In the club, students choose one book to read, one that is nominated for either the Mark Twain Award or Truman Readers Award. After they read the book, they discuss it with other students and a staff member. Currently there are 101 students in the club.

 

Cameron Middle School Librarian Mrs. Jane Rainey says the club will benefit the students because they get to read really good books and they will have an edge when the voting for their favorite nominated books.

 

One of the cool things about the club is there are eighth-graders who have been at the Middle School for years, and there are fifth-graders who have been there for a few months now. Not very many clubs in the middle school have it where all of the grades in Middle School can be in it, but in this club you can.

 

"I joined [the club] because I like to be with new people," explained Fifth Grader Sammie Gericke.

 

Another reason students wanted to join is because they like to read. Fifth-graders Allison Sego and Destiny Brown both joined for this reason. Fifth-grader Nita Ruuskanen said she waned to join because she wanted to be with her friends.

 

One of the books which was read and discussed in one of the groups was A Summer of Kings by Han Nolan, nominated for the Truman Readers Award. The book is about an 18-year old African American who is accused of murdering a white man in Alabama. He has to go live with a 14-year old girl and her family. The book takes place in the summer of 1963. Mrs. Barbara Goebel was the staff member of the group. Sammie, one of the students in the group, said she enjoyed the book. 

 

Another book that was read was Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle, also nominated for the Truman Readers Award.

 

Towards the end of the meeting, Mark Twain, portrayed by Wyatt Morgan, gave a speech about his life and the books he wrote. Wyatt Morgan is the son of sixth-grade Science Teacher Mrs. Lisa Morgan. Wyatt is in the fourth-grade this year.

 

"I learned a lot about [Mark Twain] in his speech," said Nita.

The Mark Twain Award and Truman Readers Award Club is a good club to join for many reasons. Students can meet new people, learn a lot about a book and its author, and they will know which books to vote for when the voting for their favorite books is done. If you are in middle school and want to be involved in the club next semester, talk to CMS Librarian Mrs. Rainey.