BELGRADE — Books are a magical adventure; at least, that's what the kids at Saddle Peak Elementary School say. And they are looking forward to receiving free books this year.
Each year, KBZK, KXLF, and the Scripps Howard Foundation partner with two Title One Montana schools for the "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign.
"Last year, I felt pretty awesome," says Saddle Peak third-grader Lori Hook.
Her favorite genre is history: "I just like it; it makes me interested in learning about what came before me."
Lori also has advice for those who are not interested in reading.
"Find what makes it interesting; it could be a fantasy, history, geography—you can get into so many things!" she says.
For third grader Zeke Hightower, he has a passion for mythological creatures and dinosaurs.
"I love T-Rex's, and if you look at a T-rex and his skeleton at the right angle, it looks like a dragon," Zeke says.
Zeke tells me he's a pro at reading: "I started reading chapter books when I was in the first grade!"
Third-grade teacher Nicole Ramos emphasizes the importance of literacy benchmarks.
"Third grade is, like, a monumental year for, when reading comprehension meets word accuracy, and the more students can read and have access to books, the more fluently they are going to read and the more fluently they read, the more they can comprehend," Ramos says.
She says the free book campaign allows kids to build their at-home library.
"When we have the free book fair, you see the stress leave the kid because they know they can go and pick whatever book they want, and they get to take it home," Ramos says.
In the rise of the digital world, she says books still have their place.
"You don't have to worry about it being charged. You don't have to worry about it having wi-fi. You can grab it, read it, and it can take you anywhere," Ramos says.
And for these kids, books are getting them closer to their dreams.
"What makes me want to be an author is my great library teacher," Lori says.
"I want to be an author, an illustrator, or a doctor," Stella Smith says.
"When I grow up, I want to be a paleontologist," Zeke says.
As Doctor Seuss says, oh, the places you'll go!
To find out more and learn how you can give a child a book, visit our donation page.
