March Madness took on a literary twist this year in Ms. Stefanie Baldante’s fifth grade classroom at W.S. Mount Elementary. As part of the #classroombookaday challenge, her students have been reading one picture book each day, diving into stories that are curriculum-based, culturally diverse, seasonally themed and just plain fun.

To celebrate their love of reading, the class hosted its own Picture Book March Madness tournament. Sixteen standout titles faced off in head-to-head matchups, with students voting for their favorites based on plot and theme. After several exciting rounds of literary battles, the ultimate winner was “Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando,” a powerful and inspiring story about the invention of instant ramen and the man behind it.

This creative classroom activity brought energy, engagement and a deeper appreciation for storytelling, showing just how powerful a good book – and a little friendly competition – can be.

Date Added: 4/10/2025