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In just a few days, Great Bend elementary students will meet two adventurous characters, Zoey and Sassafras, as they dive into the 2023 Great Bend Reading Initiative and a book filled with magical animals, science, and mystery.

The Great Bend Reading Initiative, GB Reads for short, first launched in 2015 with the goal of promoting student literacy skills through school and family engagement.

“GB Reads is a shared experience for children and parents in our school communities,” said Tricia Reiser, assistant superintendent for USD 428.

“There is a positive connection between family involvement, literacy skills, and success in school. GB Reads is a fun and engaging way to build vocabulary, foster an enjoyment for reading, and strengthen parent-child relationships,” said Reiser.

All USD 428 elementary students in grades Kindergarten – 6th will receive a copy of Zoey and Sassafras Dragons and Marshmallows.

“The series has quickly gained recognition for the imaginative and inviting adventures of a little girl named Zoey and her cat Sassafrass,” said Holly Tittel, USD 428 librarian. “While we’re excited to introduce our families and students to these characters, we’ve also stocked our elementary libraries with other books in the series anticipating their popularity.”

GB Reads is sponsored by USD 428 and presented in partnership with the Great Bend Public Library and other community partners. This year, over 1,300 students will receive a copy of the book along with a calendar providing a schedule for reading the book and information on supporting activities and events.

Calendar Highlights Include:

• Great Bend Public Library hosts Stories and S’mores with author Shelly Simoneau on Saturday, January 21 at 10:30am
• Classroom presentations by the Kansas Wetlands Education Center and Barton County 4-H and Extension
• Elementary School Assemblies from Mad Science - Mad Science presenters will travel to Great Bend from the Kansas City Metro, with a presentation to engage students with experiments and innovative (and entertaining) science content
• On-site enrichment programs hosted by the Great Bend Recreation Commission
• Video highlighting “A Day in the Life of a Veterinarian,” produced by Animal Medical Center
• Students at Great Bend Middle School and Great Bend High School will be encouraged to participate with younger siblings as well as join in a month-long reading program that will engage students in STEM enrichment and building student relationships through cooperative activities.

About the 2023 GB Reads book:

Dragons and Marshmallows is the first book in the Zoey and Sassafras series. Zoey discovers a glowing photo and learns an amazing secret. Injured magical animals come to their backyard barn for help! When a sick baby dragon appears, it is up to Zoey and Sassafras to figure out what’s wrong. Will they be able to help little Marshmallow before it’s too late?

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