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Honestly, I do not like the Twilight series books at all. However, I must admit that I while I do not appreciate the Twilight Books series, they are getting the children to read and that is a step in the right direction.
If there were a best-sellers list for Richmond County students, it would likely include Japanese manga comic books, the Twilight series, R.L. Stine's Goosebumps books and the Captain Underpants series.
"Manga is really popular over here right now," said Nicola Gaitor, the head media specialist for T.W. Josey High School.
Dr. Gaitor said the Twilight and Drama High series and books by Nicholas Sparks and Sharon Flake are often checked out, too.
"In the middle (school) level, they like R.L. Stine's books," Murphey Middle Charter School media specialist Pamela Johnson said of the Goosebumps series, with titles including Why I'm Afraid of Bees, My Hairiest Adventure and How I Learned To Fly .
Another favorite, she said, is the Bluford High series.
"It's about kids in schools and the problems they encounter," she said.
Langford Middle sixth-grader Symphoni Hillman, 12, said she prefers the Twilight series, which Langford media center workers say has replaced Harry Potter books in popularity.
"I like reading books that have a series because I can finish reading a book in a day. ... I've read the (Twilight ) series four times," Symphoni said.
Langford sixth-grader Denver Averette, 11, said he likes the Far Side of the Mountain book series.
"It's about a boy who runs away onto this mountain, and he finds out how to live in the wild," he said.
Copeland Elementary media specialist Brandi Bodie said one book series at her school -- Captain Underpants -- is far and above all others.
"I cannot keep them in," she said, adding that the series is about "a kid in school, and I guess it's a self-proclaimed superhero, and it's just adventures of him in school. And the little character has underpants and a little cape."
She said Arthur and Clifford books and a Froggy series also get checked out a lot.
"They love books that are in a series," she said.
She said some of her pupils have asked about the Twilight series, which has been made all the more popular by recent movies. But she said she has had to tell those pupils that the subject matter, vampires, isn't appropriate for their age.
A search of the Richmond County school system's overall library checkout records shows that one book ranks at the top of the list for the most elementary schools -- Island of the Blue Dolphins , by Scott O'Dell. A close second is Captain Underpants .
For middle schools, the records show New Moon and Twilight at the top.
And for high school and alternative schools, books most often checked out include Twilight and Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer.
Reach Preston Sparks at (706) 828-3851 or preston.sparks@augustachronicle.com.
ENCOURAGING READING
Some Richmond County schools hold campaigns to encourage students to read.
- Murphey Middle has a principal's book club. Students read a featured book, then write a report for the principal.
- At Josey High, there's a 25-book campaign. Students must read 25 books, answer questions and report to their English teacher. Those who reach the 25-book level by about April will qualify for a trip. Last year, participants went to Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. This year's trip hasn't been determined.
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