A “Peak” inside
An interview with author Roland Smith shows a lot goes into making a summer reading choice
June 22, 2010
Every summer, all of the students in Watertown Middle School have to read the same book. This year the book is “Peak” by Roland Smith. It is about a guy named Peak, who gets arrested for scaling a New York skyscraper and has to make a tough decision: go to juvenile detention or go live with his long-lost father, who runs a climbing company in Thailand.
As you might not know, many people — including most of the English/reading teachers and principal Kimo Carter — play a role into choosing the summer book.
“This book just stuck out to me,” Mr.Carter said.
The summer book has to be gender appropriate, meaning that both male and female students would find interest in it. The book also has to be very interesting, but not too hard at the same time. Remember, next year’s sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders read the book, so the reading level has to be just right. Overall, it just has to be a really good story.
As Mr.Carter said, it stuck out to him more then all of the other books he read this year.
The Watertown Splash contacted Roland Smith, author of “Peak,” and asked him questions about his book and its selection as Watertown’s book of the summer.
Q: Do you know of any other schools where every student has to read “Peak,” just like our school?
A: Yes, but it hasn’t happened often. “Peak” has been used in many school districts and towns where “Peak” was used in read-it-forward programs.
Q: Do you think it will be too difficult for the sixth-graders or too easy for the eighth-graders?
A: Not at all. I don’t think it’s a difficult book. Fourth-graders read “Peak.”
Q: Are there any other books of yours that you think students would enjoy reading in following summers?
A: I don’t allow a book to be published unless I like it. They are like my children. I think you would like all of them.
Q: What makes this book a good book for middle school-aged students to read?
A: I have no idea. I don’t really think too much about who’s going to read a book when I write it. I just try to write a good story.
Q: When you wrote the book, what age group were you thinking it would be interesting to?
A: I don’t think about “age” when I write a book. Again, I just try to tell the best story that I can.
Q: Do you like to climb, too?
A: I used to be a climber, but I don’t climb anymore.
Q: Have you ever personally climbed a mountain? How old were you?
A: Yes, several, but it was over 30 years ago.
Q: Does the story have anything to do with your life?
A: All books have something to do with the author’s life. The author writes the book from his or her perspective and we can’t help but put our life into our stories.
Q: Do you know anyone personally who as climbed Mt. Everest?
A: Yes.
Q: What gave you the idea of writing this book?
A: I think climbing is a wonderful sport, but I really don’t understand why people climb Mt. Everest. I wanted to take a closer look at this.
Q: What book are you most proud of?
A: All of them.
Q: What is the hardest part of being a writer? What’s the best, most fun part of being a writer?
A: I suppose the time it takes to write a story is the hardest part, but I’m pretty used to that part, so it doesn’t seen hard to me anymore. It’s simply part of writing a book.
Q: Do you have any kids? Do your kids read your books?
A: I have three children and four grandsons. They all read my book.
Q: Who is this book dedicated to? Why?
A: I think the book is dedicated to my wife, Marie and my editor Kate. They helped me while I wrote the book, Best, Roland
(For more information on Roland Smith, go to his websites: http://www.rolandsmith.com and http://www.iqtheseries.com .)
–June 22, 2010–
