Book club gets teens hooked!

The library on Ramstein hosts a Teen Book Club meeting once a month, giving teens a place to meet with others who share in the love of literature.

“Teens and libraries belong together,” said Alison McKee, Ramstein public services librarian. “We love offering this program because it provides exciting and creative ways for teens to connect with the library and its resources. They’re able to read great books, meet new people, have interesting conversations, and create fun crafts and projects.”

McKee searches bestsellers lists, Oprah’s Book Club, and many other types of reviews before she makes a list of potential titles for the club to decide on.

She has a printout on the synopsis of each book and members vote on which selection or title they would like to read next, said Perla Hopkins, Ramstein library technician.

They read from many different genres, including the latest sci-fi and fantasy, historical fiction, and classics. Currently, the club is reading “Mila 2.0,” a sci-fi novel by Debra Driza. The reading material is part of the Bookclub-in-a-Box program, which provides 10 copies of each novel as well as discussion questions, a reading guide and tips on hosting a successful book club.

“I joined (the club) because I can see some of my friends during the summer and they tell us really good books,” said Sierrah Linza, a member.

Sessions typically include six to 10 participants and it lasts one hour. In addition, many members are budding authors, and the club nurtures their potential.

“We support their work by talking about the writing process and by being a sound board for ideas,” McKee said. “It is also great to see how the kids work together as a cheering section to encourage each other to keep going. We look forward to soon hosting local author Clare Dunkle who will lead the group in writing projects and talk about her experiences creating unique characters and intricate plots.”

If you’re a teenage bookworm who’s looking for something to do this summer, check out the Teen Book Club from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the library conference center.

For more information, call McKee at 480-6667 or 06371-47-6667.