Irvington Community Middle School Readers, You’re Kind of a Big Deal

There’s a special kind of buzz that happens when a book fair rolls into a school that hasn’t had one in a while — part curiosity, part excitement, and a whole lot of “wait… we get to pick our own books?!” That was exactly the energy at Irvington Community Middle School this week, and it felt like magic from the moment the doors opened.

Day 1 — The Great Browse (Yes, on Presidents Day)

Yes, they had school on Presidents Day, and honestly, it turned out to be the perfect way to kick things off. Classes came through for a viewing day, taking their time exploring the tables, flipping through pages, and building mental wishlists.

There’s something powerful about giving kids space to just look — no rush, no pressure — and you could practically see their wheels turning as they discovered new series, old favorites, and a few “I didn’t know books like this existed” moments.

Day 2 & 3 — Shopping Days

By the time shopping opened, the excitement was real. The 6th–8th graders were all in — many told me they hadn’t had a book fair in years. One student said, “I thought we wouldn’t get book fairs anymore after grade school… this is awesome!”

Graphic novels, fantasy, sports stories, romance, mysteries, manga, nonfiction — every genre found a home. Watching middle schoolers light up over books they chose themselves never gets old. Seeing them show their picks to teachers — and hearing the encouragement coming back — was everything.

Day 3 Evening — Family Olympics Night

We wrapped the fair by staying for Family Olympics Night, which might go down as one of the most fun ways to end a book fair ever. Families filled the school, laughter echoed down the halls, and yes — there was toilet paper dodgeball, which was exactly as chaotic and delightful as it sounds.

Seeing families play, connect, and then wander over to the fair together created the kind of community moment you can’t really plan.

This fair was a reminder that book fairs aren’t just about selling books. They’re about access, excitement, and giving kids ownership over their reading lives — especially when it’s been a while since they’ve had that opportunity.

Irvington showed up with curiosity, enthusiasm, and a whole lot of school spirit, and I’m so grateful to have been part of it.

If you were there — thank you for making it such a joyful few days.
And if you’re a school thinking, our kids could use this energy, you know where to find me.

XO — Sylvia