Do you read? Us too.
We went on a quest to find readers at North Park, and turns out, there’s many.
Our first stop was Book Club, where we spoke with co-president Navraj Chahal. He said that the first book they were going to read was Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. This is a classic gothic novel exploring mystery and horror.
Great choice Chahal!
We cannot forget to mention the book competition hosted by the club. which challenges you and all your peers to read as many books as you can in the school year. The best bit is that there’s a monetary prize!
He further informed us about his most recent read, Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie. Another classic, “It’s a murder mystery,” stated Chahal.
Our next stop was North Park’s very own librarians, Ms. Allison and Ms. Parkinson. We asked them about the most popular books at North Park and the results are not surprising. The library keeps many records and data files of books to make modifications and keep improving the reader’s interest. Ms. Allison informed us that the most popular series being checked out was A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, by Holly Jackson–a thrilling murder mystery that keeps readers on their toes.
Another trend librarians saw was that Colleen Hoover books are popular picks among students. However, she said that the most popular genre being signed out included true crime books, with romance novels coming in second place. The librarians further mentioned that manga has always been popular at North Park, saying that some of the most popular manga series were Jujutsu Kaisen, Spy x Family, and Blue Lock.
Ms. Allison’s latest reads included, I Only Read Murder, by Ian and Will Ferguson. She recommends Tilly and the Crazy Eights, by Monique Gray Smith. “It’s a really nice story,” Ms. Allison tells us. She also finds that, despite what many think, the number of people signing out books is not decreasing at all. It seems that many North Park students are avid readers. According to Ms. Allison, some students even get introduced to their new favorite genre, such as true crime, through assignments in class.
Ms. Parkison added that her latest read, from what she could remember, was The Library Thief, by Kuchenga Shenjé, a historical mystery. Both librarians enjoy reading historical fiction books and both recommended The Gown, by Jennifer Robson.
We asked other students what their favorite books were. Neha Roy discussed Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo and stated “the writing is masterful and engaging for a teenage audience; the protagonist is nonchalant.”
Krittika Bhateja is currently reading Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy, which was published in 1873. She claims that she enjoys reading the drama in the book and is a fan of the classics. Last but not least, Jagtej Baidwin, who is currently reading Red Rising by Pierce Brown, said that, “It is an intergalactic war…”
THE NORTH STAR 