OA’s very own book club has recently read their first book of the year, The Housemaid, by Freida McFadden. Book club is run by Mrs Binney and Mrs Hynes, who aim to give students a space to dive into a story and debrief with their peers, in hopes of sparking love of reading in students.

“As a club, we will also sometimes look up and read aloud summaries of books to see if it’s something most of us would be interested in reading. We have learned a few things over the years about book selection.” said the advisors

Book club meetings are run by student advisors Isabella Lane, Lane Parker, and Courtney Waugh. They facilitate the discussions and help students get a better understanding of what they are reading.

“Generally we will meet about one month after selecting a book to see where everyone is and how people are liking it. We then meet a few weeks after that and discuss how we liked the book. We talk about the plot, the characters, and the themes. We share what we liked and didn’t like about the books.”

Book club is a really creative space where students have full freedom in choosing what they like and at what pace they go. It gives students a hobby to fall back on as well as great life skills and further education in a fun way. 

“Book club is a no-pressure way to explore genres and get into reading. If a member starts a book and doesn’t like it, they are under no obligation to finish it or come to the meetings about that book. Speaking about the books we read in such a relaxed space also helps students to appreciate books and see their value beyond the classroom.”