“This was such a great event! My kids did nothing but read when they got home from school today. They are so excited about their own “new” books and each other’s. It’s great to see how excited they are to read. Thank you!”
Hilary Gibbs Brown, parent of Elizabeth (Prep Senior), Ryan (G1) and Andrew (G3)
Once again, the International School of Kuala Lumpur’s Book Week at Elementary School was a roaring success. Book Bingo, storytelling, visiting authors, songwriters and the highly popular book swap created a huge buzz with students from Prep Reception to Grade 5 celebrating the joy and value of reading.
The philosophy behind the event is simple – make reading fun because, as ES Teacher Librarian Suji DeHart explains, it plays a critical role in improving literacy levels, social skills, and personal well-being: “There is substantial research which provides evidence that reading, beginning at a young age and continuing into adult life, can be linked to success in many areas. The most obvious link is to literacy skills, but more compelling are the links to life satisfaction, higher test scores, success in careers regardless of which field one works in, and a greater ability to reason critically.”
Making reading fun and interesting is a critical component in engaging our young readers. Students particularly loved the book swap, bringing in pre-loved books during the month that could then be shared with the whole school during Book Week. It was a great way of broadening students’ reading material and introducing them to new authors and genres. It was also a valuable example of re-use and sustainability.
Book Character Dress Up Day proved to be a big hit with everyone from Tintin to Red Riding Hood making an appearance. Getting students to dress up as literary characters is not only a fun activity, it is a creative way of sharing a favorite story and an extremely powerful way to bring reading to life.
And, as one chapter ends, another begins. March Book Madness has kicked off to maintain the momentum and keep our readers turning the pages. Dr. Seuss summed it up perfectly, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go!”
ISKL’s Elementary School Book Week is made possible by funds from the Inspiration Fund.
