Local doctor teams up with bookstore, schools for ‘Bridge Over Troubled Waters’ summer reading project

June 5  |  By Riley Gallagher

Illustration by Riley Gallagher.

This summer, kids across the Harwood Union school district will have a chance to take part in a unique summer reading program created by a Waterbury family doctor and a local bookstore, with help from a school principal and librarian. 

Students of all ages from public and private schools and those who are home-schooled are encouraged to participate. “The Bridge Over Troubled Waters Project” is a group effort of Dr. Richard Katzman, Bridgeside Books owner Hiata Defeo, Principal Tom Drake, and Crossett Brook Middle School Librarian Jen Hill. 

The project’s theme is “how we act and feel in difficult times,” an idea that stemmed from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Like everyone, I have found the past months stressful,” Katzman said, adding that he “learned from the difficult times in my own life, and how challenges have actually helped me a lot. I had the idea to start this project.” 

The project begins with students reading books and then creating writing or art in response that Katzman would like to publish. He said he hopes that publishing the work of students will “bring some much-needed hope to folks near and far.” 

Katzman started with a only handful of book titles. With the help of Defeo and Hill, they

added many more book titles to the list that’s broken down into age-appropriate groups. Hill said she is most excited for students to “find the power of [their] own voice.”

Defeo is helping to supply the books and Drake is helping to spread the word. Katzman is funding the project. The overall cost of the project will depend on the amount of participation. He said he’s still figuring out the publishing process details.  

“The name of the project came to me as I was trying to think of something that connected to Bridgeside Books,” Katzman said. “The classic Simon and Garfunkel song ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’ from the days of my youth kept coming to mind.”

Students may choose a book to read from lists of books for younger, middle, or older readers. The title they choose will be gifted to them to be read over the summer. They also may choose to read more than one book on a theme. Books from home or libraries, fiction and non-fiction, are all possibilities.

After reading the book, the students are challenged to create a reflection piece that can take the form of writing, artwork, or digital media.The reflection piece is meant to express the student’s reaction to the project’s theme as it relates to the story and their own experiences.

This project challenges students to not only think about the characters, setting, and plot in a book, but to incorporate their feelings and reactions in the form of a visual or writing piece. Although the project was at first intended to be individual, Hill says that students can also work with a peer to create the reflection piece. Students are also not limited to one title but can relate their reflection piece to multiple books on the list.

To participate, students must fill out an online form by June 15. Books will be sent out by July 1, and student-created submissions are due by Sept. 1. Students will receive more details in August on how to submit their work. 

A wide range of HUUSD faculty will review the submissions to format a publication of the collective effort of the students across the district. The hope is for the publication to be available by Nov. 1 in time for the holiday season, organizers said.

The books to choose from are divided into three groups. 

For older readers: “Another Brooklyn” by Jacqueline Woodson; “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson; “Book Thief” by Markus Zusak; “Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini; “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London; “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck.

For middle readers: “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand (young adult version); “Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park; “Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” by William Kamkwamba; “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen; “El Deafo” by Cece Bell; “Out of My Mind” by Sharon Draper; “Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus” by Dusti Bowling; “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson.

For younger readers: “The Day you Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson; “The Dot” by Peter Reynolds; “Tomorrow I'll be Brave” by Jessica Hische; “Jabari Jumps” by Gaia Cornwall.

The link to Google form for the project can be found here. For more information, contact Bridgeside Books at info@bridgesidebooks.com.