Book Fair Teaches Independence
Shopping is a lot harder when you don’t have your parents paying the bill.
That is what Antonietta Feliciotto’s first graders found out at the Kent Elementary School bookfair this week.
First, the children roamed around the school gym trying to decide between the many books, posters, gadgets and pencils that filled the bookshelves and tables.
“The Dog Man books (by Dav Pilkey) are really popular,” said Erica Intrieri, one of the Parent Teacher Organization volunteers who staffed the bookfair, which is a fundraiser for the group. “Those are for second graders and older. Books about rocks and sharks are also popular. All kids love rocks these days.”
“I have $20,” one boy said, holding up a baggie filled with cash.
It was a hardcover book involving monsters that cost $9.99, so yes, he could get that and something else.
Arianna, a first grader, held up a pencil case designed as an iPhone. She pulled out a receipt that showed how much money she had in the spending account her parents set up for the occasion. “I have this much,” she said. “Can I get it?”
The Scholastic Book Fairs, which were held in each of the three Carmel Central School District elementary schools in October, were about more than reading. They were an exercise in math and decision-making, and they gave kids a sense of independence.
After Kent Elementary PTO President Marie Camacho explained to one young boy the cost of the books he chose and how many he could buy with the money he had, he asked a question many of us share.
“So,” he asked. “What is tax?”