Book fair raises money for flooded school's library

Layla Kaub was on a mission Sunday at T.S. Cooley Elementary’s annual Scholastic Book Fair.

The first-grader was searching for the next cookbook to add to her already 30-book collection.

“I really like making food and I like making new things, and one time I made up my own recipe,” Kaub said. “And I really like science, too, and sort-of cooking is like science.”

Kaub’s grandmother, Faye LeJeune, said last year the pair bought five cookbooks at the fair.

But Kaub said she could still use some more, as she scanned the pages of “The Usborne Children’s Book of Baking” before stopping to read a jelly-roll cake recipe.

“She’s only 7 and she makes her own salad dressing,” LeJeune proudly said. “I never would have thought to melt peppermint but she melted the peppermint and mixed it in.”

That wasn’t the only reason Kaub wanted to go to school on the weekend, though.

“She also thought it would be a big deal to get to see the school when it was not in session to see if it might be more fun,” LeJeune said.

Was it?

“Sort-of,” Kaub grinned.

Monica Russell, who has helped host the book fair for the past five years said the annual event is the primary fundraiser for the school’s library. This year’s fair, though, also had a special purpose.

During the fair, patrons could buy books and gift certificates to donate to Tanglewood Elementary School in Baton Rouge, Russell said.

The school, made up of about 800 first- and second-graders, lost about 90 percent of its library books during recent flooding.

“This is something the school felt like we could do to help them,” Russell said. “We practice the ‘Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ and this is one way of showing that helping others is a win-win.”

Volunteer cashier Angela Lee said nine gift certificates and three books were sold within the first 20 minutes of the fair’s opening.

“Definitely our hearts go out to them, we wanted to do more but this is something we could contribute. I know they’re needing books because everything was destroyed,” said PTO president Michelle Williams. “We want to raise awareness and also give back.”

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