An enthusiastic crowd of kids rushes past me toward the 1919 Auditorium, eagerly chatting. You might be wondering, ‘What is in the auditorium? Free cupcakes? A theater play? A celebrity?’ No, it’s the annual Tower Hill Book Fair!
From November 7th to November 9th, volunteers and librarians held the Scholastic Book Fair for lower and middle school students. Various posters lined the walls of the hallways leading to the auditorium, featuring everyone from NFL players to cartoon characters. In addition, lollipop trees sat on cashier tables; if you were lucky, pulling one of the lollipops with a sticker on it could get you a free poster.
Inside the actual auditorium lay brightly-colored book-laden tables and shelves. The Book Fair had a book for everyone; whether you liked picture books or chapter books, there was sure to be a book you loved. Some of the more notable additions included J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, both personal favorites of mine when I was younger. Additionally, the fair’s collection of books extended past these classic series to other equally engaging picture books such as newer Pokemon and Lego books. To the younger kids’ delight, some of these picture books came with a small toy, such as a Lego figure or a necklace. The Book Fair’s contents, however, extended beyond just novels.
Besides books, the Book Fair also displayed a multitude of trinkets for sale, which were scattered around the room and on the stage. From gummy bear pens to chocolate calculators, the trinket shelves were many kids’ favorite part of the fair.
Two lower schoolers browsing at Book Fair
Hallie Acevedo ‘33, arms full of various novelties, excitedly reported, “What I like about the Book Fair is all the fun accessories,” and her friend happily echoed her words. Some of the items she bought included a smiley-face marker and a pompom pen. The Book Fair is any child’s dream with all of its trinkets that a child can proudly show off to his or her friends during class.
As a child, I loved the Book Fair—and I still do. Although I may no longer buy books or other knick knacks from this fair, it still holds a dear place in my heart and has created many fond memories. My six years of attendance at the Book Fair from first through sixth grade have left a permanent mark on me and given me a love for reading I still have today.
A fun and educational event, the Book Fair both acts as a source of books for today’s kids to read and provides them with cute school supplies to use in class. Most importantly, the Book Fair can positively impact a child’s life, potentially instilling a lifelong love for reading in any child who chooses to enter. I know it did for me.
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