By Amanda Holt, 6th grade English language arts, Lehigh Acres, FL:

Over my short career I have focused on growing my classroom library. At first, I chose books I enjoyed when I was in school. My students hardly ever glanced at “my” library. I began asking them for the books they would like to see. The suggestions started pouring in. As my collection continued to grow, I recognized areas in which I was lacking representation and added more books to address issues of inclusion.  Now our classroom library is the busiest area in our room. Students are reading books and making recommendations to friends. One student checks out a new book every day to read when she gets home. It isn’t uncommon for students to read in the few down times we have. Together we have developed a culture where we love to read. Their passion has reignited my own.