The Scholastic Books program created a challenge to young reader’s educational classrooms to read 10 books per child for each child in classroom in the time frame of September to Dec 4.

At First Baptist Child Development Center in Gulf Shores, Ms. Becky Caldwell’s 3-year-old class decided to accept the challenge. They discussed how and when the children read the books and met the goal, then Scholastic Books would donate books to areas where children do not have books to read.  The children learned how to share and help others, along with the joy of reading.

The classroom goal only had to be 90 books between the nine children, but they choose to set their goal higher.  The goal was set for 360 books.  Ms. Becky made a caterpillar head and placed it on classroom wall near the scholastic poster.  The children were given book marks to take home, when they read a book with their parents, the book title was written on the book mark, when they had 10 on bookmarks, it was returned to class.  As book marks came in, teacher wrote titles on section of caterpillar body and the class was able to see their caterpillar grow around the room.  The children were so excited by the challenge they obtained the goal before December.  They met their goal on Nov. 4.

They celebrated with an ice cream party.  Cooper Watkins was the top reader, with the most amount of books read, with many others following close behind him.   Congratulations class.