Young Vikes and Vals can now set sail into a sea of books in their very own Viking ship at the Bigfork Elementary and Middle School Library.

Crafted by Bigfork High School shop teacher Steve Melkioty, the unique vessel serves as a reading loft fit for any sojourn on the tides of fiction and nonfiction.

The idea for a reading loft originated from new librarian Julie Bonner, who previously taught fifth grade at the school for 10 years. It was part of Bonner’s plan to make the library more inviting to children. She started this plan by having the white walls painted to blue and green with red trim.

The reading nook was a loftier project.

Last year the PTA was talking about where to use money raised by the school’s annual fun run in the spring, Bonner said. She thought the reading loft would be a great project.

Last summer, Bonner met with Melkioty to talk about the project and showed him a printout of a generic design. The imagination behind the final outcome exceeded her expectations.

While students were off for winter vacation, Melkioty spent 107 hours designing, carving, building, staining and installing the Viking ship.

“So here’s our ship,” Bonner said with a big grin, pointing up toward the fierce grimace of a dragon’s head at the bow of the ship.

Bigfork High School freshman Stormy Buckley drew the design of the dragon’s head.

The hope Bonner and Melkioty have is to encourage students to read.

“This is something I understand very well,” Melkioty said. “When I was a little guy — all the way to 12th grade —reading was very hard for me.”

What made him more at ease was taking a book and finding a little nook where he could work on reading.

To encourage reading at Bigfork Elementary and Middle School, Bonner’s one rule for the little Vikings who enter the ship is that they spend their time reading.

On Thursday, third-grader Kayley Campbell walked over a small plank to enter the ship. The plank can be closed to seal the vessel if desired. There are two rows of seating; she took one at the top.

“This is so cool,” Campbell said in her first time inside. “Wow.”

Before long, third-grader Thatcher Tillmann sat in the seat next to her and saved a spot for his friend Coulter Jessop.

“Come on, Coulter,” Tillmann said.

“This could be our main spot,” Jessop replied.

Another student took a seat next to shelving that serves as a book display.

Bonner’s next goal is to increase the number of young adult books geared to middle school readers through donations from the PTA and Friends of Bigfork School who contributed to the Viking ship project.

Hilary Matheson is a reporter for The Daily Inter Lake. She may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.