DeMello Elementary's first and second graders had gathered in the gymnasium, cuddled in blankets, munching on fruits and cereals. Colorful pages from the book "Everyone Loves Bacon" were projected onto the wall as Reading Specialist Lisa Maucione read aloud.

The January 13 "Books, blankets, and breakfast" event was one attempt to build students' interest in reading. Following the reading about the oh-so-popular bacon who ends up getting fried, students were allotted time to read their own books. Third, fourth, and fifth graders read in the cafeteria.

"[The Reading Committee] talked about ways we could get kids reading throughout the school year," said Maucione, explaining that most of the excitement previously centered around National Reading Month in March.

As part of the breakfast gathering, students brought in blankets and breakfast. They also received bookmarks, which were drawn by students themselves. In December, the school had hosted a bookmark contest for each grade. Winners' drawings were then mass-produced for their entire grade.

Second grader Ella Moe was one of the contest winners. Her design included two of her favorite book characters — Piggie (from "Elephant & Piggie") and Beep (from "Beep and Bop") — and the phrase, "Reading is a Superpower."

"My bookmark was very colorful because I love colors. It was all my favorite colors," said Moe. She showed off her "Princess to the Rescue!" book, and explained that she loves superheroes too. Her favorite is Wonder Woman.

"Some books can help you learn, and you can keep doing it to learn more and more," Moe said, explaining why reading is a superpower.

Mae Amaral was the first grade winner of the bookmark contest. Her drawing depicts her and her friend Adam, with "Reading is Awesome" written above the two.

"We were thinking of a slogan," she explained before opening her Curious George book. "When Curious George was trying on costumes, he was saying 'One is too scary. One is too silly. One is just right.'"

Amaral's peer Anna Maniglia reflected on the event while juggling three books in her hands.

"My favorite part was when when we listed to the bacon book. The bacon was alive, and he had so many people that liked him, but then he got eaten," she said.

Elsewhere in the cafeteria, second grader Phoebe Baptiste read a children's version of "Rip Van Winkle."

"It's amazing because he turns into a wizard," she said excitedly, sitting up in a mermaid blanket that she received for Christmas.

Nearby, Mark Reves hesitated to put down "The Canary Caper."

Other events planned for the semester include a reading campout, that will incorporate sleeping bags and flashlights, and a book tasting, which will let students sample different genres of literature.