'Genre Brochure Night' a Success at Island Books

sixth grader Max Thilen was poring over books in the mystery genre at Tuesday night when he saw the book he'd been searching for, Stormbreaker — on the recommendation of last year’s sixth graders.

“This is really a helpful way to find a new book,” Max said.

“Since they have to pick a book from each genre for class,” adds his mother Kelly, “It’s great to have guidance by experienced readers who can say this book was good.”

Last week's Genre Night event at the local bookstore on Sept. 27 is the brainchild of Islander Middle School language arts and social studies teacher Ramona Behnke. Her 6th graders are assigned a book from each genre, from classics to mysteries and science fiction/fantasy, so last spring her class decided to make up brochures showcasing their top picks in each category — giving fellow incoming IMS students like Max peer-reviewed help in choosing the perfect secret agent novel to read. 

“For me the exciting thing is that the students (from last year) have an authentic audience—there’s someone out there to look at this besides a teacher, and it’s something that can benefit other people,” said Behnke. Though we completed these brochures at the end of the (school) year, when it was finished they realized it was a project that matters.”

The IMS teacher also credited her school's Technology Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) with teaching students about graphic design and using cameras on the computer to make some nice visual effects on the brochures.

“I thought we’d just put them in the classroom this year for the kids to look at, “Behnke said. “But when I stopped by Island Books to show them to Roger, because so many of the books chosen had been purchased there, he liked them so much he said he wanted to show them off in the store, and from there, the idea of 'Meet the Experts: Genre Brochure Night' was born.”

Behnke felt that the last year’s 6th graders (now in the 7th grade) as creators of the brochures, should be able to literally stand behind their choices at tables filled with books, like IMS 7th grader Sayuj Narayan.

“I like reading, and since I was in (Ms Behnke’s) class last year, and she was such a good teacher, I decided to come in tonight and help her out,” said Sayuj, 12, to a curious 6th grader visiting with him at the mystery genre table. “Suspense and mystery are my favorite genres, along with classics, and my favorite book, The Hound of the Baskervilles is a mixture of all those things… You can ask me anything!” 

Jake McQueen — a 7th grader in charge of Biography — was just as excited about his genre brochure picks.

“Biography is interesting because it’s someone’s life story, and its kind of amazing that they write their lifestyle down for the world to see,” McQueen said. “I didn’t know if anyone from my class (last school year) would come, so I figured being here was the right thing to do. It’s also fun getting other people interested in books.”

Seven tables, each with several genres of books represented by brochures, plus actual books from the lists, were staffed by at least one 7th grade student, became quickly surrounded by Ms Behnke’s current 6th graders, eager to learn more about which books were the favorites of the previous class.

"The (6th graders) have been saying all night, 'I discovered a genre I didn’t know that I liked!'" Behnke said,