For the second graders at Pamlico County Primary School, a little rain was not enough to throw a dark cloud over their beach-themed reading celebration last Tuesday. Outfitted with flower leis and their RIF backpacks, they arrived ready to choose their new books and stretch out on their beach towels to read them.
Juliana wants to be a dog trainer or veterinarian one day, so she made sure to pick up a book about bigger dogs as well as one with mini-schnauzers, because she’ll “need to know about all kinds of dogs for the future.”
Ayden was so excited when he found a new book about volcanoes that he just held it proudly over his head for his classmates and teachers to see. “I’m just fascinated by lava. You can’t really play in lava.”
One student said it was the best day of his life –“It’s my birthday AND I get five new books to take home just for me.”
In places like Pamlico County, when school doors close for the year, children from low-income families have limited access to books and educational enrichment opportunities. As a consequence, they can lose more than two months of reading skills before getting back into the classroom.
For the 16 million children who live in poverty in the U.S. and are falling further behind their peers from middle and high-income families each year, their learning loss can add up to four full years by the time they reach high school graduation. We need to get creative to inspire these children to fall in love with reading and develop the skills they need to succeed.
That’s why we’ve rolled out Summer Reading Success, a multi-year summer reading program and research study funded through the U.S. Department of Education’s Innovative Approaches to Literacy (IAL) grant. Our goal is to prevent this dangerous summer slide and help kids thrive through an affordable approach that can scale across the nation.
In a nutshell, the program provides 2,800 elementary classrooms with the tools to fight the summer slide, including resources for parents and teachers, and brand new books for students to choose from, read over the summer, and keep as their own.
But the real story is what’s happening on the ground.
Across the country, 173 schools enrolled in our Summer Reading Success program are holding events like Pamlico’s beach day. These reading celebrations, where students get to select books at their reading levels, take place just before summer break. Their book options span myriad topics from dog heroes to disaster survivors to dinosaur dinners and everything in between. Schools and teachers receive our custom training and resources to help students engage deeply with the books they choose.
And as a result, children are coming up to us saying things like, “Did you know that chocolate comes from the rainforest, and if we didn’t have any rainforests we wouldn’t have any chocolate?” We can see firsthand that they’re getting hooked on reading and learning.
We’re excited that results from the first year of the program look promising, and we’ll keep you updated as the study progresses. For now, you don’t have to take our word for it. Just take a look at these smiling faces:
At RIF HQ, we get a lot of letters and photos from RIF programs around the country. In addition to the endlessly adorable thank you notes from RIF kids, we get updates on book distributions and summaries of inspired reading events that our volunteers invent and execute all the time.
And sometimes, we get a story we just have to share.
Last month, at Monroe Intermediate in Alabama, a fourth-grader named Justin browsed his school’s RIF library for something to read. The book he chose, It Jes’ Happened, is a children’s book out of our 2014 Multicultural Collection about the life of Bill Traylor, a self-taught artist who had grown up as a slave and only began drawing after he moved at 80 years old to Montgomery, Alabama. He drew pictures of his childhood memories, of his life on the farm, of people he saw in the city, and is now considered a great American folk artist.
It’s a captivating book. An incredible, true story told simply and accompanied by colorful, evocative pictures. But something more kept Justin flipping through those pages. He’d seen the man in the pictures before, but where?
A photo in his grandmother’s home. Of all places.
On an unexpected journey through a book sitting in his school, Justin had come face to face with his great-great-great grandfather Bill. What an incredible experience!
However slim the chances, these moments happen. And we plan to keep making them happen. Take our pledge or give to RIF to support all the kids like Justin who could be traveling into the future – or making deep, deep connections to the past – with reading.
Did you see the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign launched at the beginning of the month? Authors and Book People across the U.S. have ignited a fierce social media movement to show that readers want stories with a greater range of perspectives, experiences, and faces.
At RIF, we’ve been working to bring high-quality diverse books to children since 2007 with our Multicultural Book Collection, and it’s amazing to see so many people rally behind a cause that we know is important. Books are powerful windows and mirrors for us all, and can inspire children to dream bigger and climb higher.
Check out some of our favorite tweets below, and add your voice to the movement.
We’ve got a few special items left from our gala auction last month, and they’re on sale from now until May 27th.
Make a bid if you’re feeling lucky, or go ahead and buy your favorite item. 100% of your purchase supports our mission to provide books and literacy resources to kids in need. Check out our fabulous goods!
UPDATE: The campaign has now ended. After an incredible turnout within the first three days of the campaign, we hit Macy’s giving goal. Thanks to your participation, Macy’s will donate $90,000 to RIF! And guess what? You can still send these lovely e-cards until Mother’s Day on May 11th and enjoy our mom-inspired booklist and activities.
When’s the last time you thanked your mom?
With help from Macy’s, overwhelm her – and all the Moms in your life – with thanks this year. From Monday, April 28th through May 11th, send a Mother’s Day ecard and Macy’s will donate $2 to RIF – for every single card sent. You can send up to 10 cards a day by email and 15 by Facebook, every day.
So be generous! You know Mom would be. Pick RIF when you choose your card, and tell her that while you’re thanking her, you’re also helping get books to the children who need them most.
For those of you with children in your life, here are some of our favorite kids’ books about moms and their special kind of love:
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Hush! by Minfong Ho, Holly Meade (illustrator) – In this beautifully illustrated Thai lullaby, Mom must go around quieting the creatures of the night whose sounds threaten to wake her sleeping baby. |
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My First Day by Steve Jenkins, Robin Page – Has your kid ever asked you what happened on the day they were born? Textured cut paper portraits bring 22 animals to life on their first day of existence as you learn which ones had Mom nearby to help and which were on their own from birth. |
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Lucky Ducklings by Eva Moore, Nancy Carpenter (illustrator) – When Mama Duck takes her little ones for a walk through town, one by one they fall down into a storm drain! Can three firemen and a tow truck driver reunite Mama Duck with her ducklings? |
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Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper by Ann Malaspina, Eric Velasquez (illustrator) – Young minds will be inspired by this true story of Alice Coachman, America’s first African American Olympic gold medalist, who never forgets how hard Momma works so that Alice could rise high. |
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Snow School by Sandra Markle, Alan Marks (illustrator) – Follow two young snow leopard cubs as their mom helps them grow strong and teaches them how to survive in the snowy mountains. |
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Tea Cakes for Tosh by Kelly Starling Lyons, E. B. Lewis (illustrator) – Tosh loves spending time baking with his grandma and listening to her stories. When she starts to forget a favorite recipe, Tosh has an idea that will keep their tradition alive. |
Get your kid in gear for Earth Day on April 22 with these “green” reads from our 2014 Multicultural Book Collection. Some of the books feature activities that are sure to inspire the nature-lover in your young reader.
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The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales by Dawn Casey, Anne Wilson (Illustrator) — Travel around the world with folktales about living in harmony with nature. Each story comes with an activity, like making a cornhusk doll or a mini water garden. |
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The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins — Did you know that one out of every four living things on earth is a beetle? Find out more fascinating facts about the world of beetles in this beautifully illustrated book. |
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The Eye of a Whale: A Rescue Story by Jennifer O’Connell — This true tale of an extraordinary whale reminds us of the unique connections we have with animals and the importance of caring for their habitats. |
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Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Susan L. Roth, Cindy Trumbore — Above the treetops of Puerto Rico flies a flock of parrots as green as their island home. These are Puerto Rican parrots. Learn how this special species was saved from the brink of extinction. |
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The Patchwork Garden by Diane De Anda — Toña wants to grow vegetables the way her abuela did when she was little, but has to get creative since her city apartment is surrounded by cement. |
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Track that Scat! by Lisa Morlock, Carrie Anne Bradshaw — Finn heads out for a walk in her brand new shoes, only to step in scat…again and again! This story is sure to get lots of giggles, while learning scat facts for different animals. |
Whether you’ll be joining us next month in Washington, D.C. at RIF’s 2014 Cat in the Hat Gala or not, you can already get in on the fun — our gala auction is now open! Register online and bid on one-of-a-kind items today.
RIF’s auction is known for the original artwork created and donated by well-known children’s illustrators. Illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi worked with his six-year-old daughter, Sophia, to create his original painting for this year’s gala. See their process below, and their mention in last week’s Publishers Weekly.
This year, you can also bid on unique experiences and vacations, sports memorabilia, and rare, collectible Dr. Seuss artwork. Click to see all the fantastic items we have for you this year. Bidding will remain open until 8:30pm on April 24, the evening of the gala, and winners will be posted on our website the following day. Happy bidding, Book People!
We hope you’re as excited as we are for RIF’s 2014 Cat in the Hat Gala! Today, we had an extra special treat when the CAT IN THE HAT visited our office in person to draw the winners of our photo contest!
Watch the video to see who won, then check out some of our favorite photo submissions from RIF coordinators across the country.
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- From Tara Millbrand at Read Out and Read San Diego in San Diego, California
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- From Deborah Endicott at Southwest Region Schools in Dillingham, Alaska
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- From Ruby Rodriguez at the Cuero ISD RIF Program in Cuero, Texas
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- From Gustavo Villanueva in Weslaco, Texas
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- From Darcia Millwood at the Mid-Cumberland Head Start Early HS in Springfield, Tennessee
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- From Gustavo Villanueva in Weslaco, Texas
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- From Susan Proulx at Belmont Street Community School in Worcester, Massachusetts (Grade 2)
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- From Susan Proulx at Belmont Street Community School in Worcester, Massachusetts (Grade 4)
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- From Julia Ochoa at the Brewster School in Edinberg, Texas
Meet the 2014 Anne Hazard Richardson RIF Volunteers of the Year! Each of these amazing book people have had an impact on thousands of children and their families. They’ve brought delight and discovery to children with their dedication to the love of reading.
Mary Ellen Cravotta of Fort Bragg, NC
Elementary Librarian at Irwin Intermediate School
Mary Ellen knows how to make RIF events magical and memorable by involving the entire community at one the largest military bases in the U.S.— students, teachers, parents, soldiers, and commanders feel the joy!
“RIF helps kids realize books are great, that they make all the difference in their world,” says Mary Ellen. “My mission is to build a culture of reading with children and parents. In order to do that, I need lots of exciting reading activities. RIF has just been perfect for that.”
Ramon Gonzalez of New York, NY
Assistant Director, St. Aloysius Education Clinic
Ramon has loved RIF since he was seven. That’s when he appeared in one of the first RIF public service announcements and helped collect 1,000 pounds of aluminum to raise money to buy books.
Now, nearly four decades later, his passion to nurture young readers has led to his current role helping to serve 2000 children in seven different schools and a summer program.
“We are improving the greater Harlem community,” says Ramon. “Those who couldn’t read can now read. Kids we give books to tell us they want to stay in school and succeed. It definitely is a win.”
JoEllen Leech of Pittsburgh, PA
Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator
When JoEllen Leech joined RIF Pittsburgh in 2010, the organization had just adopted two programs after the close of another local children’s literacy group. It was JoEllen’s hard work, inspiration, and leadership that brought new life to those initiatives.
“We get hugs and happiness . . . the light in their eyes when they see us come. It’s a life-changing experience,” says JoEllen Having an opportunity to help children become readers really speaks to me.”
Celebrate with us!
The Volunteers of the Year Award winners will be recognized during RIF’s The Cat in the Hat Gala in Washington, D.C. on April 24. Get tickets and info.
As the heart of the home, the kitchen is that special place where family traditions and oral histories emanate like the wonderful aroma of baking bread. The beauty of families in the kitchen is that it’s the place we all have time to talk—parents and children, grandparents and guests—we talk about family, about traditions, about times now and times past. We laugh and we cry, but we tell stories as we prepare and eat food.
Oral histories provide the richest literacy experiences we can share with our children. While creating deeper connections with family and baking in sweet memories, simply talking increases vocabulary and strengthens oral language skills in children.
So let’s get cooking– and talking! What are your favorite family recipes? Black History Month and Valentine’s Day are the perfect time to pass the culinary love through the family.
If you don’t have a favorite, check out Tea Cakes for Tosh by Kelly Starling Lyons, a delicious read from our newest multicultural book collection that tells the story of a family recipe passed down from before the days of Emancipation, yet as important today as then. The story behind grandma’s tea cake recipe is recounted from generation to generation. It’s a tradition every family can relate to.
My mother always made Swedish Spritz Valentine’s cookies with her little cookie press. My sisters and I helped her decorate them, eating as many as we decorated. To this day, every single Valentine’s, my daughter and I do the same thing. Enjoy!
Swedish Spritz Cookies
1 1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 t almond
4 c sifted all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
Directions:
Thoroughly cream butter and sugar
Add egg vanilla and almond; beat well
Sift flour and baking powder togeher; add to creamed mixture, mix unitl smooth
Force cookie through a cookie press on an ungreased cookie sheet
Decorate with whatever you like
Bake at 400 for 7-8 minutes
Cool on rack; decorate with powedered sugar icing if desired.
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