Media Specialist Angie Pendley stands in the Media Center on Jan. 27. Pendley has always been intrigued by a good story and enjoys finding books that students will love. “Building the collection is super serious for (Media Specialist MaryAnn Sullivan and I) and intentional, just talking about books and what we wish we had and we had wish were out there for us to have,” Pendley said. Photo by Audrey St. Onge
Media Specialist Angie Pendley talks to ODYSSEY Media Group Variety staffer Audrey St. Onge about Pendley’s January 2022 book recommendations.
ODYSSEY Media Group Variety staffer Audrey St. Onge: What kind of books do you like to read?
Media Specialist Angie Pendley: I’m kind of all over the place with my reading, some of it for myself personally, and some of it because I feel like it’s a big part of my job. When kids come in and say, “Hey, I really liked ‘The Hate U Give’. What do you have to read after that?” Or,“Hey, I really liked ‘I’ll Be Gone In The Dark’ about the Golden State Killer. What else do you have?” (so) I’ve got things for them (to read).
AS: What books have you seen are popular with students at CCHS?
AP: We’ve had true crime (and) serial killers. That has been a big push and in the past couple of years, kids have read the “Truly Devious” mysteries. I like mysteries, where it’s solved in the book and (in) Truly Devious you had to keep reading the series to kind of get some closure. I’m just like, “Oh my gosh, please let it end already,” but for some readers, that really hooked them in. (English department chair Meghan McNeely) read them a couple weeks ago and she was like, “I read book one, and then I had to read book two and three immediately.”
AS: What sort of books do you wish you saw more of in the CCHS Media Center?
AP: I wish that we had more of a selection with male leads that were just regular old, realistic fiction. Until fairly recently, it was harder to find books with lead African American characters that weren’t set during the CivilWar or during the civil rights (movement). and so I think that that has progressed and I hope that it continues to do so.
AS: Why do you recommend these books to students?
AP: I was thinking about what books I read that I would want to read over a long weekend where it’s supposed to be cold, (where) we might get snow and I’m gonna stay in my pajamas and drink hot chocolate. (I was thinking about) what books would keep me occupied for a whole day and I would feel satisfied at the end of it.
Media Specialist Angie Pendley stands reading in the Media Center on Jan 27. As a Media Specialist, Pendley has prioritized her students mentalitys while still recommending books they would enjoy. “I always tell the kids, ‘If there’s something you don’t like in the book, you close it. You don’t have to read it. It’s your choice,” Pendley said. Photo by Audrey St. Onge
AP: We love to hear from students about what they want to read, what they want to see more of in the collection and get feedback on books that we recommended. Our circulation is up. I haven’t run it in a little bit, but statistically, toward the beginning of the year, our circulation was up by like 60% from fall of 2019. So I think that we’re doing a good job with building the collection and putting book recommendations out there.
Story by Audrey St.Onge
Package by Natalie Schliekelman
