It didn’t take much time for a half-dozen Ben Franklin Science Academy students to pounce onto a bin of books big enough to store all  the kids.

Right behind them came two book bins just as big.

“I got a Christmas book,” Kaitlynn McGee said, proudly holding the book. Then she pointed to a book about Beauty and the Beast and said “can I have that pink and flowery one?”

Actually, Kaitlynn and her friends will have to wait until March to get their books. The books at BFSA were among 20,000 books delivered to eight Muskogee schools in preparation for Read Across America Day on March 3. Trucks from the Oklahoma City charity Feed the Children delivered the books Tuesday.

“It’s so great to have the kids look at the books and get excited,” said Erin Carlstrom, Feed the Children’s director of educational programs.

Carlstrom said each of the 10 bins delivered Tuesday holds 2,000 books. BFSA got three bins because the school will use the books at a special Literacy Night later this year. Other schools, getting one bin each, were: Cherokee, Grant Foreman, Harris-Jobe, Irving, Tony Goetz and Whittier elementary schools and Alice Robertson Junior High. The eight schools have a combined enrollment of approximately 1,324 students, which means each student could get an average of six books.

BFSA literacy resource specialist Suzie Orton said the books will be handed out during the district’s observance of Read Across America, a day promoting the value of reading. The event is sponsored by the National Education Association and held every March on the birthday of children’s books writer Dr. Seuss.

“Read Across America puts the spotlight, for at least one day, on the importance of parents reading for children,” Carlstrom said. “That’s why it’s important to have schools giving kids books to take home. Children are asked to read 20 minutes a night and they don’t have the materials. This enables them to have a little library at their house.”

Feed the Children gave out 20,000 new or gently used books last year to the eight Muskogee schools. Orton said BFSA received 2,000 books to hand out at last year’s Read Across America.

“We had so many books left over, we had to have another Literacy Night to hand out the rest,” Orton said. “This year, we’ll be able to have even more Literacy Nights.”

Reach Cathy Spaulding at (918) 684-2928 or cspaulding@muskogeephoenix.com.