It's Reading Cats and Dogs!

Ever since I was a little girl, I have LOVED book orders.... like... loved them. I remember the excitement when my teachers passed out the little flyers, and I'm sure I spent a little too much time circling all the things I wanted in the evenings.  Then after I had JUST about forgotten I had even ordered books in the first place, a stack of new, unopened, fresh books would be waiting on the corner of my desk... thrilling.  As a teacher, I love book orders even more.. I still get excited to search through the orders and I feel so important putting the order together every month.

Although I love everything book order-ey related... I've never been a fan of the reading incentive programs.. you know, read 50 pages get a free personal pan pizza.. read 50,000 pages and get a free class party..  I am all for encouraging reading to happen, but I also don't think you need to be rewarded with a greasy pepperoni pizza and a cake.  However, in this months book order box an awesome surprise awaited.  

Scholastic is donating one book for every twenty minutes spent reading this month. Up to 500,000 books will be donated through December 14th through the PAWS for Reading program.  As I explained this and asked if it was something my kiddos would be interested in.. their faces lit up, which of course made me proud! So today each child got to decide whether they wanted to team with the cats -- or the dogs.  They each got a username and password in the chaos of our afternoon dismissal.... and then I sent them on their way home.  

Now I had forgotten all about this until about twenty minutes ago, when I decided to log myself in and see what this was really all about.  As I logged in, this is what I found:

We have already donated 11 books to those in need...in just one night... how awesome!  Now others have the opportunity of having a new, unopened, fresh book and I think that's a great incentive to read for!