The world of literature is both exciting and overwhelming, and it can be hard to find the perfect book to read. However, here at St. Dominic, we can look to our librarian Mrs. Playle for all of our reading needs.

In order to determine what books Playle recommends to the St. Dominic community, she uses her own scoring system. To her, the book must have a strong beginning, middle, and end as well as present her with a new perspective or point of view.

“I have to read a book that interests me or makes me think. I like fiction books because you can use your imagination and the possibilities are limitless,” Playle said.

Narrowing it down from just fiction, Playle has said that her favorite genre is dystopian fiction. Dystopian is a genre of books that are based futuristically and really dive into the “good vs. evil” complex. They are greatly interesting and great reads.

Contrary to popular belief, Playle’s all time favorite book is not of the Dystopian genre. In fact, it is a children’s book: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See by Bill Martin Jr. This timeless children’s book is definitely one that Playle holds close to her heart.

Besides dystopian literature and books that have sentimental value, Playle is really just about variety. She uses the Gateway books, which are books voted on by high schoolers in Missouri, to determine what to read. Those books are usually associated with high quality and lots of variety. From said variety, she has fostered an interest in sports and mystery books, creating a diverse palette. Two of her favorite authors Karl Deuker and Natasha Preston write in two totally different genres, sports and mystery respectively. ​

As the year has gone on, Playle has had plenty of time to explore the world of literature even deeper than before. She has read around 35 books and tries to read every night. For Playle, reading is an awesome brain break and is something that helps her relax. She finds herself reading most nights, and even sometimes during lunch.

With all the reading she has done this year, Playle has found some more favorite books. She reread Nine bye Zach Hines, a dystopian novel, and found a new favorite in Golden Arm by Karl Deuker, a book about brotherhood and baseball.

As Mrs. Playle continues to discover new books, the St. Dominic community knows that they can always come to her for all of their literature recommendations and guidance.