A September of Stories, Discovery, and Reader Choice in the BWS Library

From learning our library routines to casting ballots for our fall read-alouds, September was all about building a community of confident, curious readers.

September marked the beginning of a new year of reading, learning, and discovery in the Bishop Walker School for Boys library. Across Kindergarten through Grade 5, our scholars spent the month becoming familiar with their library, learning how to care for and locate books, and discovering that their interests and opinions matter when it comes to what we read.

Our September lessons were designed to help students see the library as more than a place to check out books. It is a shared learning space where they can develop independence, practice responsibility, explore their interests, and grow as readers.

Building Our Library Community

We began the school year with The Book of Rules, using the story to introduce library expectations and routines. Our youngest scholars practiced how to use their bodies, voices, and books responsibly, while our older students considered why shared spaces need rules and how individual choices affect the larger school community.

The message was simple: Our library belongs to all of us, and we each have a role in making it a place where everyone can learn and read.

We also explored calendar awareness with September from the Calendar Kids series. Students practiced identifying the month, day, date, and season. For our older scholars, the lesson extended into thinking about how calendars help us organize responsibilities, anticipate events, and manage our time.

Learning to Care for Books and Find Our Way

During the third week of September, our Kindergarten through Grade 3 scholars enjoyed A Perfectly Messed-Up Story by Patrick McDonnell.

Through the story and our discussions, students explored what happens when books are not treated carefully. We practiced identifying responsible book-handling habits and talked about what to do when accidents happen.

Rather than treating book care as simply another set of rules, we emphasized stewardship. The books we enjoy today should remain available for the next reader tomorrow.

Meanwhile, our Grade 4-5 scholars explored the Dewey Decimal System through The Efficient, Inventive (Often Annoying) Melvil Dewey by Alexis O'Neill.

Students learned how nonfiction books are organized by subject and how call numbers help us locate information. They then put that knowledge into practice through a library scavenger hunt.

A Special Visit from Author Wade Hudson

One of September's highlights was welcoming author Wade Hudson to Bishop Walker School on September 18.

Hudson shared Black Boys, I See You with our scholars, offering an opportunity for them to engage with literature that celebrates their identities, possibilities, and potential.

At Bishop Walker School, we understand the importance of boys encountering books that reflect their experiences while also introducing them to new perspectives and possibilities.

Author visits like this one help make reading personal. They remind our scholars that books are written by real people, that their own experiences are worthy of stories, and that they, too, can be writers, thinkers, and creators.

Giving Our Scholars a Voice: The Fall Read-Aloud Election

We closed September with one of our most exciting library activities. Our Fall Read-Aloud Election.

Our second- through fifth-grade scholars were invited to help choose the chapter books and novels we will read together throughout the fall season.

Before casting their ballots, students explored three possible books, learning about their authors, genres, characters, and storylines. We encouraged our scholars to think carefully about what interests them as readers rather than simply choosing a familiar title or an appealing cover.

Our second- and third-grade scholars considered Ghost Town at Sundown by Mary Pope Osborne, Class Pet Ghost Detective by Akeem S. Roberts, and EllRay Jakes Is Not a Chicken! by Sally Warner.

Our fourth- and fifth-grade scholars considered Holes by Louis Sachar, Restart by Gordon Korman, and Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds.

And Now We Read

The Winners Are:

After reviewing the candidates and casting their ballots, each grade selected its fall read-aloud!

• Second Grade: EllRay Jakes Is Not a Chicken! by Sally Warner — a humorous, relatable story about an eight-year-old boy navigating bullying, friendship, and the challenge of standing up for himself.

• Third Grade: Class Pet Ghost Detective: What Happened to the Naked Mole Rat? by Akeem S. Roberts — a funny, mysterious adventure involving a classroom pet who returns as a ghost to help solve a mystery.

• Fourth Grade: Restart by Gordon Korman — a thought-provoking story about a boy who loses his memory and must confront questions about his identity, past behavior, and capacity for change.

• Fifth Grade: Holes by Louis Sachar — an award-winning novel that combines mystery, adventure, and history as seemingly unrelated stories begin to connect.

This election gave our scholars an opportunity to practice making informed decisions and participating in a shared classroom experience.

But the most important lesson was that their voices matter. By giving students a role in choosing what we read, we hope to strengthen their investment in reading and help them recognize themselves as capable, thoughtful readers.

We look forward to exploring these four stories together this fall!

Dr. Jae