Four tables were set up in the library loft. There were muffins, orange juice, and water for everyone to enjoy before their big decision about the 2013 Watertown Middle School summer reading book.

There were five books to choose from: “Weedflower” by Cynthia Kadohata; “A Single Shard” by Linda Sue Park; “Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life” by Wendy Mass; “The Graveyard Book” by Neil Gaiman; and “Mockingbird” by Kathryn Erskine.

“Mockingbird” was nominated by Catherine P., a WMS seventh-grader. She said she picked this book because when she first read the book in fifth grade, she liked the emotional impact and she said she just really liked the story. It is about a girl with Asperger’s syndrome and how she went through some problems with school and family.

“Weedflower” was another seventh-grader’s favorite book.

“I liked how it was a perspective of a Japanese family rather than an American family,” she said. “Not many students know about this part of World War II because a lot of World War II learning is directed toward the Holocaust.”

Anya G., another seventh-grader, was also a part of the summer reading group. She was very attracted to “Jeremy Fink.” She said she chose the book because she felt like it was a topic that appealed to kids because it was set during the summer. She also said she liked it because “it has a lot of adventures and it involves kids our age.”

Every year WMS students have to read at least one more book other than the “One School, One Book” required reading. Last summer, the kids going into seventh grade had to read one other book besides the school wide book, and the students going into eighth had to read two extra books.

Now the big news: This year’s 2013 Watertown Middle School summer reading book is… “Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life”!

All the students and teachers that were on this decision-making committee unanimously chose this book in the voting session.

This book promises to be a good one, so grab the book and enjoy!

–May 30, 2013–