A Reading Challenge for the Fun of It

The competition played out like a page-turner: middle school students vying for supremacy in a monthlong reading challenge that ignited their love of the written word. In February, students spent more than 1,200 hours reading as they fought for bragging rights and prizes, including free dress and Amazon gift cards.

The goal of the challenge was simply to encourage reading. The competition proved to be a great success, with students expressing interest in a second round this fall. “They really got into it,” remarks Middle School Director Maria Canteli, who would find students reading on the benches when she arrived at school each morning.

As a class, seventh graders came out on top, accounting for about half of the total hours logged. Eighth-grader Zamina Singh clocked in at more than 98 hours of reading time—more than any other student.

So what were the titles of choice? We asked Zamina and the top readers in grades 6 and 7 to write about their favorite books from the challenge. Here are their reviews.

The Subtle Knife

William Mulgrew

Grade 6

Reading Time: 1,938 Minutes

I chose The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman because I had just read The Golden Compass, which is the first book in the series, and I wanted to keep reading. Also, my grandma gifted me the entire set. My favorite part of the book was when Will, the main character, won the subtle knife in a fight and became the real owner of the knife. One side of the knife could cut through any solid object and the other side could cut into different worlds. I think this is my favorite part because the knife is so powerful and a big part of the rest of the story. One of the worlds that Will enters is inhabited by some of my other favorite characters. In this world, people have dæmons, which are personal, magical pets that are bonded with them for life. If you are young enough, your dæmon can turn into anything it wants, like a bird or a snake or a dragon, but as soon as you are a teen, it adopts a permanent form. A dæmon can also talk to you but cannot touch anyone else. Sometimes dæmons get into fights, and if your dæmon gets hurt, you feel the same amount of pain. If your dæmon gets too far away from you, you feel a large amount of pain. There are also witches who fly around on pine tree branches and can turn invisible. They are experts with bows and arrows, and their dæmons can go as far as they want from their owner without either of them feeling any pain. There are also armored polar bears called panserbjørn. Their king’s name is Iorek Byrnison. Lyra, another main character, has made friends with Iorek. Lyra has a golden compass that has the power to answer questions and tell the future. The problem is, many people want the knife and the compass, so Will and Lyra have to team up to protect both of the objects. I think that this is one of the best books I have ever read and would one hundred percent recommend this to anyone who likes adventure books and diving into different universes.

Emma

Chloe Bressler

Grade 7

Reading Time: 5,766 Minutes

A book I have enjoyed reading in my spare time is Emma by Jane Austen. My mom had recommended the book to me; I was hoping to be challenged, and Emma certainly did just that. I was intrigued because I learned that Emma had inspired many modern-day movies and other books. As I read Emma, I realized how often the theme of a witty young woman who sometimes meddles in other people’s lives is used as a foundation for literary and theatrical works. Although the beginning of the book started off as a challenge, as I navigated through idioms and archaic language, the more I read, the easier it became. Emma is an endearing character who seems to only want the best for her friends, but her actions are often misguided. Her actions often lead to conflicts and frustrations, but ultimately her kind heart is apparent. The many twists, mishaps, and misunderstandings throughout the book kept me entertained and wanting more. I enjoyed reading a book whose main character is a strong young woman who goes against social norms and makes her own path. Although we are used to modern books with feminine heroes, the fact that Emma was written in the 1800s seems remarkable. Without revealing any spoilers, one of my favorite parts of the novel reveals Emma’s conflict when she figures out who she is in love with. However, I wouldn’t call Emma a love story in the traditional sense, and it isn’t about the need to find true love. It is a book about character and being true to one’s self. It is funny and frustrating at the same time. I would recommend Emma to anyone in middle school and above, who is looking for a challenge. Readers will enjoy the smart bantering between characters, the playful use of words, and the vivid descriptions that make you become invested in the characters and immerse you in the time period. I learned a lot of social standards, etiquette, foods, and appropriate dress of the time period by reading Emma. I hope I have inspired many others to read Emma and other works by Jane Austen.

The Lunar Chronicles

Zamina Singh

Grade 8

Reading Time: 5,914 Minutes

A must-read for anyone interested in sci-fi is The Lunar Chronicles, written by Marissa Meyer, an author who has written a good number of my favorite books. I love her books because she brings what she is writing off the page and into my mind. Her books are just beautifully written, and no matter how many times I read them and come back to them, the sudden twists and unexpected turns are just as exciting as the first day I read them. The stories almost get better with age. In particular, I love Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles because I am a huge fan of fictional stories. The Lunar Chronicles takes place in the future, where people have moved to the moon and created a nation entirely separate from Earth. This new moon community evolves and gains so much power that the community members can manipulate the minds of earthlings. As a result, Luna (the moon) and Earth are at war. The stories revolve around five main members of the lunar community: a young cyborg, an adopted girl named Cinder, a redhead named Scarlet, a girl named Cress who is trapped in a satellite, and a beautiful stepdaughter named Winter. The fate of the world and the outcome of the war depend on these characters. What is interesting, however, is that these futuristic tales are all based on old fairytales, and Marissa Meyer has adapted them so that teens can read them and love them. It is hard to believe that age-old fairytales can come alive in tales about wars between the moon and Earth. I especially love the way these books make the reader feel almost positive that one thing will happen but then the exact opposite thing occurs. I love how each time I read them, something new and exciting comes up. The stories are like a mature version of all the historic fairytales, and I love how they are retold from a perspective that we can read and still enjoy in our modern world. I say this with full conviction: anyone who picks up these books, no matter the person’s age, will not be able to put them back down.