Books and Banter is an exciting book club hosted by the KHS Librarian, Mrs. Newman. Books and Banter meet in the library every other Wednesday from 3:45 – 4:30. Books and Banter has been going for 2 years now, and Mrs. Newman has big plans for this year’s set of members. She has plans for themed snacks, themed crafts, and more excitement coming during this year.

Some of the loyal members of Books and Banter are: The Host Heather Newman, Freshmen Counselor Savanna Renolds, and Abigail Freeman who are ready to jump into an amazing year in Books and Banter. These three and more members are ready to read, starting with their first book of the year, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” by Ransom Riggs.

“We mainly focus on a lot of activities revolving around the book instead of sitting there and talking about characters or plots,” Newman said, “We want to be more active.”

Books and Banter is a great way to make new friends, become more social, connect with other students who have similar interests, and community building. This club also serves as a safe place for everyone to nerd out over books they’ve read currently or in the past.

“It helps relieve a bit of stress and it’s a good way to decompress after a long day,” Renolds said.

Clubs can serve as a way to express yourself and cool off after a long day. Books and Banter gives members a calm and relaxing atmosphere. It also gives students a great time for students to play with their friends, get involved, and learn to expand their taste in book genres.

“I love reading and I just wanted to get involved in the Karns community,” Freeman said.

Some benefits of reading and involving yourself in hobbies with others are improved sleep quality, increase in empathy and knowledge, enhanced memory, and stress reduction. Everyone needs a way to reduce their stress and find somewhere in the community where they can belong.