When you see a blue light flashing on a school building, it means that a safety drill or procedure is in effect and you should stay away. Please March Madness for Books
Six-year-old Kate didn’t hesitate when it came time to choose her favorite book. “Actual Size” by Steve Jenkins was “the best book in the world,” she said.
Kate cast her vote on April 16, as first graders at Kent Primary School wrapped up a “March Madness of Books” tournament — a bracket-style competition that had students reading, debating and ultimately choosing their favorite titles.
The Kent Primary School first-grade team ran the event throughout March and into April, turning reading time into a spirited contest.
“It works just like basketball brackets, but with books,” said Daina Sinclair, a first-grade teacher. “We started at the ‘Sweet 16’ bracket. Each day we read a book, and every two days we voted on which book we liked better. The winner moved on to the next round.”
Students revisited books in later rounds, comparing favorites again until only two remained. On the final day, the entire first grade gathered to hear the last two contenders read aloud by first-grade teachers Sinclair and Analiese Anderson before casting their final votes.
“Actual Size” fascinated students with life-size illustrations of animal features, from a tiger’s jaws to a squid’s eye.
“I want it to win,” Kate said. “It’s scary and there’s a little creature that is so cute.”
The other contender, “The Bad Seed” by Jory John, tells the story of a grumpy sunflower seed that eventually learns to change its behavior.
Mikey, seven, from Sinclair’s class, voted for that choice.
“I liked ‘The Bad Seed’ because he was bad, but he became nice in the end,” he said.
As votes were counted, excitement filled the cafeteria. Students cheered loudly for their favorites, reacting to each tally as if it were a buzzer-beater.
In the end, "The Bad Seed" claimed the title, edging out its competitor 31-27