Attending my First Book Day
Experiencing the joys of reading through the eyes of a child
Last month I had a very rare and special opportunity. I got to attend my very first Book Day!
For the past four years, I have been organizing and hosting theatrical book readings to encourage a love of reading in children. Every time I presented a new book, it filled my heart with joy to see the wonder and engagement in their eyes. On this particular day, I was a participant, getting to embrace the program with carefree adventure.
While Book Days has many facets, one of my favorite is personally engaging with educators around America and training them to replicate the program in their own classrooms and schools. Most of the time this is done virtually due to distance.
This fall I had the privilege of partnering with Mrs. Mac's Shining Stars in Georgetown, Texas.
It was such a joy to meet their amazing teachers and mentor them through the process of creating their own Book Days!
I was excited to learn their very first Book Day was going to feature the all time classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Ms. Trenee read the book while
Ms. Ambria was the Very Hungry Caterpillar! It was the perfect duo! Ms. Trenee really engaged the kids by asking them to repeat all the food that the caterpillar ate.
No one could act out the book better than Ms. Ambria! Dressed in a sea of green pool noodles, she fictionally devoured the enormous menu with zeal and fervor.
After the reading, the kindergarteners made their themed craft- pom pom caterpillars! They were so enthusiastic about their wiggly creations! Getting to be a part of this featured activity was a memorable experience for me. As a preschool administrator for the past six years, I typically organize the activities and let the teachers facilitate them. The hands-on learning reiterates why I am so passionate about emergent literacy and kids experiencing the joys of reading.
One of my favorite things about the day was the level of detail that everyone put into this event. For the themed snack, the owner, Mrs. Mac, made adorable cupcake caterpillars for all the students! The teachers bought festive matching Hungry Caterpillar shirts to demonstrate literary enthusiasm. Following their lead, some of the kids wore green or their own Hungry Caterpillar accessories.
Getting a front row seat to Book Days filled my heart with hope and wonder. I was very humbled that the vision I had four years ago not only blossomed but took on new life. This Book Day at Mrs. Mac's Shining Stars symbolized the first fruits of the reading revolution to come!
I am so proud of all their work and dedication to championing emergent literacy. The best is yet to come!
Until next time,
Kassi