When Oliver Jenkins was a ninth grader in my English class, he added more than a few book titles to our class’s running list of “Books We’ve Read” on the back whiteboard. Now a junior, Ollie remains a voracious reader. And when an avid reader and an English teacher encounter in the Learning Commons, it’s only natural they talk about books, right?

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Where’s your favorite place to read? 

During the summer, I have these two big pine trees in my backyard. I can put my hammock between them, and that’s great when it’s sunny out. And then, in the winter, in front of the fireplace on the couch. At night, it’s perfect.

Who is your favorite author and why?

For just entertainment, Tana French, because the books are pretty simple to read. They’re page-turners, there’s always something interesting happening, and the plots are fun to follow. 

What’s your favorite book you’ve been assigned for a class?

Last year, we read Purple Hibiscus, which I thought was good. The Glass Castle I thought was interesting because it followed a real person’s perspective on life. The story was way more interesting than some of the other ones.

What book have you read recently that didn’t live up to the hype? 

I have a lot of DNFs [Did Not Finish]. My dad recommended this book [How Soccer Explains the World by Franklin Foer] about soccer and globalization and how they’re related. It was just really wordy and kind of boring. There were definitely some interesting themes, but it wasn’t an interesting, sit-down-and-read book. I did learn some stuff about soccer culture. 

What’s your favorite book you’ve read so far in 2025? 

It’s going to be Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, but I haven’t finished it yet. There are so many cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, the pacing is really fast and consistent throughout the book. There’s not a time when there’s just reading to develop the characters. 

Second place–but close second–is The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy. There are two stories in one book. I only read the first story in it before I moved onto another book, but it was really entertaining. The descriptions of landscapes were really good. 

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett– I really enjoyed reading that, too. You recommended that one to me. I thought that was great.

What book are you most excited about on your To Be Read list?

For The Crossing, there’s a prior book, All The Pretty Horses.

There are also chapters in The Pale King by David Foster Wallace that I haven’t read yet that I’m looking forward to reading.

I also want to read some of the Coen brothers’ books and the books that inspired their movies.

Also, a book that I want to read is Deacon King Kong by James McBride. 

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My conversation with Ollie reminded me of two of the best parts of being a teacher: celebrating shared passions with students, and learning from them. Certainly, students are not the only people learning at SPHS– adults here learn from students daily as they share their interests, identities, cultures and knowledge with us. My To Be Listened To, To Be Watched and To Be Read lists are dominated by the recommendations of my students– and Ollie added even more to the last one. His passion for literature is infectious, and he spent a great deal of the conversation alight with excitement as he recalled more and more books that he loves.