When two elementary school teachers came up with the idea to hold a used book fair at their school, they had no idea it would get the entire student body excited about reading.
Five years ago, Jennifer Markarian and Jennifer Horowitz started a yearly event called The Circle of Books at Harrison Avenue School in the Harrison Central School District. Students are encouraged to bring in books they have outgrown and staff members set them out on tables just like a book fair. What is the main difference between the Circle of Books and a traditional book fair? All of the books are given away for free! Each of the schools’ 500 students goes home with at least 4 free books!
Families are invited back after school that evening to take more — as many as their arms can hold. Any leftover books are donated to a local children's charity. Kids even continue to exchange their books in the classroom throughout the year.
(Jennifer Horowitz and Jennifer Markarian are members of the Harrison Association of Teachers.)