In the 8th grade, the protagonist found a love of reading after their English teacher started a "word wall" where students would write sentences using spelling words. The protagonist eagerly contributed daily and became fascinated with the word "hodgepodge". They began reading voraciously, consuming 235 books that year by reading constantly at school, on the bus, and at home. Reading became a special comfort and the protagonist credits starting with the teacher-gifted book "All is Fair in Love, War and High School" for sparking their passion.

1. Middle School
Vignette #2
By: Jasmine Sparby

2.  I was thirteen, and just had started my eighth grade
year of school. I was in English during the first week
when the teacher, Mrs. Kohl, start a “word wall”. On
that wall, we were instructed to put sentences that
had our spelling words in it.
2007…

3. My Secret Addiction
I have to admit….
I was the person who wrote on it every
day. I looked forward to it each class
period. I would even go in during study
hall to put up the sentences that I had
found. I remember one word in
particular.
8th grade WORD WALL

4. That was the word, hodgepodge. According the dictionary,
hodgepodge is a confused mixture. Before I had heard the word in
class, I had never heard it before. But after, I seen it everywhere.
Hodgepodge
Hodgepodge

5. Throughout that year…
I furthered my love for reading like never before. I was
always a good, solid reader. Things changed that year. I
became a veracious reader; I fell in love with reading. I
found a special comfort and friend in reading. I read
every book that I could check out.

6. 235 books
Yes, I read 235 books that year. I
would read during all my free
time in class, at lunch and on
the bus. On the weekends, I
would read two books. At night,
I would fall asleep reading. It
did not matter how late I had
stayed up the night before, I
wake up early to get a few
pages in.
All day, all night, all the time.

7. was All is Fair in Love, War and
High School. I don’t know how I
remember that. It was given to
me as a gift from a teacher for
my birthday that was in
September.
The first book
that year…

8. And as I said before, it escalated from
there…

9. But from there…
I found out that there was a lot to be learned from each
and every book that we read. Whether that means lessons
about friendship, love or family or just to be there for you
to relate to. Book are wonderful friends and a magical
place of healing, forgiveness and laughter. All students
should develop a hunger for reading that cannot be
satisfied.

10. I love reading.