Saturday, November 26, 2011

Help Spread Family Literacy!

Please join me in supporting one of my favorite literacy organizations, LitWorld.

LitWorld is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization led by Executive Director Pam Allyn, a renowned literacy educator and advocate. LitWorld works to cultivate literacy leaders worldwide through transformational literacy experiences that build connection, understanding, resilience, and strength. LitWorld joins together with teachers, parents, community members, and children to support the development of sustainable literacy practices across the world.
What am I doing for LitWorld?

I am running a book drive on Amazon to help support LitWorld's next event.

The event is a book fair, called LitFest, scheduled for December 10. It will take place at the Polo Grounds Community Center in Harlem. The center serves 4,100 residents of the Polo Grounds Towers, and is a hub site for LitWorld. The Polo Grounds Towers are part of a public housing project, located on the former home of the New York Giants.

The purpose of the event is to encourage parents to read with their children over the holidays while students are out of school, and to provide them with books to give as gifts to their children. It is going to be a drop-in fair where community members can come to get books for their family, There will be booths with literacy themed activities to inspire children and families to have fun with reading as well.


Help me provide books for LitFest to distribute on December 10.

Donating is simple. Just go to http://amzn.com/w/1PB8NSHLF75UR

There you will find a list of the books that have been requested by LitWorld. Please choose new books either from Amazon or its vendors. Amazon will ship the books directly to the LitWorld headquarters in Manhattan. If you have an Amazon account, just be sure to check the LitWorld address instead of your regular addresses.

So it is easy to donate. And afterward you can feel good about supporting family literacy.


Please order by December 1 to make sure books will arrive in time for the December 10 event.

Thank you in advance for helping to spread literacy in our local communities!

Cheers,

Madeline


To learn more about LitWorld, go to http://litworld.org/

Literacy is the foundation for emotional and physical well-being, intellectual growth, and economic security. The right to read and write is a fundamental human right and belongs to all people.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Season's Readings

The holiday season is nearly upon us. Thanksgiving is around the corner. Chanukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa are not far behind. As you makes your to-do lists, plan a visit to your local library to pick up some books about the holidays to read with your preschooler. Many libraries and bookstores have special displays in anticipation of the season. Reading about holidays helps your child appreciate the meaning of special days and maybe even understand the reasons for the celebration. Learning about how families celebrate holidays also gives you a chance to compare your family traditions with those of others.

What I think . . .

There are all kinds of readers. Some—like my daughter and me—are never without a book to read for pleasure. Others—like my son—are careful, analytical, and curious readers who read primarily to seek information from the page.


No matter what kind of reader your child becomes, you can help him or her get started. After all, you are your child’s first teacher. And, best of all, you can have some fun in the process.


Please feel free to share your own ideas. Tell me about ways you've enjoyed reading with your child.


Madeline Boskey, Ph.D.