The Whole-School Community Read: A Comprehensive Guidebook

by Margaux DelGuidice-Calemmo, Jeannette Balantic

Overview

A comprehensive resource for librarians and teachers who want to implement a whole-school community reading program in their schools.

Community reading programs can foster a love of reading, increase student engagement, build a community of readers, and simultaneously improve literacy. Yet, it can be daunting to begin a new program at a busy school. This guidebook provides a clear roadmap for librarians and teachers who wish to try a whole-school community reading program with all ages of learners.

Beginning with a history of whole-school reads, authors DelGuidice-Calemmo and Balantic describe how a community reading program can work for students at all levels-and promote family connections through reading. They offer advice on finding funding, building successful collaborations within the school community, and allowing students to have a voice in book selection. Marketing, makerspace, and promotion ideas help encourage participation. Learn how to use informal checkpoints and a final celebration to sustain and celebrate participants. Finally, come away with strategies to assess these programs and try variations to increase engagement. Appendixes of resources provide practical tools for those ready to begin planning their own program.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798216186045
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/27/2025
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Margaux DelGuidice-Calemmo, MLS, is the school librarian at Garden City High School, NY, USA, and a national speaker, author and consultant. DelGuidice-Calemmo is co-author of Make a Big Impact @ Your School Board Meeting (with Rose Luna, Libraries Unlimited, 2012) and a former contributing editor for the Publisher's Weekly “Cut To The Core” column. Library Journal has recognized her as a Mover & Shaker, and PBS has featured her as an American Graduate Day Champion.

Jeannette Balantic is the K-12 Social Studies Curriculum Coordinator in the Garden City School District, Long Island, USA. She is co-author of Every Book is a Social Studies Book: How to Meet Standards With Picture Books, K-6 (with Andrea S. Libresco and Jonie C. Kipling, Libraries Unlimited, 2011) and Notable Books, Notable Lessons: Putting Social Studies Back in the K-8 Curriculum (with Andrea S. Libresco and Mary Battenfeld, Libraries Unlimited, 2017).

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. The Evolution and Importance of a Whole-School Community Read (WSCR)
2. Beyond ELA: Forming a Diverse Committee
3. What Should We Read? Choosing Appropriate Titles
4. To Vote or Not to Vote
5. Funding Matters: School and Community Connections
6. Hosting a Kickoff Event
7. Marketing Matters: Promoting the Whole-School Community Read
8. Checkpoint Fun!
9. The Final Celebration: Author Visits and Beyond
10. Reflective Review
11. The Whole-School Community Read as a Summer Read
12. Making Connections: Social Emotional Learning and the Whole-School Community Read
Index

Editorial Reviews

From the foreword:
DelGuidice-Calemmo and Balantic share their wisdom and experiences in this book, providing both the inspiration to take on the challenge and a manual for making it happen successfully for many others.” —Sara Kelly Johns, Instructor, Syracuse University iSchool, USA

From the Publisher