Building a Love of Reading

The bookshelves at Friendly Hills Middle School are filling up fast. Language Arts teachers have been busy building their personal classroom libraries, creating cozy spaces where students can discover new stories and favorite authors.

Teachers have been gathering books from donations, grants, and community support through the annual Read-a-thon to grow their classroom collections. Many have also spent their own time searching for titles that reflect their students’ interests and backgrounds—from graphic novels and fantasy adventures to biographies and stories that feel relevant and meaningful.

The initiative to build classroom libraries began as an effort to encourage more independent reading and give students easier access to diverse and engaging books. Ms. Walburg says, “Investing in and making choice books available in classrooms has proven to be incredibly powerful for students. They light up when they see new and popular titles they can dive into right away, especially when those books are written in their first language. 

Language Arts teacher Ms. Lethert uses her classroom reading corner to hold one-on-one reading conferences and learn more about each student’s interests. “We explore the library together and browse my bookshelf after talking about what kinds of books they enjoy. I want to show students that I am actively involved in their reading choices,” she said.

As shelves continue to fill and students discover new books, a culture of reading is taking root—one story, one reader, and one classroom at a time.