Book Fairs: A Schoolwide Event

Yesterday, I closed my book fair.  It was the ninth fair that I have hosted.  Though exhausting, they are exciting and rewarding.  Our sales have increased...but MUCH more importantly, the excitement has increased.  Last September at school open house, I was actually asked by a fourth grader what this year's book fair theme was going to be and if I knew what books would be on it!

Sometimes I follow the fair theme suggested by Scholastic, other times I choose my own.  This spring, my fair theme was Book Fair Luau!  (I felt a need for some "warm weather" in my library.)

I do everything I can to create a space that will excite my readers and their families!

Book Fair Luau

Some previous themes:

Bookaneer Book Fair

Take Me Out to the Book Fair

Monster

Under the Sea

Sir Read-a-lots Castle

Nothing makes me happier than seeing kids come into the space and be so excited about the theme and the books.  Students enjoy previewing and making their wish lists.

Older students love to make book recommendations for younger students and enjoy helping them create their wishlists.

Excitement builds when our sale has books by authors and illustrators who will be visiting soon.

And boy do we sell a lot of their books!

Students enjoy making decorations and help to advertise.

I love listening to the conversations that families have while they shop for books...kids are talking about favorite genres, books, series, authors, illustrators...

Staff gets involved and helps build excitement!

Of course, food!  (Thanks to my amazing office staff, Cindy and Sheryl, for helping make this part happen!)

And the VERY best part...Kids with new books to read.  Kids excited to read! Kids so excited to start their new books that they actually sit in the hallway just outside the fair and read.

So...even though I just closed up the fair yesterday, I did decide today what the theme of our fair will be next October,  Stay tuned....