I was definitely a Book It! kid in elementary school. Big fan. Reading = Pizza? OF COURSE I WAS EXCITED! I remember going to Pizza Hut to get my personal pan pizza with my mom and dad every few weeks.
I had all but forgotten about Book It! until I saw it under fire recently in the news. Dietitians and child development experts are finally renouncing the program as unhealthy, claiming (among other things) that rewarding kids with food for their academic performance is ultimately damaging.
Teaching and encouraging kids to read is important. No brainer. With childhood obesity on the rise, I certainly understand the negative impact Book It! could have upon kids. (Now that I think about it, I could also imagine if I was rewarded with pizza for all the hours I have spent reading pages of books in my college and seminary career...I imagine that I could weigh significantly more than I do now. Yikes.)
Any of you Book It! alumni like I am? Any of you teachers or parents have thoughts?
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