Guys Read Instills a Love of Reading

Building on the success of Nexus Café and Axis Books, the Upper and Middle School book clubs, Lisa Weldon, Head of Libraries (Grades 7–12) and Research, began the school year looking for ways to deepen shared reading experiences. “Central to my thinking is that  reading should be more relational than it is,” she says.

This year, she reimagined Guys Read for older students. Traditionally a Lower School event, Guys Read pairs boys with a male role model (father, uncle, grandfather) to read the same book and then meet for breakfast and discussion in the MS/US library. 

Weldon recalls the spark clearly. “I could not believe the number of participants and how engrossed they were,” she says of her first Lower School Guys Read experience in February 2025. Around the same time, she says, a visit from Dr. Matt Engler-Carlson reinforced “how essential it is to bring dads into the building for boys’ development and their engagement with the school.” The idea took hold. 

Despite some inclement weather and rescheduling, both Guys Read events drew enthusiastic crowds of boys and their role models, taking place on January 23 and 27 for Middle and Upper Schools, respectively. “A lot of boys didn't realize how many of their peers enjoy reading the same things as them,” says Weldon. “Guys Read helped them to discover those shared interests, in the company of important men in their lives.” The discussions were lively and deep as they shared their experiences with the texts. In their feedback, the Middle School boys said they’d happily participate in reading events more often. “And so, I think the narrative that boys don't read is not valid.”

As boys grow older, Weldon notes, reading can be easily pushed aside—especially for boys who are nearing graduation. “ I want the boys to have that opportunity to connect and see that reading is something that happens outside of school, that it's a lifelong practice,” explains Weldon.