NATCHEZ — Of approximately 600 book fair projects at McLaurin Elementary School, three top readers took home first prize.

Judged in January, the projects of Kaitlyn Green, Kyla Nobles and Keith Shawn Owens will bring home trophies.

Green, a third grader who won first place in the individual competition, did her project on “The Berenstain Bears and Mama’s New Job.”

“Mama was helping the children to much that she didn’t have time to do what she wanted to do,” she said. “So she started her own business.”

Green said she entered the individual contest because she wanted to be challenged.

“I wanted to do the best that I could, to try to do something by myself,” Green said.

First place in the third grade family competition went to Nobles, who did her project on “Charlotte’s Web.”

“I liked that story, it is very funny,” the 8-year-old, Nobles said. “My mother and my grandmother helped me put it together.”

Owens, a fourth grader who won first place in the individual competition, said he picked “Barn Dance” because it was funny.

“The horse was my favorite because I like to ride horses and go to the rodeo,” he said.

Owens said he liked doing the project because reading is fun.

“I’m good at word puzzles,” the 10-year-old said.

“I like doing puzzles and finding the words.”

While the girls like reading, math is their favorite subject.

“I like math because it is easy and very fun,” the 9-year-old Green said.

“It is exciting,” Nobles said.

Both girls want to go into the medical field.

“I want to be a nurse because I like to help people in my community,” Green said.

Nobles, however, is planning to become a pediatrician because she wants to help children.

Owens wants to be a football player because he has fun playing sports.

The children’s projects are currently being judged along with the projects from other schools in the area.

The projects that are selected go on to a regional competition, McLaurin Librarian Gloria Robinson said.

The children will get a first place trophy and a certificate of their achievement at McLaurin’s Awards Night in May.