Sahuaro’s Book Club is back for its third year and is set up for success. The club kicked off the year with its first meeting on August 19th and will continue their gatherings every Monday after school in the library.
Our school’s Book Club is a wonderful community of readers who come together to explore and discuss various literary works. It is an excellent way to learn new things, gain confidence speaking within a group, and forge new friendships all while diving into some reading along the way. Mia Payette, a member of the Book Club since her sophomore year and the club’s social media manager, shares, “I like Book Club because it gives me a chance to read things I would never pick up otherwise, and everyone in there is very welcoming and it’s a good environment to be in.”
With a new year comes new members and this year is no exception. Many new students have already joined in, bringing the numbers to an estimated 30 participants. This year, the officers plan to introduce new and improved methods for selecting the books the club will read. While the traditional approach of choosing a genre and voting on a book within that genre will still be used, additional techniques will also be implemented. These include scavenger hunts, group activities, and new ways of voting to ensure every member participates and stays involved. The club’s sponsor, beloved librarian Mrs. Krieg, shares her excitement regarding the new year. “I’m excited for the students who will be joining us in a book club and to get some new ideas.” Mrs. Krieg, along with a few other seniors founded the book club back in 2022, and it has grown tremendously since then.
Over the years, the Book Club hasn’t just read numerous books but has also made its mark in the community. They’ve attended the Festival of Books twice, giving members the unique opportunity to interview authors. They’ve had the chance to speak with Scottish writer Claire McFall and critically acclaimed author, Kristen Simmons. The club also set up booths at events like tailgate and Spring Fling, hosted holiday gatherings, and enjoyed movie nights based on the books they’ve read. And, of course, who could forget their staple of doughnut and coffee sales?
Every Wednesday and Friday before school, the book club sells doughnuts, iced coffee, and sometimes a seasonal drink like hot chocolate in the wintertime or agua frescas in the spring and summer. The money made from these sales goes directly into the club, funding the purchase of new books.
“We have the best time, we are all lovers of books, love to read, enjoy reading and sharing what we read,” said Mrs. Krieg. The club is unique because it brings together a lot of people with different interests and backgrounds but there’s always one thing that keeps them together: their love of reading. “We’re just a nice group,” Mrs. Krieg said when describing the Book Club.
If you like to read or want to explore the hobby more, come stop by the library on Monday after school. We’d love to see you there.
