At the Georgetown Library, children’s services head Silvana Collins is reshaping what a book club can be. Instead of drilling children on reading levels or chapter books, she’s creating a space where kids can enjoy stories, build reading comprehension skills and confidence, and leave smiling.
The inspiration came during a national library conference session on graphic novels. Collins said the presenters began with a surprising question: “What’s wrong with graphic novels?” The answer wasn’t the format, but parents.
“Too many still believe that if a book has pictures, it’s not real reading,” Collins said. “But research shows graphic novels help kids remember more because they engage more of the brain.”
That idea convinced her to change the way the Georgetown Library’s children’s book club works. Rather than assigning a long book and asking children to discuss it, Collins now reads a short story aloud to the group. Kids sit in a circle with whiteboards and sketch scenes as they listen, creating their own illustrated versions of the story.
“It’s not about how well you draw,” she said. “It’s about how much of the story you understood. And the kids love it. Ten out of ten, they capture every important detail.”
Past stories have included The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl and The Perfect Man by Troy Wilson. Afterward, the children discuss the plot, characters and how they might have handled the challenges differently.
Collins said one of her goals was to make sure children don’t feel judged. “If a child keeps hearing they’re not reading on level, they don’t want to read in public,” she said. “Here, there’s no judgment. We just have fun.”
And she hopes it will result in more kids developing a love of reading. The target age group for the book club is first- through third-graders, though fourth- and fifth-graders are also welcome.
The club, which meets on Thursdays, is still small, averaging five to nine students each week, but growing. She has room for 20, but if there is larger interest, would be willing to add more days and times. After families struggled to arrive by 3 p.m., Collins recently pushed the start time to 3:30 p.m. to make it easier for parents juggling multiple school pickups.
The library is also adding more new programs to spark a love of reading. A library volunteer and future teacher, Trina Lawrimore, has started an after-school storytime with songs, crafts and read-alouds for early elementary students. Several other programs are in the works.
For Collins, the goal is to compete with the bright screens that dominate children’s free time. “Our competition isn’t just other books,” she said. “It’s tablets, phones and video games. That’s why we have to make reading an experience that feels just as engaging.”
And for the children who gather each week, the message seems to be sticking. “When we finish, they’re smiling and saying, ‘See you next week!’” Collins said. “That spark in their eyes — that’s what keeps me going.”
Find more great programs happening at all five of our library branches on the calendar at gtcounty.org.
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