One School, One Book

We are thrilled to announce that Vega’s Piece of the Sky by Jennifer Torres is our 2025 One School, One Book selection.

What is One School, One Book? Simply put, it's an opportunity for all students, teachers, and parents in the Lower School to take time to read the same book and reflect on its themes and message.

When a meteorite comes crashing down into the lives of three middle school students, it changes everything they know about family, relationships, and community. This charming book tackles topics such as anxiety, peer pressure, and managing change in a kid-friendly form, making it perfect for classroom and family discussions.

“What would happen to the Lone Star if we went away?” Vega wonders. “What would happen to all of our stories?”

Set on the California/ Mexico border, Vega’s Piece of the Sky chronicles a desert landscape, very different from our own New England setting. Vega, her cousin Mila, and her new friend Jasper will battle coyotes, scorpions, and the elements while learning about the importance of teamwork and other treasures.

The youngest member of each Lower School family will bring home a “book bag.” Each bag contains:

A family copy of Vega’s Piece of the Sky
A bookmark for parents identifying the traits of a meaningful shared reading experience and good questions to ask while reading
Bookmark also contains spots to add your merit badges as you earn them!
A syllabus and schedule of planned student/parent and guardian events and activities
A research article supporting the importance of shared reading practices for older children
A baggie in which students can bring some “found treasures” back to school to create a special One School One Book art project

We ask that each family set aside time each evening to read aloud with their child. Time will be spent at morning meetings each week discussing an idea or two encountered in the assigned reading. Additional time will also be spent in various classes developing background knowledge or exploring information presented in the text.

An audio version of Vega’s Piece of the Sky can be purchased and downloaded through www.audible.com. We would once again ask that if you choose to listen to the audio version, please commit to do so as a family. There is something powerful about listening to the language and message of this particular book together.

A parent/guardian round table discussion will be held on Thursday, February 20, at 8:15 a.m. in the Student Lounge. Please join Mary Munkenbeck, English Department Chair, Skylar Seligman, Lower School Counselor, and Kaitlyn Cronin, Head of Lower School, as we make connections between the text and the social-emotional learning that happens at Fay, all while grabbing our morning coffee!

We are thrilled to share this moving story with you and to come together as a community to further our love of reading.

One School, One Book

One School, One Book

Reading Schedule and Important Dates