TWAW: Librarian debuts 'Starbooks' for seventh graders

After seven years in the elementary school library, seventh grade students often feel a little lost when they go to check out a book in the high school.

The library set up is geared for older students, so gone are the stuffed animals, short shelves and primary-colored furniture. Chapter books are harder to judge by their cover than picture books, so junior high students often don’t know where to start when selecting a book.

High school librarian Michelle Gray came up with a clever and cozy way to familiarize her youngest patrons with the books in their new library.

Each seventh grade class visited the high school library, but they were greeted by something that more closely resembled a coffee shop.

Gray, with a little help from a few students, had transformed her domain into a “Starbooks” cafe. Jazzy Christmas music played in the background. A gentle Christmas scene was featured on a big digital screen. The entire room smelled the part, with a pot of coffee brewing in the corner.

A large smorgasborg of books spilled over several tables, with a cheeky menu hanging above, featuring selections that combined book titles and drink items. Students made a few selections, then took their treats to one of the featured tables. On the tablecloths were drawn-on place settings and foldable brochures.

The brochures encouraged students to “sip” by writing down basic information about a few menu selections. Then, they were instructed to “taste” the book by reading the summary on the back and writing down their thoughts.

The goal was to introduce students to several reading options, hopefully ultimately resulting in a book they felt comfortable ordering to go.

For many students, the cafe worked its magic. Joan McIntyre was excited about her taste test.

“The first book I looked at, I checked out!” she exclaimed, holding up a copy of "Bull Rider" by Suzanne M. Williams. Jayde Franklin tried out a few more before settling on “The Running Dream”, a book that she personally identified with. “I’m a runner, too,” Franklin shared.

Gray hopes that now that each student has “checked out” the books, it will lead them to checking out more books.