More than a year ago, Ana Pasarella began mulling over ways to keep students engaged through literacy over the summer, when accessing books can be a hardship for some students.

“A lot of kids regress because they don’t read over the summer, so we said, ‘What if we have something mobile that we can take to the kids?’” Pasarella, an Alvin ISD family engagement coordinator, said.

After reaching out to the AISD director of transportation, the idea for the book bus began taking shape.

The goal was to create a bus that would drive around AISD and deliver books to students throughout the summer; 2017 marks the second summer that the book bus has been on tour.

This summer, the book bus will make 21 stops across AISD across six weeks in June and July, including stops at a number of elementary schools, libraries and apartment complexes. Children can borrow up to three books and can keep two books.

The book bus has a collection of more than 14,000 books, including those from the Texas Bluebonnet program and the 2x2 Reading List of the Texas Library Association.

“Alvin ISD’s first core belief is that our kids reach their maximum potential when they get more learning opportunities. ... The book bus allows them to be engaged with literacy and to embrace literacy in unique and novel ways,” said Daniel Combs, AISD assistant superintendent of professional learning and student and community engagement.

Most children who visit the bus are elementary school age.

However, the book bus is stocked with reading materials for students from pre-K through high school, Pasarella said.

This summer, the book bus has partnered with the AISD Nutrition Department to provide lunch to children at 14 sites.

“Another great addition is the partnership with community members who come to our stops to read to our students while they eat their lunch,” Pasarella said.

Children are required to eat the lunches on-site. Volunteers will read to children while they eat.

So far, the book bus has served 500-600 children a week this year. Last year, the book bus served 2,500 children, Pasarella said.

The book bus is funded by AISD and the AISD Education Foundation.

“Alvin ISD is 100 percent behind the book bus and expanding the way it is used to serve our community,” Combs said.