The Boissevain School is hosting their annual Scholastic Book Fair this week, featuring books of every genre, interest and age group!

School librarian, Heather Heide, says the more books sold through the book fair, the more their school library grows.  

Last year the Boissevain School sold close to $6,000 in books at their 2022 Scholastic Book Fair, and with that they received 50% of that amount in value to purchase their own books for the Boissevain School Library.

The incentive works on a sliding scale, where books sold valued between $3000-$4000 is 30%, between $4000-$5000 is 40%, and over $5000 is 50% in value received.

"Anything over $5,000 in sales we get 50% back in free books, so that meant that our library got over $2500 in free books into our library," explains Heide.  "That was really fantastic!  That's my goal again this year!"

Parent night is this week Wednesday evening from 5 to 7 pm, coinciding with the Parent/Teacher conferences that are taking place that day.

"Family night is open to the whole community," notes Heide. "You're all welcome to come in and browse books and buy books!"

Heide says the variety of books available for students range from the classic novel-style of writing to picture books to graphic novels. "We also have a large selection of non-fiction, or fact-based books on animals and interesting things about our world, and sports, and all kinds of stuff.  So, really there is something for everyone!"

For those students who don't like to read, or find it difficult, she encourages parents and grandparents to look for book subjects that are about something that student enjoys or is passionate about.  "Yes, find out what they're passionate about," she says. "Graphic novels are very popular right now and I know people sometimes think, 'Oh that's just a comic book, but I want my kid to read a chapter book.'  But the fact that they are actually still reading words, they're still reading, right?" 

"At some point they'll move on from graphic novels, but they're still reading words on the page, even if there are pictures on it." 

The Boissevain School Scholastic Book fair takes place till Thursday afternoon this week.

"I have to add that we have a wonderful slate of parent volunteers coming in to help me run the bookfair," she says. "So, I'm super excited about that as it frees me up to keep doing my reading with my library slots for the students that I have regularly in my schedule so I'm very thankful for those parents and grandparents who volunteer their time to our school Book Fair!"

Please listen to more with Boissevain School Librarian Heather Heide below - and be inspired to pick up a good book!

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