Lincoln-Way Central AP English Class Share Literary Favorites

What do the Lincoln-Way Central Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature students have in common with their teacher’s citizen book club members?

“The love of reading,” said Sara Davy, AP English teacher.

The purpose and goal of the lesson was to challenge all types of people to select one small bookshelf and put their “favorite favorites” on it. The idea came from a 2012 book called My Ideal Bookshelf, edited by Thessaly La Force and illustrated by Jane Mount, explained Davy.

“I loved the idea and wanted my book club, The Grateful Read, to share their ideal shelves with my Advanced Placement Seniors. I thought this would be a unique way to bridge the ‘generation gap.’ My book club friends came to school and to my class and shared their choices with my seniors in a wonderful exchange of books and reasons why these books are favorites,” said Davy.

In addition Sandra Rogina, English Department Chair, and Tim Conway, the other Senior Advanced Placement English teacher were honorary members for the day and shared their ideas on the impact reading has had on their lives.

After sharing their ‘favorite favorites’ book choices the seniors in the class broke up into small groups with one book club member at each table. The students shared their ‘author’s project’ ideas and potential thesis statements with the book club members. After 7 minutes, the class members rotated to a new book club member’s table.

Students in the class shared their favorite books with the book club members. Rick Adams enjoyed Brave New World; Patrick Speroff was reading Crime and Punishment; Stephen Beck was reading Heart of Darkness and Lucas Jones noted he was reading Native Son.

The members of the The Grateful Read book club that visited for the day and shared favorite books with the class were: Maureen Keegan, author of the children’s book The Wedding of Q and U ; Alice Klusak, published author, Jo Christensen, Joan Lines, and Susie Galloway.

This is the second visit of the citizen book club to Sara Davy’s AP Literature class for an exchange sharing of the love of reading. Several book club members visited in December of 2009.

Author Maureen Keegan told the students she used to teach kindergarten, so her favorite books were all children’s books including The Giving Tree, Polar Express, and The Little Prince.

“Don’t forget to have fun,” Maureen told the students.

Author Alice Klusak told the students to, “Try the classics. They are great books.”

“The lesson and guests were important for my students to meet and discuss. I wanted the lesson to promote the love of life-long reading, and from my observation, the lesson was a success,” stated Davy.

Members of the AP English Literature class are: Rick Adams, Christina Alvarado, Alyssa Bass, Natasha Bateman, Stephen Beck, Andrew Bettridge, Andrea Concaildi, Amanda Crnich, Benjamin Crofoot, Dana Gilbertsen, Danijela Jackovich, Lucas Jones, John Kemp, Zachary King, Abigail Lyons, Gina Middleton, Christopher Paradiso, Margaret Pluskota, Ashlee Rose, Taylor Sabatini, Patrick Speroff, Madeline Stonis, Haley Thompson, and Madeline Torkelson.

Stacy Hollan, community relations director for Lincoln-Way High School District 210, contributed this story.