymous 
  • “Last as long as you can. Hold on as long as possible. And there’s no shame in losing, because everyone loses. It’s just that everyone has a different score.” Bang by Barry Lyga, Chris H, 6th Grade
  • “No mourners. No funerals.” Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Makenna A, 7th Grade
  • “Hey sarge, remember me?” As Good A Dead by Holly Jackson, Valiya T, 8th Grade
  • “Fire is catching! And if we burn, you burn with us!” Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, Anonymous

“Impacts of Being a Student Literacy Leader” by Amber D., 7th grade

Do you ever feel like you want to read but you just don’t have any time for it? I joined a class named Literacy Leaders, and it impacted my reading time and encouraged me to read more books. Some examples on how it helped me read and expand my reading skills are:

  • Having time to read in the beginning of class everyday

Having the beginning of class to read for 10 minutes every day has shown to increase my reading and my vocabulary at the same time.

  • Having assessments focused on books

These helped me understand books better. I started thinking more about the characters and the story, not just reading it to finish.

  • Being around people that enjoy books as much as you do

I meant more people that share the same interest as me shared recommendations and had fun talking about what we read/reading.

  •  Rewards for finishing books

If you read 25 books, you got to go to a party. Every 5 books earned a prize. It made reading exciting and gave me goals to work toward. *This is a whole school initiative.

  • Participating in Beanstack Challenges

These reading challenges encourage me to try new kinds of books and with a fun twist of competition.

Literacy Leaders aren’t  just about books, it also involves teamwork and building new friendships with new people while improving the library for everyone to enjoy! It made reading something I look forward to every day.

Oh, and not sure why you should read more?

Here’s why you should want you to read:

  • Vocabulary Boost
    Reading makes you explore new words and helps you understand how they’re used. Like building your own personal dictionary! If you read a lot, you’ll be able to write better, talk more clearly, and understand what others are saying with more confidence.
  • Understanding Stories
    Reading different types of genres like novels, articles, and even websites, helps you understand different/new perspectives, learn about history and science, and connect with the world around you. Meet interesting people, and learn about different cultures, without traveling!
  • Better Writer
    Reading is like being a student of language. By reading different styles and types of writing, you learn about sentence structure, grammar, and how to express yourself effectively.
  • Reading is FUN!
    There are so many amazing books and stories out there, waiting for you to discover them! Maybe you’ll find a new favorite author, explore a new genre, or even meet some characters you’ll never forget. It’s a great way to relax, escape, and have some fun!

“Most Checked Out Genres by Student Literacy Leaders” by Valiya T., 8th grade

Books are made by many different people for many different people. No book is the same as the last one and no one interprets a book the same as the last person. Everyone has their preference on what books they like to read and there are a lot of genres to choose from. I decided to take a survey to see what books Student Literacy Leaders check out the most in our school’s library. 

The majority of the students surveyed said that they mostly check out Romance books with [realistic] fiction and fantasy both being in second place.

Here are quotes from students about their most checked out genre and their favorite books/series from that genre.

“My favorite book genre is either Romantasy or just romance. I really can’t choose between the two! Romance has just such a cute storyline and I love debating which character the mfc is going to end up with! And Romantasy is just the perfect combination between a fictional world with magic and having romance in it as well (cough Shatter Me).” – Reagan B, 7th grade

“My favorite book genre would have to be fantasy. I love reading about new fantasy worlds with magic and cool characters. Most of the books I’ve read are fantasy and I can’t bear to leave it. Fantasy books are very diverse and unique and I love that every one I pick up is different.” – Makenna A, 7th Grade 

“Personally, any sort of fiction book is a favorite for me since the reason I love books so much is to read a story that does not exist. Any sci-fi or fantasy would do. I just want it to be beyond my wildest dreams.” – Leonardo V, 8th grade

“My favorite genre is [realistic] fiction because it takes me out of reality” – Mia F, 8th grade

“My favorite genre is fantasy because there are so many possibilities with it as they can come up with anything they can imagine” Layla N, 8th grade

The genres of books checked out in our library are very diverse as are the people. The top 3 genres checked out in the library are Romance, Fantasy and Fiction. These genres are similar but also very different. Everyone should try many different genres and figure out what genre is for them!

“My Top 10 Reasons Why I Am Excited to be a Literacy Leader Again Next Year” by Edie M., 7th grade

#1 I love being in the library because it is a wonderful place and makes me feel safe and happy.

#2 I love reading because I love exploring the books and it can sometimes be my escape from reality or a relaxer.

#3 Ms. Moye is an amazing teacher because she makes the class fun and not stressful.

#4 I enjoy running the desk because it gives be the opportunity to give the joys of reading to more people.

#5 I enjoy doing the projects because it is a fun team work activity, and they are normally pretty cool.

#6 The class makes me feel comfortable and happy because of its low stress level and the way things are done.

#7 It is a good way to connect with people with similar interests because you must choose and apply to this class in order to be accepted which means you must like the library and reading enough for it.

#8 I like being able to use the nice bathroom because it is the only one that I feel remains nicely clean and has mirrors.

#9 I enjoy shelving books because it is a calming organization process.

#10 the class is much more laid back and chill because of the subject, teacher, and the overall way things are created.

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their insight into my school’s reading and my class!

Student Voices: Reflective Opinions About Books vs. Movies, BookTok, and Becoming a Reader from Raegen B., Luiza N., and Ernesto G.

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Reflective Opinions About Books vs. Movies, BookTok, and Becoming a Reader

“Are Books Really Better Than Movies?” by Raegen B., 7th grade

It has been a debate for a long time when books started getting adapted into movies, as to whether the books were better or the movies were better.

People say that the books are better than the movies because without the books, the movies wouldn’t have anything to go off of, they have more detail, and have all the original information without anything being cut.

However, some people say that the movies are better because they have visuals for people to see the story unfold.

Opinions from real students

Why are the books better than the movies? (all said from real students)

“They give a lot more emphasis on the characters than the movies do; a lot of movies only show certain characters once or in one scene.” -Leonardo V.

“The movies are based on the books so that makes the books more accurate and because of this, the books cannot be messed up. -Makena A.

“Books take more time developing like the characters and key parts of the story. You understand the story better because of this.” – Valiya T.

“You get to hear more thoughts in the books than the movies.” – Layla N.

“They have more description of the story and characters and how they feel; you can also create the scenarios in your head.” – Marianne P.

“The books are usually have more detail and are the original idea that the movies are based on.” – Veronica O.

“They get to be more detailed and they don’t have a time or page limit on how long the book can be.” – Luiza N.

“There’s more details, more indications that we don’t get in the movies, more content, and there’s more content to enjoy than in the movies.” – Maya D.

Why are the movies better than the books? (all from real students)

“If done right, it lets you think more about the visual of the story. For example, when you watch the movies, you can see what the characters and setting look like. But when you read the books, a lot of times, you only focus on the plot.” -Makena A.

“You can actually hear the characters and their tone of voice, their facial expressions, and the setting of the movie.” – Neyla A.

My opinion

Now, I might have a biased opinion on this topic because I am a bookworm, but I think that the books are better than the movies. First of all, without the books, the movies wouldn’t have a story to film or make. Not to mention that they are constantly changing how the characters look.

A big example of this is in the Hunger Games. Not a lot of people know this, but in the books, Katniss is supposed to have olive skin and grey eyes. However in the movie, she’s white, and has brown eyes.

It’s understandable to not be able to find exact actors that look exactly how the characters are described in the books, but some movies have successfully done this. To stay on topic of the Hunger Games, in the movie, The Ballad of Song Birds and Snakes, Coriolanus Snow is described as having blonde hair and blue eyes, and the actor chosen, had blonde hair and blue eyes. So, it is possible for the producers to hire people who look like how characters are described in the books.

So we know that it is possible for producers and movie directors to get look-alikes.

Another big example of movie producers and directors getting characters wrong is in the Harry Potter movie series. One main thing that they got wrong is Harry’s eyes. In the books, Harry’s eyes are described as being green and “having his mother’s eyes.” But, Daniel Radcliff has blue eyes which isn’t that much of a big deal if you think about it, but it actually is. Like I mentioned before, Harry is constantly being told that “he has his mother’s eyes” in both the films and the books. But, in the Deathly Hollows movie, in Snape’s memories, we see Lily (Harry’s mom) in his memories and there’s even a close up of her eyes and they aren’t even blue to match Daniel’s eyes; the young actress chosen had brown eyes. You would think that they’d try and get an actress with blue eyes to match the already screwed up main characters eyes right? 

But, what do you think? Are the books really better than the movies?

“Problems with BookTok” by Luiza N., 7th grade

BookTok, a large community on the TikTok app where people come together to share their love for books. What started as a fun place for readers to engage with each other, is now a controversial topic of conversation. From its rise in popularity back in 2020, BookTok has developed serious problems. Said problems range from the readers inside the community, to authors, and the writing itself. 

One main issue with the community of BookTok is how it promotes overconsumption. The rich influencers of TikTok like to show off their huge, beautiful collection of books. Now this doesn’t exactly sound like a huge problem at first, but it is. Most of the books shown off in these collections are only for aesthetic purposes. A big number of influencers are not actually reading any of the books they are buying, but instead using them as a way to garner views and influence public opinion. By promoting such collections they not only make commission for themselves, but also encourage buying books in bulk from massive corporations, such as Amazon, who profit from exploiting workers and produce excess waste. The more unrealistic bookshelves are promoted on BookTok, the worse this problem will become. 

Another big problem in the BookTok community is its romanticization of the “idea” of reading, instead of reading itself. A couple months ago it “came out” that many BookTokers were skipping over main paragraphs of the book, mostly only reading the dialogue. While some do this to reach an unobtainable goal of books read throughout the year, some simply do not actually enjoy the act of reading. They are inspired by influencers on TikTok to have a certain aesthetic, to appear intellectual. A problem I, personally, have with this is that they are not even reading what could be considered “good literature”. Instead of reading well thought out books, meant to genuinely entertain, inform, or even persuade the reader, they are reading (really skimming) one-dimensional books with poor writing, story pacing, and plot, often made by money-hungry corporations and authors, contributing to the next problem I found with the BookTok community. 

Recently, authors on tiktok have started to write basically the exact same stories. This is not about the many plagiarism controversies of BookTok, but about the repeated tropes and world building found in its popular books. Authors have taken notice of how much BookTokers like certain tropes. For example, the trope “enemies to lovers”, a tag with 2.7 million posts, and many more views, on TikTok. Due to the insane popularity of enemies to lovers, the trope has started to be inserted into many books, some authors/companies even going as far as to mark their books enemies to lovers when they are not. This becomes an issue when books start blending together. Readers are not encouraged to explore new topics, but instead read the same thing over and over. There is a negative impact on both readers who are not discovering other tropes and stories they might like, but also authors who dare to to be creative, writing something they are genuinely passionate about. Of course, authors on BookTok are not the only ones to be blamed for this issue, but also readers. The more these books are read and shown off, the more these books will continue to be published and rewritten. BookTok should strive to be a community filled with innovation and creativity, not the regurgitation of the same stories. 

Although BookTok may have some good qualities, it is important to acknowledge the issues within the community, be it overconsumption, romanticism, or even plagiarism. If these issues can be talked about and known, I believe BookTok can return to what it once was. Providing readers with an environment to discuss, recommend, and share literature. 

Sources:

“The Struggles of Reading Books for Non-Readers” by Luiza N., 7th grade

Reading books can seem like a fun and easy task for most people, but for some, it can be a challenge. First, the struggle of books can be due to there being a lack of encouragement at home and at school, it may also be attributed to them being constantly forced to read which can deprive them of enjoyment. Furthermore, reading can also be associated with school work or an obligation which is one of the main reasons that people dislike reading.

According to the National Institutes of Health, they have found that encouragement at home is associated with children’s motivation to read. In addition, studies done by Readingrockets.org, have proved that when reading material is made relevant or encouraged to students, they are far more likely to become “Engaged & competent readers”. Thus, encouragement plays an important role in students’ motivation to read. Similarly, pleasure and entertainment is one of the various motives for reading books. However, Pewresearch.org suggests that reading enjoyment has dropped and reached the “Lowest level since the 1980’s” in American children. This lack of interest and pleasure for reading can be attributed to academic pressures and social media which is why less people are reading books. Nevertheless, Social media in general can also be a big struggle for Non-Readers to overcome due to kids and teenagers being “Glued to their screens” every day which results in them preferring to play video games or watch videos instead of choosing healthier or more productive activities such as reading.

As a previous “Non-Reader,” myself, here are some ways people can incorporate reading frequently in their daily agenda: 

  • Spend 10-15 minutes reading and add a couple minutes each day. 
  • Explore different genres and don’t be loyal to just one genre.
  • Read a mixture of short and long books
  • Don’t stick with a book that you strongly dislike and find a new book that you like.
  • When given the opportunity to choose between your phone or read a book, dedicate some time to reading a book.
  • Lastly, take breaks whenever you feel like you’re getting bored or tired.

Finally, changing bad habits or your opinion or emotions on something is a gradual process. So take your time and be patient when reading books.  Always remember that “A book is a gift that you can open again and again”-Garrison Keillor.

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at these popular book point of views!

Student Voices: Understanding Depression & Books About Mental Health from Maya D. and Tatiana S.

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Understanding Depression & Books About Mental Health

**Trigger Warning: This post has discussions of depression, mental health, and suicide though also looks at how to find help**

“Understanding Depression” by Maya D., 7th grade

men·tal health
Noun
A person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.

de·pres·sion
Noun
Feelings of severe despondency and dejection.

Understanding Depression

Depression is a persistent feeling of sadness, loss of interest and loss of pleasure in activities. This feeling continues for many days and heavily interferes with a person’s quality of life. 

Depression can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, status and education. It’s the most common mental illness in the US. Depression can be caused by a wide variety of things like genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. 

According to National Institute of Mental Health symptoms include:

  • Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood
  • Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
  • Feelings of irritability, frustration‚ or restlessness
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities
  • Fatigue, lack of energy, or feeling slowed down
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
  • Difficulty sleeping, waking too early in the morning, or oversleeping
  • Changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes
  • Physical aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems without a clear physical cause that do not go away with treatment
  • Thoughts of death or suicide or suicide attempts

According to National Institute of Mental Health effects on mood include:

  • Increased anger or irritability
  • Feeling restless or on edge
  • Becoming withdrawn, negative, or detached
  • Increased engagement in high-risk activities
  • Greater impulsivity
  • Isolating from family and friends
  • Inability to meet responsibilities or ignoring other important roles

Not everyone might experience the same symptoms, and varying amounts of symptoms in varying degrees. 

Depression is different for everyone but there are main two types:

Major Depression

Loss of interest, depressed mood, lasts for around two weeks.

Persistent Depressive Disorder

Symptoms of depression are less intense and last longer for at least two years.  

It’s highly recommended to talk to a health care provider if symptoms persist. 

What Can I Do to Help Myself? 

Generally treatment is the best option. But some things you can do to help manage according to National Institute of Mental Health are:

  • Try to get physical activity. Just 30 minutes a day of walking can boost your mood.
  • Try to maintain a regular bedtime and wake-up time.
  • Eat regular, healthy meals.
  • Do what you can as you can. Decide what must get done and what can wait.
  • Connect with people. Talk to people you trust about how you are feeling.
  • Delay making important life decisions until you feel better. Discuss decisions with people who know you well.
  • Avoid using alcohol, nicotine, or drugs, including medications not prescribed for you.

Many things affect one’s mental health most importantly, it is from biological and psychological factors but it can also be from social factors including, but not limited to, sleep, diet, relationships, age and beliefs. Did you know the seasons of the world can have a huge sway on mental health and increase risk of depression? This phenomenon is called S.A.D. or Seasonal Affective Disorder. This type of depression is not considered clinical. 

Summertime Sadness

-While not as common as Winter Depression, Summertime is increasingly common for students to experience feelings of hopelessness.The heat and humidity can feel never ending and oppressive. This causes some people to isolate themselves and stay in air conditioning. This can also lead to excessive use of social media, lack of movement and may develop unhealthy eating habits. 

-The isolation is well…isolation. This can lead to a lack of social interaction. Humans are social creatures and life can be a bit easier when you share a burden. Especially when school is out, people may not see their friends as often. 

-A healthy body benefits the mind, your brain is a part of your body after all. Getting vitamin D and remaining active is great for boosting your mood and self-security. 

During summer there’s much emphasis on people’s bodies. Stores sell thinner clothes with less coverage, swimsuits are marketed very often. All this focus on looks inevitably leads to insecurity. -The lack of social affirmations can worsen insecurity. 

-When you’re in school you establish a routine. Then suddenly schools out. The grounding security of a routine is disrupted. For many this can be the trigger of a depressive episode. Not having something to wake up for everyday can be unmotivating. 

-Summer is a great time to host events, attend festivals and go shopping for the new summer items. Your time in this season may not be as enjoyable when you miss out on activities because your wallet cant afford it. This leads to increased feelings of FOMO and may also contribute to not being able to hangout with those you value. 

Tips to Combat Summertime Sadness 

Remember it’s okay to struggle. We’re all human and go through things. Take small steps if you have to. Nothing will change unless you at least try. 

  • Make efforts to stay social, call up that friend you haven’t seen in a while, go out with your family, join a club. 
  • Spend time outside. Take a walk, bring a hat or sunscreen maybe. Go for a jog. Head to the park. Read outside. Play sports. 
  • Take care of your body. Eat at least one fruit a day. Snack on a salad. STAY HYDRATED!!! Maintain your hygiene. 
  • Establish a routine and give yourself something to look forward to. 

Be patient with yourself, it’s easier said than done. 

“Books About Mental Health” by Tatiana S., 8th grade

Most times when people think of children and teens, they’ll think about an always happy, energetic, loud group of people. This isn’t always the case, however. As our young group gets older, they experience new challenges that may be hard to overcome. This can cause anxiety, eating disorders, and sometimes, even depression. There are many books out there that talk about this, but some of them don’t put it into the perspective of a child. I’ve read these 3 amazing books that have taught me what it’s like for someone around my age to experience these mental health issues. I hope you try them out and learn something new!

Delicates by Brenna Thummler

This book was extremely good at displaying what it’s like to be an outsider. Unlike the 1st book, Sheets, where we follow the main protagonist, Marjorie Glatt, we now follow a character who was just hiding in the shadows. Eliza Duncan is odd. She has no friends, was held back a grade, and likes to photograph potential ghosts. She’s the perfect target for bullies. The bullying really messed with her mental health. She fell into depression, barely ever wanting to leave her room, not interacting with her family. It even got to the point where she didn’t want to do what she loves most. It didn’t get better, either. She had thoughts of self-harm. To see an adolescent go through all of this was truly heartbreaking, but also eye-opening. It allowed me to see what bullying does to someone and see how these mental illnesses affect someone’s day to day life.

Just Roll with It by Veronica Agarwal

This book was great. We follow a young Maggie, who’s starting middle school. When I first read the book, I was confused. I didn’t understand why she continuously needed to roll a dice to determine her next move or why she had to flip a lightswitch a specific number of times. As the book continued, I saw that she had OCD and anxiety. However, Maggie didn’t. Her family guided her down the right path to therapy and she was able to learn about what she was dealing with. It was interesting to see how she learned more about herself and these illnesses and how she persevered through them. To have a supportive family or group of people like that is such a good thing to have when struggling with something like that.

Sink or Swim by Veronica Agarwal

This is the 2nd book to Just Roll with It and I truly loved this one. Instead of Maggie, we follow Ty, a swimmer who recently recovered from an arm injury. It was clear to see from the beginning that Ty was struggling with anxiety. The book was great at displaying this. It was as if Ty was fighting with himself or drowning in water. Because of his anxiety, he struggled to do what he loved most: swim. His friends helped him, however, and he got his spark back. I’m closest in age with Ty as he’s in 7th grade and seeing what anxiety was like for him was very relatable.

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at mental health and books that may help those struggling!

Student Voices: Reflective Opinions About Graphic Novels and Audiobooks from Elisa M., Ellie M., and Livie S.

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Reflective Opinions about Graphic Novels and Audiobooks

“The Benefits of Reading Graphic Novels During Middle School” by Elisa M., 8th grade

When I first walked into the library during my 6th grade year there were so many books to choose from, especially coming from elementary school, but what caught my attention was the graphic novel section. The animated covers on the front, the designs, and being able to be inside the character you’re reading. Graphic novels are very different from all the other books out there. But is it beneficial to young readers? Many adults think that graphic novels are just silly books and they are not “real” books because they have so many pictures. So let’s see if they are correct.

I’ve read over 75 books during my 6th grade year and 99% of those books were graphic novels. I noticed that my vocabulary widened and my grammar improved. Also, many graphic novels are very relatable and about kids/teenagers. Graphic novels not only make me feel not alone but many other kids too. When you’re around 12-14 years of age it’s very hard to not think your alone and feel that everyone is judging you than, but while reading these books I’ve realized that almost everyone is feeling the same types of emotions that your going through and everyone else is too worried about themselves being judged to worry about you. Now people might say “Well fiction and other books can have the same effect.” Now while fiction books can have the same stories and more vocabulary than graphic novels. It’s not going to give off the same effect, especially for middle schoolers.

For middle schoolers and even elementary kids, they don’t have the attention span of a high school or college student would have. I remember reading a 200 page fiction book in 7th grade and I can’t even remember what it was about and not only did I not remember, It took me so long to read because I kept zoning out or I would read without actually understanding and processing what I read. For many students pictures help keep the reader entertained and give them a better understanding of what they are reading.

For me the biggest thing when it comes to reading is being able to basically pretend that I’m inside the book. I want to know every single detail about my character. Raina Telgemeier, an an American cartoonist, is one of my favorite authors. Her detailing for her characters and being able to bring them to life make me love her so much, the expressions make me laugh and the way I can relate to the book, I could not say that for any other book. To add on to this it is known that graphic novels are more diverse than other books and are very helpful for kids that have disabilities or struggle with reading.

So my goal is to hopefully make adults or anyone who thinks reading graphic novels is not beneficial have a second opinion. Just because its might not be helpful to you doesn’t mean it is not beneficial to others.

“Why Are Graphic Novels So Popular?” by Ellie M., 7th grade

Graphic novels are popular because they have pictures and words in stories that make it easier to understand and more exciting to read. The colorful drawings snatch our attention and help us imagine what’s happening. Since they have fewer words than regular books, they can be a great choice for people who might find long chapters boring or hard to read. Plus, graphic novels tell all kinds of cool stories like superheroes, adventures, fantasy, etc. This makes them interesting for everyone. Because of this combination of art and storytelling, many people love to read graphic novels!

Quotes from middle schoolers on why graphic novels are so popular: 

“I think they’re popular because people at my school love to read them!” Thomas M.

“It gives people more of a visual of the a setting.” Amanda M.

“I think they are popular because as you read you can visualize what is happening and see it which can be entertaining” Dyna V.

“Some people like to read and see something visual.” Rafa A.

“Graphic novels are so popular because they make it easier to understand the text with the visual.” Lianna J.

“The art and the action keep you interested, even if you don’t usually like to read.” Palin S.

“I think they are popular because they are easier to read and most people have short attention spans, and they don’t like reading paragraph after paragraph. They prefer reading shorter parts of the story and they look at the pictures and it makes it more interesting.” Margaret M.

“I think that graphic novels are popular because of the pictures. Not a lot of people like to read words on a page and have to picture what they’re seeing themselves; some prefer seeing the story unfold before them without needing to think of their own version.” Raegen B.

“The Effects of Audiobooks and Why They are Real Reading” by Livie S., 6th grade

Have you ever been told “audio books aren’t reading” or “read a REAL book” well audio books are real books, sure you may not be turning a page to see what happens next, but the effects are the same, maybe even better. Many opinions are that audio books are better than printed books, that may be supported, so let’s look at that support through sections. 

Comprehension Levels

In a source, Do Audiobooks Count As Reading? A Comprehensive Analysis by Judith Matewa. In this article it states the pros and cons of audiobooks and printed books. Some pros for audiobooks are that they are convenient to listen to while multitasking, great for auditory learners, and can help with the comprehension level of complex books. This is all in support of audiobooks and their high comprehension levels. 

Accessibility

Another big advantage of audio books is that they’re easily accessible, you don’t have to put them on hold in a library, and on some apps like Libro.fm which is a company in support of small businesses, and Sora which is an app for students, have books available to listen to at all times. This is important because these books are accessible to all. 

All in all, audio books are a great option for students and adults on the go. Even if you like the feeling of turning a page, I suggest you look into an audiobook of that same book and see if you like it better.

Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at the formats of graphic novel and audiobooks!