Fremd’s annual book fair was up and running during the week of Open House. It marks the second year of the return of an in-person book fair due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, working alongside Anderson’s Bookfair Company, the online website has made it possible for the book fair to continue even through the pandemic and times of transition. Although the in-person book fair ended last Friday, the website continues to be open this week, allowing students to make further last-minute purchases. 

The book fair aims to appeal to as many students as possible by having the books required for certain English classes for all grades and many best-selling books available. All the money from the event goes to Writer’s Week, a celebration of writing that happens in the late winter months that allows students and teachers to share their own stories, as well as bringing writers,  artists, and all kinds of influencers to Fremd.

Fremd English teacher and organizer of the book fair for around a decade, Cristina Williamson, expresses the many joys and the connections she makes that come out of the whole event.

“The thing I really like are the interactions I get with parents and students,” Williamson says. “We have volunteers that help run it, and being able to connect and interact with them and helping others is really fun throughout the week”.

Additionally, Williamson addresses the transition coming from the pandemic. She mentions the many setbacks from previous years dealing with supply and demand issues in response to COVID. 

“Last year, we had an in-person fair, and we weren’t able to have as many of the high-interest books as we usually get in previous years due to the supply issues,” Williamson said. However, this year, we were able to get the number that we usually get of those best-selling books that are often big-sellers at the book fair”.

Williamson finishes by further reflecting on the effects of the pandemic and the greater appreciation of books that students and faculty have.

“There’s definitely a greater appreciation among teachers and students after remote learning and coming back in-person,” Williamson states. “Being able to go back to the traditions of the book fair is really nice and familiar for us, and many students, teachers, and parents appreciate having those experiences again”.