We've been reading to him since he didn't know what we were doing. He's been reading on his own more and more over the past year. As far as children's books, he still has his old favorites, but he's been heading toward the more informational, books about knights and knighthood or pirates or astronauts. A few months ago, Zack's father brought home the American Heritage Dictionary to show him how it worked. The next day, Zack told me he thought that the dictionary might be his new favorite book.
Nominated readers range from students of all ages to retired teachers and librarians.
For example, Sue McDowell of Raleigh chairs the Language Arts Department at East Cary Middle School. The school's media coordinator nominated McDowell for supporting the Battle of the Books Program, a quiz bowl-type competition that tests student teams on their knowledge of a selected reading list. Sherod is working on a two-year research project about representations of disadvantaged children in literature. Jackie Weathers was nominated by the director of the Cleveland County Library. The festival's opening ceremony will not be the first time Weathers has met Edgerton.