Lupita Elias, looking more like a plant than a second-grader in her sunflower costume, led ThursdayâÂÂs annual Books on Parade extravaganza at Sunflower School.

The grand marshal gave out high-fives to hundreds of fellow students lining the parade route. And she let it be known her favorite book was âÂÂArthur Meets the President.âÂÂ

âÂÂArthur is neat,â she said.

At the back of a line winding through the schoolâÂÂs gym and cafeteria was sixth-grader Bobby Davis, dressed in white and riding in a red wagon to portray the smelly character in âÂÂThe Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.âÂÂ

âÂÂItâÂÂs a funny book,â Davis said. âÂÂAnd I like the pictures.âÂÂ

For the third year running, each class at the elementary school on Inverness Drive selected a book and created a colorful float to illustrate a portion of the bookâÂÂs story. They assembled for a 15-minute parade in the school for about 300 students, teachers and parents.

âÂÂIt makes learning fun,â said Jill Smith, SunflowerâÂÂs principal.

âÂÂWe want to encourage reading,â said Margie Coggins, a library media specialist at Sunflower. âÂÂKids get excited and talk about books.âÂÂ

Their parade books included âÂÂJack and the Beanstalk,â âÂÂEsperanza Rising,â âÂÂA Year Down Yonder,â âÂÂRiding Freedom,â âÂÂThe BFGâ and âÂÂRosieâÂÂs Walk.âÂÂ

No Harry Potter? Not this time, but itâÂÂs a situation that second-grader Benjamin James thinks could be remedied in next yearâÂÂs parade. His favorite book is âÂÂHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.âÂÂ

âÂÂIt has magic in it,â James said.

Ally Koppes, a fifth-grader at Sunflower, said her personal favorite was âÂÂRiding Freedom.â ItâÂÂs the story of a girl who disguised herself as a boy to escape from a grim New Hampshire orphanage.

âÂÂAnd she rides horses,â Koppes said.

Sixth-grader Courtney Kueser said her favorite wasnâÂÂt on anybody elseâÂÂs list. ItâÂÂs Tom ClancyâÂÂs first published book, the tale of a Soviet naval crewâÂÂs attempt to defect.

âÂÂI love âÂÂ’The Hunt for Red October,âÂÂâ Kueser said. âÂÂThe story is interesting. You get hooked on it.âÂÂ

The parade coincided with American Education Week and National Book Week.