15ft Letter to Editor of NY Times defending Picture Books!

This is the best answer yet to that "Demise of Picture Books" article from New York Times from last October. Birch Lane Elementary School in Davis, California took issue with this article and set out a month long campaign to promote and read picture books in their school. Then they sent a 15-foot-long scroll by snail mail to the editor of The New York Times in response!

"To the Editor:

We believe that picture books are essential to the development of lifelong readers and learners. In response to an Oct. 8 news article, “Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children,” the library at Birch Lane Elementary School (enrollment: 600) dedicated the entire month of February to the promotion of picture books for every person, every reader.

During that month, Love a Picture Book Month, our students read 4,590 picture books.

We capped off the month with an evening celebration for families, with more than 250 people in attendance. Also, students, families, teachers and staff members all contributed to the creation of a list of 100 All-Time-Favorite picture books that everyone should read!

Contrary to the article’s message, picture books are not languishing on the shelves at Birch Lane, but are actually read, loved and read again.

LYNNE SUNDSTROM

Teacher Librarian"

Read the entire letter from the teacher here.