Read what teachers who have had books donated to their classrooms are saying:

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"As the Teacher Librarian/Media Specialist at Washington Elementary School and Buffalo Elementary School, I would like to thank you for the A BOOK by Me titles that have become part of our school libraries and classrooms. I understand the Scott County Regional Authority grant you were awarded allowed these books be distributed to our buildings. The impact made on our students, by your contribution, is priceless.

As a former Fourth Grade Teacher for nine years, I experienced the difficulty of finding age appropriate materials about the Holocaust to share with my elementary students. My fourth grade team and I put together a unit composed of historical fiction book Number of the Stars by Lois Lowery, a slideshow, journal writing prompts, and role playing activities, to teach our students about the Holocaust, tolerance, human rights, and mutual respect. The A BOOK by ME series would have been the ideal resources to have in our collection, as it is now an exceptional addition to our elementary schools.

The letters at the beginning of the books help our young readers understand the appreciation each author has gained through the A BOOK by ME project. The stories shared in each book, are treasures that might have otherwise been lost. The "Learning Station" at the end of each book provides pre-reading and extension activities, suggestions on related literature and media, support and inclusion of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, and comprehension questions. Additionally, sharing with students the fact that the authors of these books are students who attend nearby schools increases their interest, inspires them to make a difference, and encourages them to follow their dream of someday becoming an author. Thank you, again, for your consideration and support."

Shauna Schuman
Teacher-Librarian/Media Specialist

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"To Whom It May Concern:
The purpose of this letter is to express my enthusiasm and support for the A BOOK by ME literacy project. I have worked closely with Deb Bowen over the course of the past several years and have always been amazed by the passion for and dedication to keeping history alive by sharing the personal stories of individuals who have made an impact on people’s lives. In addition to their commitment to history and telling these stories, their dedication to the students and their subjects is incredible.

As the teacher-librarian at Bettendorf Middle School, I joined the project’s efforts after hearing a high school student share her experience writing a story about a Holocaust survivor. Immediately, I knew it would be a wonderful experience for some of our Bettendorf Middle School students, as it is a wonderful fit with both our social studies and language arts curriculum. Now having had several students participate in the project, I have found that the students leave the experience having had a profoundly positive and enlightening experience in terms of developing a bond with their subject and strengthening their research and writing skills. I had no idea the extent to which the students would stretch their learning in terms of interviewing and researching. The students developed relationships with their subjects, and you could see the pride and ownership enveloping them each time we met. It was a tremendous bonding and learning endeavor for all participants—the teacher, the subject, and the students.

I cannot say enough about the importance of this literacy project continuing as more and more stories are uncovered I think learning about and telling these individual’s stories are so important for today’s generation of students." 

Deb Temperly, Teacher-Librarian
Bettendorf Middle School