This week, a new chapter opened in our community with the first meet-up of the Inclined 2 Read Community Book Club for Families. Inclined 2 Read was created by Lake Tahoe School’s librarian, Aly Nugent, along with librarians from Incline Elementary School and the Incline Village Public Library, in an effort to bring our Incline Village community together with a singular goal – to get families excited about reading!

The One and Only Ivan, a poignant tale by Katherine Applegate about a silverback gorilla yearning for freedom, served as our inaugural read. Families enjoyed reading the book together, sparking conversations around animal welfare, friendship, and the importance of home. The culmination of this shared journey came at the first meet-up at Incline Village Library, where a vibrant energy filled the air with over 40 families coming together to join in fun activities, read together, and share pizza and refreshments provided through the Incline Education Fund. Some fun and interactive stations at the event included still-life painting, a STEM activity, and a Spanish vocabulary lesson from LTS middle-school students who read the Spanish translation of the book.

What truly made this event special was its inclusive nature. We saw parents reading alongside their children, older students leading activities with younger students, and neighbors forging new connections over a shared love of literature.

As we conclude the first chapter of this exciting community initiative, we can’t help but feel excited for the stories yet to be told. If you’d like to join Inclined 2 Read, our February pick is the next book in Katherine Applegate’s series: The One and Only Bob. Everyone who reads is a part of the club, so join in on the literary fun!

Inclined 2 Read’s next meet-up will be on Tuesday, March 26, at 4:30pm in the Bobcat Treehouse Library at Lake Tahoe School. All community members are invited to join!