COURTLAND
Elementary students in Southampton County Public Schools joined in the Read for the Record global campaign on Thursday. The program focuses on closing the “word gap” that often exists because many children from low-income families hear up to 30 million fewer words by age three than their more affluent peers and encourages literacy by joining children worldwide in an attempt to break the world record for the most people reading the same book on the same day.

“[It’s important to engage children in reading] because it is an essential skill that provides the foundation for life-long learning,” Meherrin Elementary Principal Tasha Ricks said.

This year’s campaign book, “Not Norman: A Goldfish Story,” written by Kelly Bennett and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones, was a humorous tale about a child who finds a new friend in an unexpected place. The story recounts how disappointed a young boy is when he receives a fish for his birthday present instead of a “real” pet that can do tricks.

Teachers were provided with a movie of the book so that the students could see the pictures and listen to the story at the same time. A paperback copy of the book was also placed in the library of each elementary school for the children to re-read the story anytime.

“I think that [the program] was a success, and we’ll participate each year that it’s provided to us,” Ricks said.