Older students, at right, watch as their younger school mates walk by in costumes Friday during the Storybook Parade at Clarkston Elementary School in Tyler. Each class chose a particular book and dressed in costumes of characters from that story for the event to promote reading. Andrew D. Brosig/Tyler Morning Telegraph via APP

Ninjas, princesses and Power Rangers.

Students at Clarkston Elementary dressed up as their favorite storybook characters as part of Red Ribbon Week on Friday.

Elementary schools across Tyler ISD have put a focus on storybook heroes to drive interest in reading.

In addition to letting the students dress up at Clarkston, some campuses decorated pumpkins as their favorite characters and others held elections.

— Cory McCoy