The 8th annual Rothesay Read kicked off Wednesday, with hundreds of students picking up the same book as part of the community wide initiative.
This year’s Rothesay Read pick is ‘The Art of Racing In The Rain.’ The book will be read by students, teachers, and community members.
“This is a book told by Enzo and Enzo is a dog who is dying and so you're going through his final hours with him, which is heart breaking, but at the same time it's so sweet,” says school principal Stephanie Tomilson.
This is the eighth year Rothesay High has done the big book club and students say it has everyone eager to read, even those who don't consider themselves book worms.
“I think it's a really good way to get people involved in reading and like people who don't normally read even read the books, so it's good,” says student Sarah Knodell.
This year, students in elementary and middle school are taking part in the read with a shorter, age appropriate book. Teachers say those in grade nine are quick to get on board with the idea once they see how excited the rest of the school gets.
“I am teaching a grade nine class this year and they're kind of baffled by it, like we're willing to just give them a book for free, they own a good all of a sudden, like there's no strings attached, they just read the book, so that enthusiasm grows,” says teacher Todd Ross.
The Rothesay Read doesn't just benefit those in Rothesay, teachers throughout the province can get a copy of the book for their class once the read is over.
“We pay our books forward when we're finished,” says Tomilson. “We ask students, if you are done with your novel, because it is theirs to keep, if they would like to pay that forward. We box up class sets of 30 and we send those onto other schools.”
Over the next few weeks, students and community members are encouraged to finish the book. The author, Garth Stein will make a visit to Rothesay in exactly one month.
WIth files from CTV Atlantic's Ashley Blackford
