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Schools

Tucker Students Impact World of Publishing

Through a new galley group at the Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library, local students offer feedback on soon-to-be-published books.

Tucker may not be home to any major publishing houses, but students here can still affect the literary world. The Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library is home to a new Middle Grade Galley Group for Little, Brown and Company Publishers.  Students in the group read selected books and provide input on the content, illustrations, and cover art before the piece goes to final publication.

Youth Services Librarian Nancy Mullins started the galley group earlier this year. Although most of the participants are 9 to 12 years old, everyone is welcome to join. Parents and students can decide if the reading level of each book is appropriate for the child.

The program has created a lot of excitement among the students that participate. “They get really excited when the new book comes, and the parents, too. It’s been well received,” Mullins said.

Through the galley group program, students receive a free copy of the selected book. After reading the entire book, they complete a review form and return it to the Children’s Desk at the library. The forms are returned to Little, Brown and Company where editors consider the feedback when making final decisions for publication. New titles are delivered to the library every other month.

Mullins can see benefits of the program already. “It’s getting [the students] excited about reading. It’s not just a passive thing where they pick up a book and read it and they’re done with it,” said Mullins. “They can actually see it published and maybe hope that they’ve had something to do with how the final product has come out.”

Northlake parent Leigh William plans to get her children involved in the Galley Group. “One benefit I can see is that as the children grow as writers, they can have a glimpse into the publishing industry and how it works. The kids can see that the work of even the best writers goes through many revisions.”

The Middle Grade Galley Group is currently reading Smells Like Treasure by Suzanne Selfors. There are still several copies available for students who would like to participate. If you’re interested in joining the group, stop by the Children’s Desk to pick up a copy of the book and the feedback form. The deadline for returning the completed forms is Wednesday, June 1, 2011.

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