Suzanne Parker loves reading. This second-grade teacher at Pakanasink Elementary School describes herself as passionate about it. She shares that love with her students every day, always encouraging them to pick up something new or different and read, read, read.

She will have even more opportunity to provide those new and different reading materials after being selected a winner of the James Patterson Scholastic Book Club Contest. Patterson is a best-selling author of novels who now also writes children’s books.

Parker was one of 5,000 winners selected from 100,000 entries. Each received a $500 prize to spend on Scholastic books.

As part of the entry, Parker had to write a letter to Patterson explaining why her classroom should have the $500 prize.

“We have Scholastic orders each month but some of my kids don’t always have the opportunity to order,” Parker said. “I explained that I would buy books to build up the library we have in the classroom as well as buying each of my students a book of their own. Kids are so excited to get new books. They’re so shiny! It makes them excited about reading.”

Parker has already started buying the books and stocking her library! She ordered and received the books for each student and was able to give them to the children before they left at the Thanksgiving break. She is carefully adding to her classroom library too.

“Five hundred dollars is a lot of money in Scholastic books!” Parker said. “They’re very reasonably priced and they have great deals each month.”

“It’s so important that kids learn to read and like to read,” she continued. “This award will certainly help.”