Book Buddies Help Students Learn to Love Reading

For four weeks this summer, students of all ages gathered at the to explore the world of reading.

The Book Buddies program is designed so that “big buddies”—students in 5th grade and up—were paired up with “little buddies” in kindergarten and 1st grade. The students met on Wednesdays, and different big buddies and little buddies were paired up each week to read and play games. The big buddies could read to the younger students or help them read a book themselves.

Wednesday was the last day of the program, and about 35 children celebrated with a pizza party with their families. Debra Brass, the library's children's supervisor, took a few minutes to thank everyone for taking part, especially highlighting the big buddies.

“Without the big buddies, we wouldn’t have a program,” Brass said.