The closure of school Friday canceled the planned 1BookBG unveiling in Bowling Green, but the district
adapted by doing the book release via video.
Superintendent Francis Scruci used his Friday Message to go through the clues and unveil the book.
“The show must go on,” he said about the program.
All Bowling Green students in grades K-4 will get a copy on Monday of “Kenny and the Dragon” by Tony
DiTerlizzi.
The synopsis: Kenny is a little rabbit with a very big problem. His two best friends are heading into a
battle of legendary proportions — with each other. In one corner there’s Graeme, a well-read and
cultured dragon with sophisticated tastes. In the other there’s George, a retired knight and dragon
slayer who would be content to spend the rest of his days in his bookshop. Neither really wants to
fight, but the village townsfolk are set on removing Graeme from their midst and calling George out of
retirement. Can Kenny avert disaster?
This is the fourth year for 1BookBG, and it might be the best, according to Scruci.
“I know you’re going to love this,” he said in the video. “I can’t wait for me to hear the stories from
you about all the different things you’re going to read in this book. This is a good one. Might be the
best.”
The district last year read “Ralph S. Mouse.” Previous selections included “The Chocolate Touch” and “The
World According to Humphrey.”
Scruci went through a series of clues before unveiling the title. Some hints were readers were going to
have s’more fun this year, happiness is breaking the top of a crème brûlée – “have you had crème brûlée?
I have and it’s very good” – and hope you are ready to hop into a good book.
He also had a joke: What are the famous last words of the dragon slayer? The torch went out again! Anyone
have some fire?
“We’ve got rabbits, fire, dragons … hmm … I’m still not getting it,” he said.
Scruci got a little help through a video about a brave knight and a friendly dragon playing chess, and
interrupted by a rabbit. The characters were played by Jeremy Koehler, Kenwood gym teacher; Bob Marzola,
Conneaut fifth-grade teacher, and Andrew Haughawout, Kenwood intervention specialist, respectively. They
revealed the book title.
For the first time the district is doing a community-wide family event with the three city elementaries,
plus St. Aloysius, BG Christian Academy and Sleek Academy. BG Montessori has a rescheduled event of
their own the same evening due to the school closings this week.
Teachers from each building have been planning for two months an evening of fun activities on Thursday
from 6-8 p.m. at Bowling Green Middle School. There will be crafts, games, read alouds and snacks for
families to enjoy together and celebrate the book.
The snow date is Feb 12.
Stacey Higgins, a second-grade teacher at Crim Elementary, said that the goal of the event is to bring
the families of the community together to celebrate literacy and build connections between schools.
In the past, each building had held its own event. The concept of a community-wide event developed within
the BG Education Association and is chaired by Kisha Nichols, Elena Boyle and Higgins.
Area businesses are offering trivia to students who visit. Kids can walk in and get a question. If they
give the correct answer, the child gets a ticket for a raffle at the school. A different question is
asked each time, so a student can make as many visits as possible.
Prizes include lunch with teachers and mystery guests, and gift cards to local businesses.
“This certainly is an example of our community working together for the good of our schools,” Scruci
said.
He also mentioned that Friday was World Read Aloud Day.
“Reading is the skill that unlocks the doors to your future,” he said.
Surveys were done last year that identified fantasy as the genre of choice. The committee worked hard to
determine a book that would appeal to the range of elementary students.
The district is collaborating with the Wood County District Public Library on a visit with the author.
During his visit to Bowling Green, DiTerlizzi will speak to the community at the Performing Arts Center
on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m., and also at the Walbridge Branch Library on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
The overall intention of the program is to share the love of literacy throughout the community, Higgins
said.
“We want to encourage families to read and enjoy the book together. It’s not a school program but a
family and community program, thanks to the involvement of our local business trivia-site partners,” she
said.
“Teachers and schools, with our classroom activities surrounding the book are the springboard to whole
family involvement.”