The students had learned their retail etiquette lesson well. “How do we behave in a store filled with customers?” asked their teacher.
Hands shot up: “We need to be quiet and polite,” said one third grader. “We need to say 'excuse me' if we walk around someone,” said another. “We need to wait our turn to look at books on a shelf and always be respectful and kind,” added a third.
The kids at Currier Memorial School (CMS) were on their annual odyssey to the Northshire Bookstore Manchester. On May 7th and 8th, four groups of 10-15 students each traveled by bus from Danby to a store featuring a floor designed for children as part of its entire collection of some 300,000 books.
“Reading holds a special place for our kids at Currier,” said CMS Principal Carolyn Parillo. “We always look for ways to celebrate the written word because it opens up the world for our readers. We are so fortunate to have partners like the Northshire Bookstore and The Stratton Foundation who make trips like this possible.”
The welcoming staff at the Northshire Bookstore briefed their visitors with a quick overview of the store. The kids got to see what most customers don’t even know is there, the basement storeroom where shipments of books are received for the store and then some sent out to readers around the world.
A customized list of new books for each grade was prepared by Northshire Bookstore Events Coordinator, Jess Hunsicker. This year third graders, for example, heard about the offerings ranging from standards like the Babysitters Club to new children’s books by young writers from Vermont. A discussion of the stories led to Hunsicker’s guided tour of the sections holding children’s books.
The highlight of the visit was each child’s selection of one book from the store that they can take home for themselves. With the help of Hunsicker and members of the Currier staff, the students searched the shelves for their new treasure. One girl wanted a book about horses. A young boy was thrilled to find a book about the video game Minecraft and immediately sat down on a couch to read. Another youngster just couldn’t make up her mind until she decided to focus on stories about cats.
“The kids look forward to this trip every year,” said Parillo.”They return full of excitement about what they have learned and the possibilities of reading. Plus a book of their own.”
One student seemed to embody the other kids when he talked out loud to himself, “I should come here more often.”
(Photo above: Northshire Bookstore Events Coordinattor Jess Hunsicker takes Currier 3rd graders on a tour of the bookstore.)
Currier students checking out the books in the childrens section of the Northshire Bookstore.
A basket of books to be taken home from the Currier trip to the Northshire Bookstore. With the support of The Stratton Foundation, each student selects a book of their own.
Currier Library/Media Specialist Christine Edwins reads to K-2 students during their trip to the Northshire Bookstore.