Dickinson’s Public Schools ‘Book Corral’ puts a new spin on the classic bookmobile

DICKINSON, ND – There’s nothing better than a good book on a hot summer day.

But sometimes having access to a new book can keep children from reading.

This is where the good news comes in.

At Dickinson, literacy leaders have come up with a creative new way to get kids picking up a book this summer.

Angela Skaarvold is looking for a good book. She and her twins are regulars at the Book Corral.

“It’s really exciting for them to get a book and we come every week and then they want to go straight home and read it,” Skaarvold said.

The “Book Corral” is a mobile library with a new twist.

“We really promote family literacy,” explained Rhonda Kraenzel, Parent Literacy Liaison for Dickinson Public Schools.

This bus was donated to Dickinson Public Schools. Kraenzel gave it his personal touch.

“’Rhinestone Rhonda’ is my character. I have a little redneck side to me,” she said with a laugh.

Five days a week, “Rhinestone Rhonda” parks the “Book Corral” in another part of town. All of these books were donated or purchased through a grant. What makes the “Book Corral” unique is that the books are free and there is no payment process.

“Just take a few books, we say three to five per child, but who’s counting?” said Kraenzel.

There is also no deadline.

“We want it to be easy,” Kraenzel added.

Instead of returning the books, Kraenzel encourages families to pass them on. The idea is to put more books in the hands of more children.

“It just gives families another way to access books without having to spend money,” she said.

And “Rhinestone Rhonda” strives to make reading fun and show families that it’s something they can do together.

“So much learning, so much bonding, relationships are built not just by reading together, but by talking about what you read together. And make it fun by doing something the kids enjoy, which makes it an easy choice,” Kraenzel said.

There’s no doubt that these visits to the Book Corral made buying a book the Skaarvold twins’ top choice for summer fun.

The Book Corral is a Dickinson Public Schools project, but is open to all children, no matter where they live or go to school.

You will find ‘Rhinestone Rhonda’ and the ‘Book Corral’ in a different location around Dickinson five days a week the rest of the summer. The schedule is on Facebook – just search “Lovin’ Literacy for Life”.

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