Bronx teen crowned NY’s bookworm for plowing through 325 novels in 3 months

NEW YORK - A Bronx teenager has earned the title of New York’s bookworm of the year for plowing through a staggering 325 novels and comics in just three months.

From June to August, 14-year-old Brittany Lopez spent most of her waking hours with her head in a book.

With the feat, she was proudly crowned the winner of the New York Public Library’s Summer Reading 2010 contest at Yankee Stadium yesterday.

“At times, I did go outside and play and hang out with my friends, but I think reading is the most important,” the New York Daily News quoted the Morris High School ninth-grader as saying.

“It helps your creativity. It’s not only for entertainment, it helps your knowledge,” she added.

Brittany’s favourite book was Ellen Schreiber’s ‘Vampire Kisses’, but she also devoured the Harry Potter series and dozens of Japanese comics, known as manga.

“My mind is like a sponge. I take it all in,” she said.

The Bank of America-sponsored competition was open to all city students, who kept a log of the number of books they read cover-to-cover over the summer months.

The most improved reader was Christian Rosario, 7, who lives in Jackson Heights, Queens.

Other winners included Gartim Li, 17, from Manhattan; Amanda Ciaramella, 15, from Staten Island; Aliah Gilkes, 10, from Canarsie, Brooklyn; Dynasty Williams, 12, from the Bronx; Isabella Rosario, 5, from Staten Island, and Jordan Santos, 18, from Harlem.

The bookish brood got to stand on the field at Yankee Stadium, meet outfielder Curtis Granderson and have the cameras flash their images onto the Jumbotron as the crowd cheered.

“Curtis Granderson pinched me to check I wasn’t dreaming. I wasn’t,” added Rosario. (ANI)