St. Philip Neri’s First-Ever Literacy Night

Last night, I had the absolute joy of rolling up to St. Philip Neri for their very first Literacy Night—and let me tell you, it felt like cruising straight into a celebration of love, family, and the power of stories.

From the moment families walked through the doors, the whole place practically hummed. Students clutched their Literacy Night “passports,” zipping from station to station to collect stamps for that coveted out-of-uniform pass. (I’ve hauled a lot of things in my day, but I’ve never seen paperwork move that fast.)

But the real magic? Oh, it was the kids. Sweet, excited, wide-eyed little readers ready to soak up anything even remotely book-related. They entered raffle drawings like it was the literary Olympics—free books, book lights, you name it—and every single student got to choose one brand-new book to take home to their very own library. Watching them flip, pick, gasp, hug, and declare “THIS ONE!” absolutely melted my aluminum heart.

And of course… I came ready to party.

Families and staff poured into my shiny little book nook like I was a festival tent packed with treasure. My shelves were buzzing—so much so that at one point someone (you know who you are) scooped up my entire Harry Potter collection in one magical swoop. Don’t worry, I’m restocking faster than you can say “Expelliarmus.”

What filled me up the most, though, was the sense of community. St. Philip Neri’s families—nearly all Spanish-speaking households—brought warmth, laughter, pride, and a whole lot of corazón. The culture, the joy, the way everyone showed up for their school and each other… it was beautiful. This wasn’t just a night of reading; it was a night of connection.

I rolled away with full hearts inside me, lighter shelves behind me, and enough joy to keep my hubcaps sparkling for weeks. Thank you, St. Philip Neri, for inviting The Book Fairy and me into your very first Literacy Night. And a giant sparkly thank-you to our amazing subscription and membership crew—your support is what lets me show up and give books to kiddos who need them most!

I can’t wait to come back and build even more magic together.

Catch you at the next chapter,
XO, Sylvia

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