DANVILLE – When it comes to reading books, East Park Elementary School students frequently reach for fiction – particularly titles from the popular "Magic Tree House," "Junie B. Jones" and "Harry Potter" series.

Now they also reach for books on penguin chicks, Sacagawea and George Washington Carver thanks to a new Traveling Book Tub Project.

East Park officials used a Danville Public School Foundation grant to buy more than 400 nonfiction books for the project. They launched it last week after state testing wrapped up.

"We really want to give our students more exposure to nonfiction books," Principal Chris Rice said, adding the books will nicely supplement what's already in the library.

"This is basically another reading unit on wheels," Assistant Brandie Fellers added. "It puts the books right there at their fingertips."

Karen Olson and Lisa Cottrell, the school's data and instructional facilitators, created book tubs for different levels of readers.

They said reading nonfiction – and the multitude of facts – will help students improve their vocabulary, comprehension and other reading skills, as well as in other subjects including writing, science, history and geography. It also can spark their curiosity and interest in learning about other things.

More in Wednesday's News-Gazette.