For the love of chocolate.
And for the love of a good book.
That is what 1Book BG is helping promote this year with the selection of “The Chocolate Touch.”
The story is a twist on the legend of King Midas. A boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his
lips touch into chocolate. Can you ever have too much of your favorite food? John Midas is about to find
out.
Jonelle Semancik, third-grade teacher at Crim Elementary, kept the title under wraps until Monday, when
the book was unveiled to all classes at each of Bowling Green’s three elementary schools.
Students at Crim screamed when they learned the title, which was revealed after a number of clues.
Intervention specialist Ryan Schalk dressed in a toga with the clue of a Greek myth. Counselor Mary Beth
Ellison dressed like an M&M. Third-grade teacher Hanna Kieffer gave a little dance, and
intervention specialist Kaitlyn Cenci had a question mark on her shirt when she said “I’m something
melted but I’m not an ice cube.”
Superintendent Francis Scruci even gave a hint in his Friday Message last week, signing off dressed like
a Hershey’s Kiss.
“We got together last spring and decided on the book,” Semancik said.
“We look if it is readable for all ages, if it’s appealing for preK-5. Is it something a fifth-grader can
read as well as a preschooler if it is read to them.”
The book also will introduce the youngsters to a new genre, she added.
Family night events are planned at each elementary school, plus weekly prizes for the students.
A station will be set up at this weekend’s Winterfest. “We want to incorporate ourselves as much as
possible in the community,” Semancik said.
“Last year they knocked it out of the park with the Humphrey station and the live hamster.”
Last year’s book was “The World According To Humphrey.”
“That’s a hard follow-up for us,” Semancik said. “A little bit of pressure this year, what are we going
to do that will be as successful as Humphrey.”
She added with a laugh, “I think hamster sales went up last year after that book.”
Candy stores are warned.
A dozen businesses in town are joining the fun by offering clues to kids who stop in with the intent to
win prizes. That list includes Al-Mar Lanes, Family Video, Eric’s Ice Cream, the Community Center and
Pizza Pub 516, among others.
And, of course, the Wood County District Public Library is a place for clues and more.
The library’s Children’s Center got a chocolate overhaul over the weekend.
“We are definitely celebrating chocolate,” said Maria Simon, head of youth services at the library.
She added the library is like a box of chocolate — there is something for everyone from fiction, to a
biography on Milton Hershey, to teen books, to movies.
They also will be focusing on “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and will place a gold ticket in select
books. Youngsters who check out a book may find a gold ticket in the book, which they can use as a
bookmark and save for a raffle.
“We’ll give everyone who returns the ticket a small treat,” said Simon.
“This is a great opportunity for kids the read (‘The Chocolate Touch’), which kids get to keep, but to
encourage them to come to the library to check out other books.”
Feedback from the community and parents after last year’s launch of the program had organizers adding
prekindergarten this year.
“We want to make sure every child is included,” Semancik said.
The core committee included Jennine Niekamp, at Kenwood who writes the grants; librarian Tami Lynch, who
has handled school resources; Jennifer Ostrowski, at Kenwood who handles community outreach; Molly
Leader, representative from Conneaut; Brooke Ruiz, at Kenwood who did graphic design; and Semancik, who
is on social media, trivia and programming.
“This is a great way to get the community, the teachers, the staff talking about one book,” said Crim
Principal Melanie Garbig.
The group is talking about making the 1Book BG an indefinite program.
For the first year — last year — teachers asked for a lot of community support to purchase the books.
This year a BG Community Foundation Grant helped fund the purchase of the 1,700 books, one for each
student and staff member.
But there is a question of whether enough funds will be available next year, Semancik said.
This year, “We are able to not only give a free book at the beginning but a book at the end.”
That is another 1,400 books just for the students based on their grade level.
Students will read “The Chocolate Touch” this month and get the second book in time for spring break.
The books were $1 each.
“We got a good deal on it,” Semancik said.
“Last year we were overwhelmed with how the community supported this project. We are blessed to be in a
community that supports education like this,” she said.
