Looking Ahead to Next Year: Fundraising Ideas for Books (Book Fairs & Read-a-Thons) [S7 EP. 254]

Listen to the full episode below:

If the idea of fundraising for your school makes you immediately think of selling cookie dough or sending home awkward donation letters… hang with us for a minute.

In this episode, we’re sharing fundraising ideas that actually works and gets kids excited about reading. Sounds too good to be true? We promise it’s not! We’re focusing mainly on Read-a-Thons and how they can raise serious money for books while building a strong culture of literacy at your school.

Amanda dives into her recent experience running a successful read-a-thon and walks through how it came together - from choosing the right platform to planning themed materials, organizing volunteers, and keeping kids motivated with milestone-based prizes (not just for the top readers!). You’ll also hear about she looped in families and local businesses to turn this into a true community effort.

And if you’re wondering where a book fair fits into all of this? We’ve got ideas for that too…because book fairs aren’t just for elementary schools! Whether you’re looking to stock your classroom library, support your English department, or bring more books into the hands of students, this episode is full of practical strategies to make next year’s fundraising easier, more engaging, and way more fun.

Tune in, take notes, and start dreaming big for your next school-wide event!

Amanda has compiled her step-by-step process for hosting a read-a-thon into a resource for you, complete with text message, social media, and email prompts for families! And guess what? If you’re a member of Happy Hour, you’ll receive it for FREE! 

If you aren’t a member of Happy Hour, you can grab that resource here.

topics discussed:

  • The struggle around getting books for your classroom

  • Exploring the idea of holding a book fair (yes, in high school!)

  • Building community around books through an in-person event

  • Why beginning of the year is the perfect time for a book fundraising event

  • Why you should consider hosting a read a thon at your school - and don’t forget to choose a theme!

  • Breaking down the four steps to holding a readathon: prep, organization, implementation, and the follow-up

resources:

check out other bnt episodes:

More about Brave New Teaching:

Join hosts Amanda Cardenas (Mud & Ink Teaching) and Marie Morris (The Caffeinated Classroom) in discussions about being brave, trying new things, and all things teaching! As seasoned classroom teachers, Amanda and Marie bring their experience, insight, energy, and oh, so many opinions and ideas... It's time for all teachers to take their classroom and teaching practice into their own hands!

Tune in on your favorite podcast apps like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

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