FAIRHOPE, Ala. - More than 600 students and 20 guest readers participated this week in J. Larry Newton School’s “Gift of Reading” program, now in its seventh year.

“Children benefit so greatly from being read aloud to,” said Melanie Langdon, the school’s library media specialist who conducted the program. “This is a wonderful opportunity for guest readers to share their love of reading with students.”

All students at the K-6 school participated in the Monday through Thursday program as guest readers shared their favorite Christmas books or other stories during 45 minute intervals and also talked with students about the reading, their jobs and other topics.

Terri Bishop, the school’s Parent Teacher Organization president, read “The Candy Maker’s Gift: The Inspirational Legend of the Candy Cane,” Langdon said.

“In this Christmas story, a candy maker sets out to create a special Christmas treat for children everywhere, a treat that would tell the true meaning of Christmas,” she said.

The annual program is a much-anticipated library activity for all Newton School students, Langdon said.

The school’s library is set up with a tiered seating area where students gather to listen to guest readers as in a small amphitheater. Before one reading this week, a class of third-graders filed quietly into the library, with one student balancing a tall stack of library books being returned after a class program.

The new superintendent of Baldwin County Schools, Dr. Alan Lee, was a guest reader Monday.

“Community members, educational leaders, parents, and leaders from local and county governments are invited to participate in the program,” Langdon said. “Other than just plain fun, listening to someone read a book increases a child’s attention span, builds listening skills, and develops the ability to concentrate at length. Our children look forward to having guest readers come to our school to share a Christmas book with them.”