Free books for kids encourages summer reading

June 20, 2017

“We can read 24-7!” Was just one of the many comments made by the Grade 4 kids at Douglas Park Community Elementary on June 19. They were gathered into a room where all of the tables, chairs, and shelves had been lined with books. Only, this wasn’t the library. These books were for kids to take home and keep, and they were more than excited about it.

“It’s a free book pilot,” said Instructional Services Coordinator, Lynie Tener, “to give kids the choice and the ownership over their reading, and to help reduce summer lag.”

Each kid was handed a bag and told to choose eight books. They were then each given a bonus Angry Birds book at the end. When set free, they swarmed the tables, flipping pages, and examining covers. Some kids struggled to stuff their summer reading into the provided bag.

Funding to purchase the books was donated by Sunrise Rotary and the Langley School District Foundation, as well as the Langley School District. The program was set up for Grades 1 and 4, each group coming in at different times to pick a selection of free books.

Douglas Park was one of three schools to receive the program this year.