Since September, on the occasion of the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens, the students of the Charles Nodier high school in Dole (Jura) have entered into a reading marathon. Objective: read as many books as possible by November 27, 2024 to vote for the work they liked best.
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It will probably be his favorite. “I can’t stop reading it. I have to sleep at times, so I force myself to sleep,” confides Angèle, second year student at Charles Nodier high school in Dole (Jura) about the novel The Lost Children’s Clubby Emmanuelle Bayamack-Tam. Angèle and all her classmates immersed themselves in diligent reading. They were selected to participate in the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens.
Since September, they have been reading and discussing the 14 selected books. Objective: to have the most informed judgment possible to be able to vote on November 27 in favor of their favorite work. Monday October 14, they will go to Lyon (Rhône) and meet 13 of the authors of the prize. A great opportunity to better understand what they have read.
As a reminder, the Goncourt des Lycéens Prize allows nearly 2,000 high school students, from 53 high schools in France and 3 French high schools internationally (Jordan, Canada and the United States) to discover and judge the 14 selected authors.
“It’s their vote that takes precedence. There are no other people who vote for the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens. So, they have an important responsibility and they understand it very well,” explains Valérie Gerbet, librarian at Charles Nodier high school, speaking to our journalists Emmanuel Rivallain and Jean-Stéphane Maurice.
To encourage them to read, the school organizes as many activities as possible.
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© Jean-Stéphane Maurice – France Télévisions
To encourage them to read, the school organizes as many activities as possible. The students have created a series of podcasts where they discuss their reading, practice reading aloud and talk about it with their teachers. “We create emulation around the students’ project with all the staff of the establishment and as many people in the city as possible. We do as many things as possible around reading to draw them into a dynamic that makes them want to go at the end of this project”, develops Valérie.
We have students who read more than us. There is a form of challenge between them to who can go the fastest and it’s quite funny, it creates something.
Valérie Gerbet, librarian at Lycée Charles Nodier
These readings allow students to develop their general knowledge. Valentin is, for example, not a very big reader of literature; he usually prefers to read the press. For him, this event is therefore an enriching experience: “I will keep very good memories of it. I opened myself up to reading books that would never have crossed my mind”.
Unlike a a priorithe Goncourt Prize for High School Students “he’s not Goncourt’s little brother”, would like to point out Alain Picard, French teacher at Charles Nodier high school. “On the contrary, it is a prize that the authors consider truly prestigious”.
According to Alain, this prize is particularly appreciated by authors because “the readership is often more sincere, far from commercial and editorial concerns. Authors are frankly often very touched to be chosen by young readers.”
For students, participating in this event allows them to discover adult literature. “It’s an action that can be aimed at more recalcitrant readers who are reaching a pivotal age where we move from children’s literature to a little more serious literature,” explains the professor.
Participation in this prize also allows students to take reading outside of school: “We are in the business of reading for pleasure, of exchanging. It belongs to them, this prize, and we actually have no say at all in the choice of their favorite and in the debates”.
If you too want to feel like a high school student taking part in the competition, here is the list of books: Tout le bruit du Guéliz by Ruben Barrouk, Paris Musée du XXIe siècle by Thomas Clerc, Madelaine avant l’aube by Sandrine Collette, Houris by Kamel Daoud, Archipelagos by Hélène Gaudy, Casualness is a very beautiful thing by Philippe Jaenada, Day of Surf by Maylis de Kerangal, The Better Life by Etienne Kern, Ancun Respect by Emmanuelle Lambert, the Lost Children’s Club by Rebecca Lighieri, Heart of Thibault de Montaigu, The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek, “You are the unfortunate love of the Führer” by Jean-Noël Orengo and The Bastion of Tears by Abdellah Taia.
