Community of Readers
About One Book, One School
Each year, our AGCS Community comes together to read the same book at the same time. We have three selections this year! Every child in kindergarten through eighth grade will receive a copy of their book. We have selected a title that can be followed, understood, and enjoyed by the students in their division.
One School, One Book is a program that allows us to create and grow our community of readers. Reading aloud at home prepares your child to be an effective reader and is a fun, worthwhile family activity! Reading professionals recommend reading out loud any material that is beyond a child’s own reading level. We also believe that you can and should continue reading chapter books with your older children, even when they are able to read by themselves. Parents are asked to participate by reading with and to their children, following a daily reading schedule so that everyone is reading the same thing at the same time. Generally, you will be asked to read together for 15 minutes each night.
In school, your child will be invited to answer daily trivia questions to encourage and reward attentive listening. You will soon find that your child will take pride in knowing and anticipating the details of the story. In class, there may be various activities which discuss or explore the book. You will want to make sure your family keeps up, so your child can be included. When the whole school reads a book, there's a lot to talk about!
2025 Selected Books
K-3rd Grade: The Islanders by Mary Alice Monroe
Eleven-year-old Jake's life has just turned upside-down. His father has been wounded in Afghanistan, and his mother is going to leave to care for him. That means Jake's spending the summer on tiny Dewees Island with his grandmother. The island is a nature sanctuary—no cars or paved roads, no stores or restaurants. To make matters worse, Jake’s grandmother doesn’t believe in cable or the internet. Which means Jake has no cell phone, no video games…and no friends.
The Islanders - Reading Schedule
The Islanders - Discussion Questions
4th-6th Grade: Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea
This middle-grade novel that takes place in Mr. Terupt’s fifth-grade class at Snow Hill School in Connecticut. The story is told from the perspectives of seven individual students in Mr. Terupt’s class. Mr. Terupt himself is a new teacher who attempts to teach lessons about personal responsibility, but his good intentions backfire when he falls victim to a tragic schoolyard accident that leaves him in a coma. The novel addresses themes of guilt, parent-child relationships, and cooperation.
One School, One Book Family Fun Pack
7th-8th Grade: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba
The true story of William Kamkwamba, a young boy from Malawi who, facing a devastating drought and forced to drop out of school due to poverty, uses his ingenuity to build a windmill from scrap materials like old bicycle parts, to power his family's home and provide water for their crops, effectively saving his village from famine by harnessing the wind's energy; his determination to overcome adversity and learn through science books becomes a beacon of hope for his community.
Prievious Years' Books
2018-2019
Elementary: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
2019-2020
Elementary: A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold
2020-2021
Elementary: The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies
Middle: Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds
2021-2022
Elementary: The Wild Robot by Peter Brown
Middle: Counting 7's by Holly Goldberg Sloan
2022-2023
Elementary: Almost Super by Marion C. Jensen
Middle: Flying Lessons & Other Stories - anthology of a number of authors
2023-2024
Elementary: Love that Dog by Sharon Creech
Middle: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander