Happy ‘Bookoween’: West Orange Students Make Pumpkin Patch Of Literacy

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Washington Elementary Reading Specialist Wendi Giuliano and her team created a new sort of holiday for Halloween 2022: “Bookoween.”

The school’s event was held to celebrate a love of books in a creative way, using the “oween” theme of the holiday, district administrators said.

“We created our own Pumpkin Patch of Literacy here at Washington School,” Giuliano said.

Every classroom and teacher from Pre K to the 5th grade was encouraged to participate. And they did, responding with excitement, Giuliano said.

“Each classroom had the freedom to go as big and as elaborate as they could imagine, and their artistic and creative abilities were overwhelming and beyond outstanding,” she enthused.

“We hope that our students will visit the Pumpkin Patch of Literacy and decide, ‘I'd like to read a book about this character so that our pumpkins will inspire more learning through reading,” Giuliano concluded.

In the end, principal Marie DeMaio said it was impossible to pick a winner – they were all outstanding.

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