A few books on the shelves are really great. And then there are a whole lot of books that fit nicely into this category: This has been on the shelf and in our warehouse for several years and we can't sell it; can you? You know the ones, right? The Book 4 in a six-book series. The one written by a famous person who is not a writer. Anything with (bless their hearts) Troy and Gabriella on the cover.
If we could request, I'd fill the shelves with quality. Funny books (all Mo, all the time, and I'm diving headfirst into the Campfire Weenies, and loving it) and historical books (anything by Karen Cushman) and multi-cultural books (Christopher Paul Curtis, anyone?) and serious books (why does Scholastic not sell The Book Thief?). I'd give the kids anything and everything by Kate DiCamillo (my favorite for true diversity - she can do it all, I'm convinced). I'd bring out the classics (Roald Dahl in all his glory, Dr. Seuss, Noel Streatfeild, Kevin Henkes, Beverly Cleary and beyond).
What would you want to see at your kids' book fair? (I have an entirely different list for what I'd expect at Jr. High and High School. 'Nother Post.)
I most heartily echo the Roald Dahl suggestion. So many happy memories...
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on a lot of these. I need to see our book fair and see what I think about it.
ReplyDeleteDitto, ditto, ditto! It's great to see kids reading, but sometimes I wonder if some of that stuff is even worth the meager effort....
ReplyDeleteHaving been in charge of the Book Fair I 'get it.' It's important to have books for ALL types of readers and interests (and the book fair is a great way to get books into the homes of kids who don't have a great selection)...but what about kids, like mine...who are into something with substance?
Books I'd like to see gracing the shelves of the Book Fair are some by JK Rowling, Gail Carson Levine, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Madeleine L'Engle, Louisa May Alcott, Maurice Sendak, Arnold Lobel, Tomie DePaola, Trina Hyman Schart, and CS Lewis. (Plus all those listed above, of course!)
:)
We have a pretty good spread in our book fair generally. I'm amazed at what'll get kids to read. My son reads everything and anything but my daughter refused to read until Twilight.
ReplyDeleteJames and the Giant Peach is my #1 all-time favorite story. Ever. I used to wish my name was James Henry Trotter. And you know my Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions with the pigeon (hee hee)! Also, our kids don't know about A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind at the Door, which is a tragedy.
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