The Mrs. Turcotte Read Aloud Challenge

1 min read
Betsy Turcotte
Betsy Turcotte

As you may have heard Mallett School’s amazing and wonderful librarian, Betsy Turcotte, is retiring at the end of this school year. Working closely with Betsy all these years has been one of the best things about my job so I’ve been firmly in denial about her retirement for some time. At this point, however, it seems obvious that for the 4,327th time in a row denial hasn’t prevented something I hoped wouldn’t happen from happening.

With acceptance comes the need for The Mrs. Turcotte Read Aloud Challenge. Over the next five weeks everyone in the community is invited to help create a small book for Betsy. Each page will be made up of a four line stanza submitted by contestants here. One stanza will be picked as the winning entry of the week. Children from Mallet School will illustrate each page after the winning stanza of the week is selected.

Below you will find the opening page’s stanza. Just provide your entry for page two below. Each week the book will grow by a page, and we’ll post the ongoing book on Tuesday. Have fun!


I ran down the hallway racing to find

What new worlds might be waiting

What new friends I might meet

When our class had gathered at Mrs. Turcotte’s feet

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

12 Comments

  1. Here we go everyone! Let’s wow Mrs. Turcotte with our command of the written word!

  2. Betsy was my teacher at Kingfield Elementary School more than 30 years ago. Congratulations on a well deserved retirement!!!

  3. “I ran down the hallway” – really? Not at Mallett. Mrs. Turcotte would not approve!

  4. But gathering around, we were suddenly aware
    Mrs. Turcotte was not the one perched in her chair.
    In her place, a bookworm, looking quite stern:
    “You’ll need to read up if you want her return!”

  5. Page 2 for either

    What new worlds might be waiting OR What new friends I might meet

    “in the pages”

  6. We read some good books

    With the nicest librarian

    Then we pick out the best books

    We leave her library with the most excited looks!

  7. She always greets us with a big smile

    and with a book in her hand

    We get transported into a magical land

    all because Mrs. Turcotte is so grand.

  8. Billy was poking Sally with his shoe
    Brianna was giggling with Mary Lou
    Tom fiddling with the zipper on his sweat shirt
    But when Mrs. Turcotte opened the book in her hand…

  9. we parade around in our costumes,
    until we go back to our classrooms.
    when we leave, she gives us a big smile
    until we see her again in a little while.

  10. We were squirming with excitement
    for the new book this week.
    I spotted the cover and
    was tempted to just take a peek.

  11. Eric Carle, Judy Blume, Roald Dahl

    We’ve read them all.

    Dr. Suess, Jan Brett, Beverly Cleary

    I’ve read so much, my eyes are bleary.

  12. Since Pre-K children do not get to meet with the librarian, Erika Neal & I would like to submit our own stanzas for the help she has given US, as the Pre-K teachers:

    She greets with a smile,
    She always has time.
    When we ask for a book,
    She comes up with nine!

    Our library has
    Such a wonderful feel
    She knows how to make
    A place with appeal!

    She asks about children
    With genuine concern
    She finds the right book
    So our children can learn.

    Mrs. Turcotte’s so great
    She knows everyone’s name
    We nominate her for…
    Mallett’s Hall of Fame!

    Feel free to pick one of these, or submit them for 4 different days (we’re used to being the round pegs for the square holes).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.