The 4th annual Bell Top Book Club officially began last week with staff announcing the title to students at a school-wide assembly.

Teachers Tracy Cornell and Sarah Lussier, who are organizing the five-week project, led students in “Are You Smarter Than a Bell Topper” with dog-themed questions to provide hints about the title before it was revealed. Then they uncovered a large reproduction of the book’s cover which was designed by art teacher Mary Kay Ostwald, and announced this year’s title as “Because of Winn-Dixie” by Kate DiCamillo.

Teachers Tracy Cornell and Sarah Lussier announce the 2018 Bell Top Book Club title.

As part of the Bell Top Book Club, every student in the school received their very own copy of the book courtesy of the school’s PTO. The entire school will read the book together, while completing related activities.

“Bell Top Book Club has become a tradition that our kids truly look forward to,” Mrs. Cornell said. “Our students are loving Winn-Dixie and it’s wonderful to see so many faces glued to the pages of their book during reading. The students are begging to keep reading at the end of every chapter. Bell Top Book Club is providing great reading memories for our children to look back on!”

Special thanks to the Bell Top PTO for once again supporting this program.

About the Book
One summer’s day, ten-year-old India Opal Buloni goes down to the local supermarket for some groceries – and comes home with a dog. But Winn-Dixie is no ordinary dog. It’s because of Winn-Dixie that Opal begins to make friends. And it’s because of Winn-Dixie that she finally dares to ask her father about her mother, who left when Opal was three. In fact, as Opal admits, just about everything that happens that summer is because of Winn-Dixie.

Bell Top Book Club Selections
2018 – “Because of Winn-Dixie” by Kate DiCamillo
2017 – “The One and Only Ivan” by Katherine Applegate
2016 – “The Trumpet of the Swan” by E.B. White
2015 – “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” by Kate DiCamillo