By JUDY SHERARD
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Being the only entries in the youth division of the Edible Books Festival at the Hays Public Library Saturday didn't dampen the Roosevelt Elementary School students' enthusiasm.

The three edible projects were the culmination of literary luncheons where the fifth-grade students met once a week to discuss books after reading an assigned number of pages, said Traci Henning, Roosevelt librarian.

Twenty students started in the group, and 14 completed the project. Students chose one of three nonfiction books Henning selected for the project.

After finishing the book, each group developed plans for its festival entry.

For "Castle" by David Maculey, Ashley Boland, Espy Palmer and Aaron Pickens created a Rice Krispies castle with coconut pretzels.

"Reading is fun. I love reading everything at school," Espy said.
"Tales Mummies Tell" by Patricia Lauber was depicted with mummies in graham cracker coffins. The students dredged the fondant wrapping in cocoa to show age, and built a pyramid of frosted wheat squares, Henning said.

Members of that group, Caden Huff, Austin Miller and Hunter Olsen, were able to attend Saturday's festival.

The third group read "Over the Top of the World" by Will Steger. Their entry featured dogsleds made of pretzels and icing on a base of icing snow. Group members were Jace Walters, Ryanne Berweit, Garrett Gregg, Kara Gabel, Clara Lee, Mackenzie Staab, Nicholas Silva and Jasmine Stecklein.
Walters said he chose the book because it seemed interesting.

"This got him to read. He really had fun doing that and used his imagination," his father John Walters said.

"We just used pretzels and frosting as glue. It helps put things together," Gabel said.
The students worked on their entries last week whenever they had free time, even during recess, Henning said.

The "Top of the World" entry won the eye candy category.
"Mummies" won tasters' choice category, and "Castle" was awarded the technical achievement award.

The only adult entry was "Kindling" by Kimberly Conner. It won the prize in that category for eye candy.
"This is the smallest turnout ever. We usually have a couple of tables of entries," said Conner, a library staff member.

See the online article from the Hays Daily News website - April 2011