Book Buddies

Isn't this a sweet picture?  It's of two Book Buddies in my school reading together today, the first day of  a library program in which fifth graders are matched up with a preschooler to whom they read each week for several weeks.  I do all the matching up and other planning that goes into the program each year, including a party at the end, and when I'm in the midst of that work I can easily forget how much the kids get out of it.  Our little fifth graders were so excited today, filled with happy anticipation at meeting their Book Buddy.  Many of them remember being read to when they were preschoolers and are proud to be grown up enough now to be the one doing the reading.