Hoffman Estates High School students and teachers have the opportunity to be a part of the Reading Exchange. Once the teachers and students read a common book, they will come together for discussion and pizza.

“The Reading Exchange is similar to the reading programs of the past; this one is just more fun and interactive,” said Ms. Tichacek, media center assistant librarian and the one leading the program explains. The Media Center plans to hold an event today, March 23rd.

In this program, students choose a book they have read and they recommend it to someone else, which can be a teacher or another student. That book is then “exchanged” and, in return, they receive a book from their reading partner. Teachers can recommend books to other teachers; students can recommend books to other students; and students can make recommendations for teachers or vice-versa.

“Some of the best books I have read were books students recommended to me,” said Mrs. Davey, English Department.

Each reading duo gets about three weeks to read the book and then everybody will come together for a pizza party to discuss their books with their partners.

“My partner was shocked when I told her I never read Sarah Dessen’s Along for the Ride. “I am now reading it for this program and have to agree with her initial reaction. The book is amazing!” said Fareeha Rahman, a Reading Exchange participant.

The idea for this program came from Ms. Motz, the circulation desk clerk. Librarians always recommend books to students whenever they check a book out. Ms. Motz thought, “why not have the kids recommend books to each other or better yet, to the staff?”

Reading Exchange participants have been happily reading their books and are very excited to discuss their readings, especially since most of the books they have been asked to read are something they would have never picked up on their own.