Mandalay Elementary School students and faculty are demonstrating their passion for reading during March’s You’ve Been Booked schoolwide activity, designed to spread a love of reading and to provide a fun way for classrooms to interact with one another. 

Each class was assigned another classroom with whom to share a book. Classrooms were free to choose a book that relates to the school’s March character education theme of confidence, as well a favorite book. For example, Mary Evan’s second grade class sent Joy Giangrande’s third graders Kathryn Otoshi’s “One,” about being an upstander and antibullying.  

After Ms. Giangrande read the book with her class, the students created a thank-you poster that contained individual opinions written on Post-it notes for Mary Evan’s class to read. 

Next, Ms. Giangrande’s class sent second graders in Brittany Lahti’s class Giles Andreae’s book, “Be Brave, Little Penguin,” which is about taking risks and challenging one’s self.  

Elementary school counselor Donna Shulman explained that the “You’ve Been Booked” activity resembles Pay it Forward and the fun boo-ing Halloween activity the students have come to love. “This is a different way for students to share the experience of books,” Ms. Shulman said. “It’s also a safe way for classes to interact at this time.”