Mayfield's "One Book" choice takes us through a provocative, slow-moving catastrophe
The selection of our “One Book, One Community” novel for the upcoming school year was about as cosmic as the book itself.
Mayfield Assistant Librarian Julie Daniels said The Age of Miracles arrived late last spring in an envelope via the independent schools inter-library loan program. But she had not requested the book and sent it back.
Two days later, it mysteriously arrived again at the Mayfield library.
“So this time I took a look at it, the cover was really nice, and thought to myself ‘this looks interesting, I’m going to read it,’ ” Mrs. Daniels said.
She was immediately hooked on the New York Times best-selling debut novel by Karen Thompson Walker about the catastrophic effects of the slowing of Earth’s rotation, as told through the perspective of a 12-year-old girl.
Days and nights stretch to 40 hours, crops begin to fail, the power grid is threatened with collapse. Yet the young protagonist, Julia, manages to navigate the trials and tribulations of adolescence in a Southern California suburb: her first crush, disrupted school schedules, soccer balls that don’t kick as far because gravity is stronger. Her best friend moves away and her parents’ relationship becomes tense against the backdrop of an ominously changing world.
“It’s one of those books with a really good strong character who happens to be a young girl—she has very relatable qualities,” Mrs. Daniels said. “It’s really a coming of age story, but in a dystopian future.”
The Age of Miracles was Ms. Walker’s first novel and made headlines because of the seven-figure deal she earned, according to the New York Times book review. The Times said that what set the novel apart was the author’s decision to tell a disaster story through a young girl—the same quality that attracted Mrs. Daniels to it.
Julia’s voice turns the story “into a genuinely moving tale that mixes the real and surreal, the ordinary and the extraordinary with impressive fluency and flair,” according to the book review.
For the Mayfield community, Mrs. Daniels said the book is sure to provide fodder for provocative discussions among our diverse group of readers.
It’s appealing to Mayfield students to read how a young, female protagonist copes with growing up amid the disturbing uncertainties brought on by “the slowing” of the Earth.
Mrs. Daniels expects that parents will be taken by how society deals with a widespread environmental disaster and how it changes the nature of the rhythm of life and relationships. Teachers—in science and English classes alike—will be able to find relevant discussion material.
“I was looking for a book that would provoke discussions, not necessarily a story where everything is tied up pretty and turns out right,” she said, adding that the story stayed with her for some time. “It’s a challenge to find a book that all of our community can find appealing, but I think this book achieves this goal.”
The “One Book, One Community” project offers Mayfield an opportunity to join in a schoolwide book club of sorts. Mrs. Daniels is planning a discussion group for parents and will encourage teachers to find ways to bring the book into lessons and activities when appropriate.
Last year, for example, students in one English class were so moved by the circumstances of the protagonist in Christina Baker Kline’s Orphan Train that they organized a donation drive to collect personal items for local youth transitioning out of foster care and into independent living.
Mrs. Daniels is hoping that we all add The Age of Miracles to our summer reading list, and predicts that Mayfield readers will join the 1.2 million others who made the novel a best-seller in 2012.
“The goal is for everyone to have a common reading experience—that’s what we are striving for,” she said.
...................................................Past “One Book, One Community” Titles
Now in its eighth year, Mayfield's all-school community reading program has explored the following titles:
2015 Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
2014 The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
2013 The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
2012 Dead Man Walking by Sister Helen Prejean*†
2011 Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Father Greg Boyle*
2010 First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung*
2009 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
*These authors spoke on campus at an all-school assembly and signed copies of their books for students and faculty.
† The Theatre Conservatory also staged the play of the same name, adapted for the stage by Tim Robbins, who also wrote the film screenplay.
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Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.
