LITERARY LEMONADE
Main Street Elementary School students and parents got a taste of real and literary lemonade during a recent virtual visit with children’s author Jacqueline Davies.
Third to fifth grade pupils listened to and spoke with the author through Zoom, as well as received copies of Davies’ “The Lemonade War,” the first book in a series.
The learners also got to drink lemonade as part of an effort to promote a love of reading, with a grant from the Taylor Educational Enrichment Foundation funding the purchase of the books.
“When students meet authors, these connections to the books become more real for the students,” said school librarian Vanessa Collier. “They’re more likely to want to read the author’s books. Author visits get students excited to read more.”
Main Street has hosted other virtual events in the past, but Collier said the students were mesmerized listening to Davies explain her own personal connection to the characters in her book.
Davies shared that the story came to her after overhearing her two sons fighting about a lemonade stand and she said, “Oh no, this is turning into a lemonade war.”
The students related to Davies’ stories about her children and the characters’ actions in the book.
“As students make connections to what they are reading, they will better comprehend and retain what was read,” Collier said.
The librarian hopes Main Street will have more events like this in the future. As students continue to meet a variety of authors, they realize they, too, can become a writer or an illustrator, she added.
With a grant from the foundation, Collier purchased books in both English and Spanish through Texas Reads One Book. The program falls under the umbrella organization Read to Them, a nonprofit that includes both school and family involvement to promote the enjoyment of reading.
Parents reading and discussing the book with their students helped sway the foundation committee’s decision to fund the grant, said Anita Volek, TEE executive director.
“The only thing sweeter than seeing a student absorbed in a book is knowing that their family can experience that adventure with them,” said Volek, who also is a trustee with the Taylor Independent School District.
After the event, a parent reached out to Principal Kerri Pierce to say this experience kicked off a new tradition for their family.
“‘We’ve already started a list of books that we’ll be reading aloud as a family,’” Pierce quoted the parent as saying. “We’ve enjoyed doing this so much!”
“And this is exactly what our goal was,” Volek added.
“The Lemonade War” author Jacqueline Davies speaks over Zoom to Main Street Elementary School students about her book. Courtesy photos
