Love Affair With a Book

I am a an elementary Teacher-Librarian. My K-3 students get 30 minutes for library each week. My 4th -6th Graders are in the library for 60 minutes a week. Their lessons are 45 minutes and 15 minutes for check out. I usually read the K-2 students a story and then they check out books. My 3rd graders also get lots of story time but I start introducing them to the the academic side of library. Students in my classes learn about choosing books, how to do research, library skills, using reference materials. They also learn about story structure and how writing and reading connect.

I have a young 1st grader who fell in love with the book "Cat Heaven" she has checked out that book every single week since the beginning of February. The other day I ran into her mother. I looked at her and said, "I bet you wish that our library had more than that one book"

She chuckled, shook her head and said "I know it by heart."

I thought to myself I bet you do.

Some years back I had another little girl who kept checking out "Little Red Hen". I thought she should check out another book so when the book came in I hid it figuring she would choose another one, when that one wasn't available. Boy was I wrong on all counts.

When the book couldn't be found she broke down in tears. I felt about 2 inches high for making a kindergartner cry. Later at a school function her mother asked me if there were any other books her daughter could check out.

Smiling I reassured her there were a few. All the while knowing I would never come between a kindergartner and her book ever again.