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Ah, there's nothing quite like curling up with a good book and worms for McCollum Elementary's summer reading program. Watch »

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Natasha Rupprecht, 7, sits at a child-size table in a child-size chair in a school library, showing off the book she is going to check out on flamingos.

She flips through the pages and shrieks, saying the yellow and black beady eyes of the bird scare her.

But apparently she isn't frightened enough to put the book back and check out another.

Studies by reading experts suggest that children who read six books during the summer months are more likely to maintain or increase their reading ability than their peers.

One Albuquerque elementary school is leading the way to student reading achievement.

McCollum Elementary School has instituted a summer reading program as a way to prevent the gap in learning between the end of a school year and the beginning of the next, Principal Letha Oman said.

Oman, who calls herself "the proudest principal" and has led McCollum for six years, calls the program "a proactive approach to making a difference."

Loretta Serna-Gonzales agrees. She said she brings her three children to the school's library, along with children from the day care she runs out of her home, as frequently as she can.

"They told me this summer my daughter would need to go to summer school or work on her reading, so I did this," she said.

Suzie Fresquez, librarian for the past 13 years, and Judy Martin, a volunteer at the school for more than 30 years, head up the program.

Two mornings and one evening a week, the women open the library for students to check out books, attend story time and participate in activities relating to the book of the day.

The June 27 book was "Diary of a Worm," by Noreen Cronin. After story time, the students made worm puppets, planted live worms in the school's flowerpots and ate worms and dirt — a chocolate pudding with candy worms and crushed Oreo cookies on top.

Miltina Morgan, mother of three, said her son was reluctant to come until he heard about the live worms. She says if supplemental activities like playing with worms help keep her children interested in reading she will keep bringing them back.

After the day's activities, the students swarmed the library to choose books to bring home.

Oman says the program allows students who might not be able to access the public library the ability to read in the summer months.

If students attend six open library times and read six books at their reading level, they will be rewarded with a new book of their choice and T-shirt, Fresquez said.

Oman and Fresquez say they are tracking students' progress and hope when the participating students come back in the fall for testing they see the result.

The program is funded through a grant from the APS Foundation, Scripps Howard News Service and The Tribune.