Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover
By Ann Hazley, Saddle Brook MS/HS Media Specialist

Working with 10th and 11th grade English teachers, classes came in to a ‘Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover’ themed activity to select a book for their independent reading. Ann, Saddle Brook’s Library Media Specialist, discussed the idiom, where it came from and how it’s applied to other aspects of our lives. We talked about the book “The Catcher and the Rye” and it’s terrible cover yet great story.

Students then rotated throughout the four stations, each containing books wrapped in lunch bags with descriptions of the book taped to the outside. Each book was numbered so students could keep track of the ones that interested him/her. When students came to check out their book, many said “I never would have checked this out if I had seen the cover.”

This activity involved a lot of prep work but it was worth it!

Elmwood Park’s Blind Date with a Book
By Veronica Alfonso, Elmwood Park Memorial HS Media Specialist

This February our readers in Elmwood Park Memorial HS Media Center participated in “Blind Date with a Book”. Well-known love stories were wrapped up as a mystery. Students checked books out, went home, unwrapped the book, and decided to love it or try again.
Each book was given a bookmark to be returned by the student along with the book. The bookmark will include a quick book summary by the student and their review of how the ‘date’ went.
Readers were intrigued by the display when they entered the library and dates were quickly made!!