Book Bus offers adventures, opportunities for Stillwater kids
Jun. 26—The wheels on the Stillwater Public Schools Book Bus have gone round and round throughout the community this summer.
The mobile library, which will operate through July 27, stops at convenient locations and offers a wide selection of books for children of all reading levels.
For one boy, it's been a productive way to make the long, hot summer move faster — especially since he took a temporary hiatus from childhood hijinks.
Seven-year-old Reid Carroll fractured his ankle a few weeks into the summer. He's wearing a boot that will come off in two weeks.
"I fell out of a tree," he said, matter-of-factly.
Reid likes to read chapter books and picture books, and he's a fan of graphic novels. Sometimes, he doesn't even read the books he takes home, but he loves to have them in his hands.
The Book Bus has given him a more enjoyable summer than he otherwise might've had.
"We really appreciate the Book Bus because we can't go swimming right now. We can't do a lot of things," said his mom, Shannon Carroll. "We can read."
The Carrolls moved to Stillwater last year from Arkansas. Shannon said they visited a mobile library when they lived there, but it wasn't nearly as nice as SPS's.
"This is our first Book Bus experience, and we're really impressed," she said. "I love how nice it is inside and air conditioned and how beautiful it is on the outside, too."
Shannon said she loves that everything is well-organized inside and how the librarians decorate with a new theme each week that encourages young readers to come back. This week, it's a fairytale theme.
The Book Bus not only carries all reading levels but also different languages, which include Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Japanese. It's been operating Monday-Thursday since May 22.
Each child can take two books home, and when they return the books the next week, they get to choose either a prize from the treasure box or two tickets that go into a drawing for bigger prizes. Some of the bigger prizes include new bikes, which are donated.
"(Reid) likes the tickets, he's been entering for the bike," Shannon Carroll said. "He's also been entering for passes for Ultimate Air. Once he gets the cast off, we'll still have three and half weeks of summer left."
Shannon will be teaching first grade this fall. As a teacher, she sees the need for good reading opportunities along with guidance from parents. She said she tries to make sure the books she reads to her students and that what's available in her library is appropriate for their age.
"I am of the belief that maybe parents can censor those books for their own children, but I do think that all books should be available for everyone," Shannon said. "And then it's up to the parents to just censor what their children are reading."
Parents expressed how thankful they were for a way to expand their kids' reading adventures, as well as providing extra summer activities for them.
Joy Ambrose brought her three children — Evy, Baker and Liv — on Monday. She said Monday is Book Bus day for them, and they have chased the Book Bus around a few times.
Monday was also Liv's fourth birthday, and she wore a "Birthday Girl" ribbon on her shirt. Even at four years old, she was adamant about her second book selection.
Ten-year-old Evy is going into the fourth grade and also likes graphic novels.
"I kind of just like realistic fiction and teen drama like 'The Babysitters Club,'" Evy said. "I read all of those."
Evy said it's fun to get books in a library that's built on a bus.
"They have some books that the library really doesn't have, I think because sometimes the books are out of stock," Evy said. "One time I read three big graphic novels in one and a half days."
Her brother, Baker, was not initially into reading, but found an interest in reading after discovering sports books.
"If you try a bunch of books you're probably going to find one that you like ... and maybe start reading a good series or something," Evy said.
