A flurry of activities kept the Windsong Intermediate Library students and librarian hopping during the second semester.
           In January, 473 of Windsong students voted for the Texas Bluebonnet Award. To be eligible to vote for the book of their choice, students must have read or listened to the reading of 5 of the twenty 2010-2011 Texas Bluebonnet Nominees. As stated on the Texas Library Association website (www.txla.org/TBA)
           “The Texas Bluebonnet Award (TBA) reading program was established in 1979 to encourage Texas children to read more books, explore a variety of current books, develop powers of discrimination, and identify their favorite books,” Librarian Susan Brisbay said.
           According to Brisbay, the Texas Bluebonnet Award program gives students a strong voice in the book industry and she is quite proud that 94 percent of her student population exercised their right to vote.
           The Uglified Ducky: A Maynard Moose Tale by Willy Claflin was the overwhelming favorite of the students at Windsong Intermediate school, as well as across the state of Texas, thus receiving the 2011 Texas Bluebonnet Award.
           “Children like humor and they love audio books and this book has both,” stated Mrs. Brisbay, “Willy Claflin is an excellent storyteller who keeps his audience enthralled and laughing with his character voices and story telling talent. James Stimson’s illustrations added to the humor and the endearing quality of the story.”
Students who voted were honored at a Bluebonnet Bash in the library on Friday, March 4. Students played Bluebonnet Bingo, Bluebonnet trivia, received tattoos, “Express Yourself” pencils, and official TBA silly bands. One lucky student, Isabelle Ruiz, won a Texas Bluebonnet backpack containing some of the 2011-2012 Texas Bluebonnet nominees. Seventy other students received a dedication plate in a 2011-2012 Texas Bluebonnet nominee purchased for the Windsong Intermediate Library and were the first to borrow that book from the library.
           Both students and librarian were excited about the books for sale in the PTO sponsored Scholastic Book Fair in the library in February.
           Also, in February 29 students participated in the Six Flags Read to Succeed program and were rewarded with free tickets to Six Flags Fiesta Texas for reading 360 minutes for pure pleasure.
           In May, fourth and fifth grade students competed in A Battle of the Books, a collaborative effort between PTO, The Friendswood Public Library, and the Windsong Intermediate Library. Students competed in grade level teams, answering questions about 28 titles that were available at the Friendswood Public Library and the Windsong Intermediate Library.
           “Based on the teams that practiced for the Battle of the Books in the Windsong Intermediate Library after school, students had a blast reading and discussing the books,” Brisbay said. “Congratulations go out to the winning 4th grade team Edwin Daniel, William North, Benjamin Kuo, and Nick Ess, and the winning 5th grade team Lane Alksne-Liles, Ethan Bui, Vishal Bhongir, and Harrison Otto.”            Also in May, 123 students participated in the 6th Annual Windsong Book Swap where students swapped ”like new” books purchased through out the year. Each student went home with different books to read this summer at no additional cost to parents. All total, books valued at $2650 were swapped.
           The final event in the library was a game day hosted for classes of students who had all returned their library books on the final day of library.
           Brisbay would like to thank her 20 volunteers who made all these events possible and helped her run an open library all year. Without their valuable time and effort, none of this would have been possible.