Something special took place last week in the small gym at the Springs School. It had kids eagerly waiting and parents opening their wallets — it was the Scholastic Book Fair.
From Oct. 21 through 25, the book fair was open during school hours for kids to browse through and buy new books. Parent volunteers helped to set up and organize, assist students paying for books, and clean up after each day.
The book fair was filled with brand-new books from a wide range of genres. Everything from cookbooks to suspenseful fantasy stories were available for kids of all ages. The P.T.A. donated books to classrooms and told the kids about special deals on others so that they could save some money.
For sixth graders, the buzz was all about "Faker" by Gordon Korman, in which the main character struggles with a dishonest father who tells lies to get his son into the best schools. The other huge hit was "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess" by Jeff Kinney, in which the protagonist, Greg, tries to uncover his family's secret. These books are new releases and are already popular.
Shelby Cinelli, the P.T.A. vice president, helped bring the book fair to life. "Seeing how excited all the kids get when they walk into the book fair is my favorite part," she said in an interview. "Their joy of reading and their happiness is contagious."
When Brooke Lys, a second grader, was asked what she thought about the book fair, she said, "I liked [it] because I got a lot of good books, pens, a poster, and a diary. I also liked the decorations on the door and on the walls at the book fair."
Students are already waiting for the Scholastic bookshelves to open again in the spring.
By Gael Barrera and Addison Cinelli, Grade 6