The Page Turners: Hopkins’s First Reading Challenge

"We wanted to spark joy and community in reading for pleasure," said Ms. Cutler, who helped organize the initiative. The premise is straightforward: read six or more books outside of class in print, ebook, or audio, and you complete the challenge. Completers earn a spot in a grand prize drawing for either a Kindle or a bookstore gift certificate. As of early April, 65 participants have submitted at least one title, 39 students and 26 faculty and staff members, and the community has collectively logged more than 300 books.

While no particular genre dominates the tracker, the submissions skew toward popular fiction, which the organizers say is exactly as it should be when the goal is reading for fun. As of April 2nd, a total of 65 participants have submitted at least one title to the google form, 26 are faculty or staff members, and 39 are students. So far, over 300 books have been read in total. 

History teacher Ian Guthrie is among the faculty participants. After finishing The Creative Act by Rick Rubin and Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami the previous year, an email from Ms. Cutler was all the push he needed. "I decided that I wanted to renew the use of my free time to reading, at least a little bit every day," he said. He has since finished four books for the challenge: All the Lovers in the Night and Heaven by Mieko Kawakami, Rachel Kushner's Creation Lake, and Byung-Chul Han's The Crisis of Narration. He is currently working through Brave New World and Blood Meridian. "I am loving the language in Blood Meridian," he said, "but I think my favorite thus far has been All the Lovers in the Night."

Math teacher Ms. Wendt came in with considerable momentum. She read 87 books last year and has tallied eight so far in the challenge. Her favorite has been Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, which has also generated the most student conversation of any title she has shared. "Probably because the movie just came out," she said. For Wendt, joining was about more than her own reading. "I have always loved to read, and I wanted to share that enthusiasm so my students would be inspired to read as well," she said. "I was hoping that sharing the books I've read recently would start conversations and give my students ideas for what to read next." When asked about her favorites, she recommends series like Shatter Me, The Darkest Minds, and Shadow and Bone.

English teacher Brad Czepiel, eight books in himself, put it plainly. "I always have a couple of books going, but it's nice to be part of the larger group," he said. "Also, I think it's good for students to see that there is reading outside of the classroom." His recent reads include Wayward by Dana Spiotta, What We Can Know by Ian McEwan, and One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, an author new to him. On the challenge's value for students, he said: "It lets them know that they're part of a larger group. Knowing that other people are putting in that commitment and finding that pleasure is supportive."

Student participation has been strong as well. Natalie Tolchin '31 has read nine or ten books so far and signed up because she wanted a reason to make time for something she already loved. "Between homework and activities I don't have much time for reading," she said. "So for me, this challenge was a way to make time for reading when I wouldn't otherwise have it." Her current favorite is Divergent by Veronica Roth, and a friend in the challenge pointed her toward the Shatter Me series, which she says she wouldn't have picked up otherwise. Roselyn Shen '27 is four books in, with Dark Matter at the top of her list. "It's just really a fun opportunity," she said.

Guthrie, who remembers a time when students routinely walked the halls with novels tucked under their arms, said the challenge has brought some of that back. "It has been nice to talk with students about the work that they are reading," he said. "People with books are wayyy cooler than people without books."

For students still on the fence, the advice from participants is pretty consistent: just pick something up. "Ask a friend or librarian for a book recommendation, then commit to reading a chapter a night before going to bed," Wendt said. Czepiel was more blunt: "Don't make a big deal out of it; just start. Read what you like to read. It doesn't all have to be literary fiction. And audiobooks count." He added, "If your socials feel like they're filling your brain with junk and pollution, a book is a good antidote."

The challenge runs through the end of the year, with a celebration and prize drawing to follow for anyone who finishes. Whether you’re a lifelong reader or just getting started, there’s no better time to crack open a book.