The Brightside: Fallyn Loves Reading!

WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. – Fallyn Westbrook, she’s not your average 2nd grader.

Put any book in front of Fallyn and she’ll read it– teachers even say her literacy exceeds second grade standards.

“She is an incredibly fluent reader,” said Buckingham Elementary School literacy coach, April Winterson.

Fallyn is Buckingham’s 2025 Read-A-Thon winner, and a recipient of the Reading is FUNdamental award through the Briddell Family Foundation. They’re accolades that April said are a testament to her love for reading.

“Based on how she reads in class and how she reads to you, she surpasses our expectations for a 2nd grade reader. I think it truly is reflective of all she reads,” April said.

From Big Nate books to Harry Potter, Fallyn dabbles in it all.

“I like the words and the pictures,” Fallyn said.

And no matter the book, April said reading to young children can help them better retain the knowledge and can unlock a newfound love for literacy.

“Read to your kids, no matter if they’re 1, or 13,” April said.

“Taking time to read with kids creates opportunities… truthfully, the number one way to get better at reading is just to read, whether that’s a picture book or a novel. Just finding opportunities to read is the best thing that parents can do,” she added.