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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cWe usually have a team of about six or seven people that help us set up,\u201d Monson says. \u201cWe’ll create a giant balloon arch and backdrops \u2014 we like to decorate. I’ve already started a wish list for the Everglow Forest theme, which is the first book fair next year. I’ll be planning that throughout the summer.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monson says the school previously used another company for fairs, but one of the district\u2019s librarians happened upon Literati at a conference and was impressed by the representative\u2019s energy. \u201cThey were super friendly and had a lot of great information and were really passionate about book fairs, which to a librarian or a library enthusiast is exciting,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Literati also had more of a \u201ccommunity\u201d feel to its approach, Monson says. \u201cOur elementary school is right in our neighborhood. All of our neighbors go there, and all of our friends are there. We do everything together. And so the book fair really inspires that collaboration because you all work together on a theme, decorating the library, and it shows in the fundraising as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monson says all the funds raised go to the PTA, which then distributes it to various programs. \u201cWe’ll have supplemental education programs, guest speakers, authors, dances, and field days so the kids are active,\u201d she says. \u201cBecause of significantly more sales with Literati fairs, we were also able to fund five $1,000 scholarships for our former elementary students that are now going off to college.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monson says parents also appreciated the hard work she and her team put into the fairs because they recognize they are energetic events to get the kids and families involved and not just fundraisers. \u201cThey are interactive,\u201d she says. \u201cFor the arcade theme, we did a Pac-Man floor that we taped off, and we had little yellow circles and a maze around the books that the kids could walk around. We had music with arcade theme songs playing. It was more of an experience to go to with your kids, and something parents wanted to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Monson, the foundational goal is getting children to read physical books. \u201cI feel like a lot of kids are on their iPads and looking at digital versions of a lot of stuff, which is great,\u201d she says. \u201cI have a Kindle, and I read on my phone, but I love for kids to have something physical and tangible to grow up with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monson says she loves coordinating the fairs and hopes that enthusiasm spreads to other parents after her son ages out of elementary school. \u201cIf the book fair was a job and I could quit my day job, I would love to be the \u2018book fair person\u2019 and even travel around with the fairs.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"