More Reading is Sweet!

Reading is sweet, can we all agree? There’s nothing quite like building a reading environment that feels fun, joyful, and just a little bit magical ,and that’s exactly why I want to share this bright, cookie-themed library idea that we recently brought to life. We call it “Reading Is Sweet,” and it’s one of those projects that makes your space feel warm, inviting, and full of color — without leaning into any particular holiday or tradition (which is a win when you want inclusivity).

In October, our library comes alive as a Storybook Pumpkin Patch, and I send this Reading is Sweet cookie character flier home before our Thanksgiving Break.

It started as a simple, playful idea — students and families decorating paper cookies to look like book characters — and it’s grown into one of those small, high-impact activities that makes our library feel celebratory and welcoming. Seeing the hallway fill with familiar characters — Fly Guy’s big eyes, Morris the Moose holding his heart, Pigeon’s dramatic expressions — is the kind of sight that reminds you why we love this school librarian job.

The setup is delightfully simple, and that’s part of what makes it so perfect for the busy holiday season. Families help students create cookie cutouts that look like beloved picture-book characters, and then we display them on large sheets of foil so they seem like enormous cookie trays mounted on the walls. The effect is bright, cheerful, and instantly kid-friendly. Because the characters are made with family involvement, each piece tells a story — a shared moment between home and school — and those stories bring warmth to our library environment.

If you’re thinking, “That sounds cute but time-consuming,” don’t worry. It can be scaled to fit your time and resources. We used simple materials: construction paper, markers, scissors, and a little creativity. The display itself is low-effort but high-impact: fold some foil at the edges to mimic a baking sheet, arrange the cookies, and watch the smiles roll in. You can invite volunteers, partner with parent groups, or even make it a take-home activity that students bring back (that’s what I did). The goal is connection and celebration, not perfection.

Beyond being visually delightful, this project is a subtle literacy booster. When students see characters they recognize, they’re reminded of the books that introduced those characters — and it’s an easy conversation starter. “Who is this cookie?” quickly becomes “Which book is that from?” and then “Who wants to check out that book?” It’s a gentle nudge toward sharing titles, recommending favorites, and encouraging independent reading. The display helps normalize talking about books in the hallway and keeps titles circulating in students’ minds.

One of my favorite things about these cookie characters is how inclusive and flexible they are. Because the cookies are characters rather than tied to a specific holiday, you can use this idea any time of year: for literacy nights, family engagement events, or as a semester kickoff activity. It’s also adaptable to different grade levels: younger students might focus on simple shapes and recognizable features, while older students can add more detail or write a sentence about their character’s story. You can even theme a display around an author study, seasonal reads, or a classroom reading challenge.

If you’d like to try this in your library, I’ve shared this free download with printable templates and directions to get you started. It’s a nice little time-saver when you’re juggling a million other things. In our experience, the payoff is all heart: students beam when they spot a friend’s cookie on the wall, parents enjoy contributing something tangible, and staff love the way the library feeling shifts from “just a room” to “a place where reading is celebrated.”

So if you’re looking for a quick, inexpensive way to brighten your library and build a bridge between home and school, give the cookie character display a try. It’s creative, community-building, and, most importantly, it makes reading feel like the sweet treat it is.

To answer a frequently asked question, I will give a spirit stick to each student who participates. You could also give a gingerbread scratch-n-sniff bookmark, or the gingerbread pencils from Oriental Trading as participation prizes.

Happy decorating — and even happier reading!