MISSOULA — It was a book takeover today at Missoula's Lowell Elementary.
It was the annual "If You Give a Child a Book" distribution through the Scripps Howard Fund.
The free books are possible through a partnership with KPAX, Scripps, Scholastic, and national networks.
For every six dollars donated, the Scripps Howard Fund gives one free book to kids who may not have access to reading at home.
This year, each child got to pick three books to take home.
And for the staff at Lowell, the event is worth it.
Chris Russell has been helping organize the book fair for the past five years since she began working at Lowell Elementary as the librarian.
“It's mostly their facial reactions as soon as they see this space, their library is transformed,” Russell said.
The books on display are rotated to suit each grade.
“To know that they get to actually keep the books instead of returning them to me as their librarian, it's pretty amazing,” Russell said.
Teddy Nichols, a fifth grader at Lowell Elementary, has attended the book fair every year. Teddy shares with MTN his love for graphic novels.
“[I read] once every day for a half an hour or so,” Teddy said.
The Book Fair will continue tomorrow to give all grades a chance to attend.
