By By JULIE RUSSELL-The Brewton Standard
More than any other time of the year, summer is the time to read for pleasure. Throughout the area, young and old alike delve into good books. Some even join book clubs to share and learn with others.
For students, summer provides the time to read without the overriding fear of tests.
The English department at T.R. Miller gives students the opportunity to read over the summer, and earn credit during the school year.
Depending upon how many books a student reads, 20 bonus points are dispersed throughout the four quarters. For example, one book awards 20 bonus points at the beginning of the first quarter, two books award 20 bonus points at the beginning of the first and second quarters, and so forth.
Each grade has a different summer reading list, and after finishing a book from the list, the student must complete a book report to be turned in by August 3.
Some books from the lists include: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, Rabbit at Rest by John Updike, and Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.
For younger children, the Brewton Public Library holds Story Time with Miss Becky-every Wednesday at 10 a.m. for preschoolers and every Thursday at 10 a.m. for preschoolers through 13-year-olds.
Each reading has a different theme, and also includes refreshments and surprises.
For those out of school, summer offers the time for a little bit of self-education by way of entertainment.
Book &Bean has two book clubs-one that meets one Monday night a month and one that meets every third Tuesday in the afternoon.
Both clubs have about 10 members. Each month, the clubs cover a different book. The next book for the afternoon club is New Stories from the South, an annual anthology that includes various short stories with similar themes, all by southern authors.
As the summer heats up, so do reading lists. The month of July will see several new releases that are bound to be popular, including Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling, Until I Find You by John Irving, and Frankenstein: City of the Night by Dean Koontz.