Jana Marie Foundation, Schlow Library Start New Book Club
The Jana Marie Foundation and Schlow Centre Region Library are coming together to start Know, a book club for students in grades 10 through 12. The club will meet Sunday evenings, starting August 2, from 7 to 8 p.m.
The virtual meetings will take place via Zoom. To sign up for the club and to receive the Zoom link, janamariefoundation.org/know.
The club’s first book is How to Disappear by Sharon Huss Roat. The novel’s main character is Vicky Decker, an introverted high school student who invents a social life on social media. According to Goodreads, “Sharon Huss Roat shines a light on our love of social media and how sometimes being the person you think you want to be isn’t as great as being the person you truly are.”
Club participants can borrow eBook copies of the book through Schlow Library’s digital platform Hoopla. A Schlow card is needed to access Hoopla. To sign up for a card, visit schlowlibrary.org. If a hard copy of the book is preferred, check with the library for availability as there are a limited number of copies. The book also can be purchased.
“One of the fastest and easiest ways to cultivate empathy in ourselves is through reading,” says Maria Burchill, Head of Adult Services for Schlow Library. “It’s even better when we’re reading together. We can discuss impressions of a story, the pace, and character development, and see things about a book we otherwise might miss. Schlow is looking forward to supporting Know and our county’s teens through this experience.”
The book club is designed to give teens in grades 10 through 12 the opportunity to connect with themselves and with others through the joy of reading. The young adult titles will have stories and themes related to mental health that tend to be relevant to young people today. Participants will read specific chapters in the chosen book each week and discuss those chapters at the next meeting.
“Reading is a powerful source for seeking knowledge, thinking freely and critically, and learning more about the world around us,” says Miriam Powell, Community Engagement Manager of the Jana Marie Foundation. “When it comes to mental health, Jana Marie Foundation feels the more you Know, the more you can empower yourself and others to be their best!”
Contact: David Pencek | david@janamariefoundation.org