Lending a Hand (And A Leg!) to Books

The monotone bell signaled the end of school, but not the end of books for me.

The very first thing I did once summer vacation started was go to the library. Yes, the library.  My parents were surprised to say the least- I had spent the days leading up to the beginning of summer relishing the idea of not having to open a book for a long time. Although in my defense, I had been referring to textbooks specifically.

I ran into the teen volunteer coordinator at the library, Ms. Parham, who introduced me to Ms. Spitzel, the coordinator for the Booklegging program at the . I had heard about the program last summer, and I wanted to be a part of it this year. The program, which is usually run by adults during the school year, is a great volunteering opportunity in the summer for teenagers who want to spread the love of reading.

On June 30, my partner and I presented our books to a class at Valley View Elementary School. We had spent the week before choosing our books, picking out our props, and rehearsing our presentation. We were nervous and hoped that the kids would enjoy the books we were going to read. The last thing we wanted was for them to bored and not interested in what we had picked out for them. After the teacher introduced us and the class settled down, we began our presentation hoping to leave a positive mark on the kids.

While my partner read her books, I had the chance to observe how the kids were reacting to our presentation. As I scanned the room, I saw all the kids eagerly listening, laughing and pointing at the bright, humorous pictures when appropriate. Not one kid seemed uninterested, and I felt genuinely happy that the kids loved what we were reading to them. They all excitedly participated in our questions and shared their own quick anecdotes relating to the topics that the books were about.

Seeing their enthusiasm reminded me of my own childhood summers with books. I would go to the library, pile as many books as I could into my bag, and read in the children’s area. When my mom would come over and tell me it was time to go home, I would half carry, half drag the huge bag of books that my little shoulder could barely support. Whether it was battling a Dark Lord or accompanying Junie B. Jones to school, I was never bored as long as I had a book in my hand.

It was nice to see that despite all the electronic alternatives available, children still (and hopefully always will) have a love for books.