Instituting a Campus-Wide Reading Series Program at the Middle School Level

Adolescent readers require special attention when it comes to literacy. More and more, middle schoolers are looking to exercise their agency. With this need for independence comes the need to assert themselves and share their opinions, especially when it comes to their peers. Adolescent readers are painted as being apathetic about school literacy activities. However, when bringing to light these two areas—choice and socializing—new reading opportunities begin to emerge. The purpose of this project was to create a program to cater to the interests of adolescents in order to entice them back to a love of reading. Utilizing the literature circles model, I created a website that joins book clubs with series reading. Middle schoolers at all grade levels, regardless of reading ability, are invited to join a community of readers about their favorite series books.