How We Work — Our Process

The My Own Book model remains much the same as it was initially. Volunteers (usually two) visit each third grade classroom to meet with the children and the teachers. They talk to them about how a bookstore works, and discuss approaches to selecting the right books for them, with emphasis on genres, book prices, the value of a good home dictionary, bookstore behavior, differences between a bookstore and a library, and selecting the "just right" books for them.

The children are given great flexibility to choose books of interest and are prompted to make shopping lists in advance of the store visit. Essential to the success of the program is the enthusiasm and motivation generated by the teachers, principals, and assistant principals. As a result, our volunteers meet with the teachers and school management separately to explain the program and ensure that they are motivated, passionate partners in the program.

The actual trip to the bookstore lasts about two hours which gives the children plenty of time to listen to the bookstore orientation usually given by a Barnes & Noble employee, and to browse through, select and purchase $50 worth of books. It’s an exciting time as the kids literally bounce around the shelves eager to find the books that they can call their very own, and then quiet down as they pull out calculators to make sure they haven’t exceeded their $50 book allowance.

A key component to My Own Book is the follow-up visit to the classroom where the volunteer spends time visiting each class allowing the children to share their experiences with the books that they have selected. Typically, the teacher creates lesson plans to give the students an opportunity to show off their new books with book reports, readings and special presentations. The children explore the importance of owning their books as a continuing adventure in their love of learning and reading. Our volunteers all say that the follow-up visit, usually accompanied by "Thank You" notes written by the kids, is when the connection between My Own Book with the children’s fondness for reading comes alive by their animated description of their books.