Andy Mayer

A bow tie made of book pages and an email auto signature: “I am currently reading: ‘The Swap’ by Megan Shull” demonstrate Andy Mayer’s unique teaching style.

Mayer, a WJHS eighth grade reading teacher, donned his bow tie at the school’s special book showcase last Tuesday.

“I don’t wear it too often, but I figured, ‘What better day than today to wear it?,’” he said. “It is just one more way to show students how much reading means to me and what lengths I will go in order to get them to love reading.”

WJHS student Jeremy Zeidler stands by a poster representing the book he chose to read for the showcase.
(Sean McGowan photo)

The showcase consists of eighth grade reading students choosing a book to read and creating a display to serve as an attention-getter to people not familiar with the book. To elaborate on the idea, Mayer described the showcase as a “science fair for books.”

Each student also offered their own prize or giveaway that fit with the theme of their book. In one instance, Adam Ferry read “Fablehaven” by Brandon Mull.

“I chose the book because I loved the book, and it isn’t a book that many people have read,” Ferry said. “I think that if people give the book a shot, they will enjoy it.”

Ferry passed out laminated bookmarks with the cover of the book on it to remind students what the book was after they left his display. In short, the book revolves around a place called Fablehaven, meant as a safe haven for mythical creatures of any kind — including centaurs, fairies and more.

Students Kenzie Melican and Audra Scheibe read Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen’s “The Raft.” The book consists of a female character named Robie whose plane crashes in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

From there, the story carries on with her stranded on a raft with the co-pilot and a bag of Skittles as the only source of food. The students who read the book gave Skittles as the prize…>>>

Read this story in the April 27 issue of the Republic-Times. If you don’t already receive the paper, you can subscribe by calling 939-3814 or clicking here. Or you can pick up a copy at the R-T office at 205 W. Mill Street in Waterloo or at any of these other locations.