LETTERS: YELL GRANT USED TO BUY AWARD WINNERS

To the editor:

The students and teachers have enjoyed and continue to use the Caldecott award winners that were purchased with the YELL grant money. With the 1997 YELL grant, nine Caldecott winners were purchased for the library. With the 1998 grant, and additional 21 titles were purchased. Nineteen winners were purchased with district money. At this point, we have 49 of the 62 winners.

These titles are shelved together above a Caldecott Medal Winners poster. Students are often found at this spot browsing through the winners.

During National Children's Book Week, I feature these award-winning books to the students, explaining to them this prestigious award. It is neat to hear the students recognizing an award winner. Often, fifth-grade students will choose one of the Caldecott winners to read to their kindergarten book buddy. The music and art teachers have also used different titles to promote what they were doing in their classes.

Students seem to have favorites. Ranking high on their list are "Rapunzel," "Jumanji," "Golem," "Madeline's Rescue" and "Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears." To date, the checkout number for the Caldecott winners is just shy of 100.

We are so fortunate at North Elementary to have received the YELL grants to promote the love of reading.

CHARLOTTE M. KNAUP, Librarian

North Elementary

Jackson