An Invisible Thread, written by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski, was Morris Hills Regional District’s required reading for the summer of 2014. Schroff’s and Tresniowski’s book has been on the New York Times Best Seller list and received various awards such as the Christopher Award and the Dreamcatcher Award. On October 2, 2014, the co-author Laura Schroff visited Morris Hills to discuss the book and its content. Throughout her speech, she mentioned key points within her book. “Maurice taught me the true definition of lunch in a brown paper bag,” Schroff stated. “The bag is only brown paper, but what’s put inside is something we all call ‘love.’”

When questioned about the choice of An Invisible Thread for the summer reading, Mrs. Morgan, the District Director of Language Arts, stated, “I think the book teaches us that help can come in many forms, and that choosing to help is what matters…I know I enjoyed reading the book, and that it inspired me to find small ways to help people; I respect Laura’s message about making a difference.” With the school year’s theme of “human relationships”, there is no doubt that An Invisible Thread will inspire students at Morris Hills to continuously participate in small acts of kindness.

Both teachers and students have given positive reviews about An Invisible Thread. Ms. Gingeleskie, an English teacher, gave the book five out of five stars because “it is a relatable story that everyone can connect to and learn from.” Ashley Sysyn, a junior at Morris Hills, stated, “The book, An Invisible Thread, was well written, concise, and did a good job of invoking empathy in all of its readers. Laura Schroff came across as a lively, intelligent, and friendly woman with incredible devotion throughout the book.”

With so many positive opinions of the book, there were high expectations for Laura Schroff’s visit.  For some students, this expectation was not met. Sysyn stated, “She [Laura Schroff] spoke in an uninteresting monotone, read directly from her prepared speech, and had difficulty connecting with the audience.” Others felt differently;  Mrs. Morgan said,  “After watching and listening to the student’s questions after the presentations, I am confident that our students really liked the book and experienced strong connections to it.” Although the visitation left mixed reviews, An Invisible Thread was evidently a great read for the summer of 2014.