School's Wizard of Oz Reading Program Logs 50K Minutes

Students at Lockhart Elementary School in Massapequa, New York, proved that when you combine creativity with books, magic happens. The school's seven-day "Lions, Tigers and Books, Oh my!" reading program inspired kids to collectively read more than 50,000 minutes in just one week.

The initiative ran from January 29 through February 6 and tied into the school's annual musical production of "The Wizard of Oz." Teachers and parents partnered to create an experience that made reading feel like an adventure rather than homework.

The week kicked off with an evening event where families explored interactive literacy stations and browsed a book fair together. Each night, students logged reading minutes at home, either solo or with a partner, watching their collective progress climb on a bulletin board near the main office.

One of the week's highlights brought author and illustrator Peter Catalanotto to campus on February 4. The creator of the "Monkey & Robot" series shared bagels and conversation with fifth graders before leading assemblies about his creative process.

Catalanotto didn't just talk about making books. He demonstrated his illustration techniques live and guided fifth graders through creating vision boards for their own story ideas.

The program included a "book reunion day" where students in grades 1 through 5 returned to their previous year's classrooms. Teachers read favorite stories while kindergartners paired with fifth-grade buddies for the experience.

The finale transformed the school gymnasium into a reading wonderland inspired by both Kansas and the Emerald City. Each grade level spent 30 minutes reading independently before playing "Wizard of Oz" bingo with books as prizes.

Why This Inspires

Reading scores have worried educators nationwide, but Lockhart's approach shows that enthusiasm matters as much as instruction. By connecting literacy to something students already loved (their school musical), teachers made reading feel like a celebration instead of a chore.

The event also reminded families that reading doesn't have to be solitary. From parent-child partnerships to cross-grade buddy systems, the week emphasized that sharing stories builds community.

When schools invest creativity into literacy programs, students respond with genuine excitement about books.