Delaware After School Book Club Promotes New Literacy Options

“What does non-fiction mean?” Delaware Library Media Specialist Cait Shanley asks a group of students gathered in a classroom.
 
“It’s not real!” one of the students responds.
 
The group of about a dozen third, fourth and fifth graders is huddled on a carpet, watching a movie trailer for Charlotte’s Web.
 
Thanks to their school’s new After School Book Club, the students now enjoy the chance to discuss books, watch videos based on books, and even listen to audiobooks!
 
“I am excited to get more students into reading!” Ms. Shanley shared. “It’s been nice to work with the older students who aren’t able to fit library classes in their schedules. Our book club focuses on encouraging the usage of nontraditional reading formats, such as audiobooks, eBooks, graphic novels, and manga!  I think that every form of reading is incredible, and it is so important that we expose students at a young age to every possible form of reading so that they are able to discover which is most comfortable for them.”
 
The club began the year voting for which book they’d like to read as a group – first selecting a graphic novel called Nimona by ND Stevenson. While they listened to the audiobook play, they followed along with the novel in print as well, enlarged on the classroom’s screen.
 
“That went over so well with the students,” Ms. Shanley said. “They were all so great at talking about the book and what they thought of it.”
 
Students have since read The Bag Beginning, the first book of the Series of Unfortunate Events; as well as Dairy of a Wimpy Kid. When they choose to listen to audiobooks, students are invited to use assigned iPads and headphones to listen while they do puzzles, color, paint ceramic figures, or even crochet!
 
“Reading makes me happy,” fifth grader Ahmya Dawson shared. “It helps me understand what life might be like for other people. I like reading because I like to try to figure out what’s going to happen. I usually read Junie B. Jones, Grumpy Cat, or Captain Underpants. I hadn’t listened to audiobooks before, but it’s been wonderful to get to hear someone reading to me! It feels like I’m actually inside the book, instead of outside it.”
 
“I love books,” Ja’nyla Jones added. “They’re so interesting. Ever since I was three, I’ve found it fun to make up stories and read. I want to be a writer when I grow up. Books help us understand the world and they tell us peoples’ stories. I like comic books and chapter books – but I don’t know how to read that well. Audiobooks have been good because they let me use my phone to listen to books and I feel like it helps me hear stories and also learn to read better!”
 
We love to hear how schools encourage students to develop a love of reading – thank you to Ms. Shanley for leading this fun book club for Delaware students!