Maple Grove Elementary Students Swap Books for the Summer

It's called the recreational reader - the student who reads beyond what is required in academics, just for fun.

Though she knows it's unlikely, Library and Media Specialist Jodie Erickson would like it if each student at school were one of these.

In an effort to encourage more recreational readers at Rice Lake and have students continue to read throughout the summer months, Erickson is organizing a book swap at the school.

"It's a great way to get new books in kids hands," Erickson said."We had a scholastic book fair early in the year and it was an opportunity for kids who have gone through their collection at home to get books without parents having to run out and buy books."

The event takes place May 31 and June 1 and on these days, students may bring books from home to the school's media center. A wide variety of books are accepted  and need to be in good condition in order to swap.

For every two books given, a student will receive one ticket. Then on June 7, each ticket can be exchanged for one book that was received in the swap. Students from families where books might be hard to come by are discreetly given a ticket to swap.

Erickson said on the day of the swap, students will receive help choosing a book appropriate for their reading level.

She said there's a number of efforts taking place at the school to encourage children to read and she often keeps books in stock that appeal to those who are reluctant to read, including the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series by Jeff Kinney and the "Conspiracy 365" series by Gabrielle Lord.

Rice Lake Elementary's reading coach Karen Cummings works alongside Erickson in the media center helping those who struggle become better readers. Cummings said the more often a child reads, the stronger reader they become and parents can help just by reading out loud to their children.

"How much print the eye sees in a day is going to grow them as a reader," Cummings said. "Children are never too old to be read to."