The Power of Reading

We just celebrated Black History Month, but I didn't want you to miss the opportunity to listen to this interview with one of my favorite authors--Chirstopher Paul Curtis. His historical fiction novels, BUD NOT BUDDY, and THE WATSON GO TO BIRMINGHAM are very special reads.

Walter Dean Myers, another celebrated children's author and five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, emphasizes the importance of helping every child become a reader. On January 10th, he became The National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. The Library of Congress awarded him this honorary position, and you can listen to his acceptance speech at the link above.

Finally, an upcoming opportunity to encourage reading in your home, school, neighborhood, and community is coming on March 7. Join in WORLD READ ALOUD DAY and help foster the love of reading. Who will you read to or read with or listen to on March 7? Or better yet--start the reading today!

Take Your Child to the Library Day

Just three days away--TAKE YOUR CHILD TO THE LIBRARY DAY!

Of course, any day is a good day to take your child to the library, but on February 4 many libraries will have extra events and activities planned. Even if you can't make it this Saturday, plan a family library excursion as soon as you can. You'll all benefit. The more and better kids read, the better they'll do in school.

No matter their interest or reading level, there should be something appealing for them at the library. And if you all have trouble finding it, ask a librarian for help.

Happy reading!

Save the Children

I know it seems like we've just celebrated Christmas, but January is going by very quickly. Soon it will be Valentine's Day. I found out about a couple great ways to celebrate the upcoming holiday.

Sponsor a Milk and Bookies party. Milk and Bookies is a nonprofit organization that helps kids become part of the process for enhancing the lives of underprivileged children. At a Milk and Bookies party, kids bring books to donate for kids who don't have books of their own. To find out more, visit the link above.

Send special valentine cards from Save the Children. Proceeds from these cute cards go toward Save the Children education programs, which help inspire kids to love reading. Save the Children helps kids around the world with programs in education, nutrition, and health. They are a "link between poverty and literacy."

By grade four, a student needs to be able "to read to learn." If a child is not on par for reading at his/her grade level by third grade, he/she will start falling behind dramatically. Underprivileged children are at the biggest risk for this literacy shortfall. Help make a difference in their lives--one book and one child at a time.

Websites for Kids

The American Library Association has redesigned its site, GREAT WEBSITES FOR KIDS. The site is more inviting and easy to navigate. Plus, it offers weekly and monthly specials like "Site of the Week" and "Site of the Month."

What a great way to start 2012--a super resource for all your school assignments or just for exploring the wide, wide world of knowledge. I just discovered that an octopus can change color. Who knew?

Spend a little time at some of the sites you'll find at GREAT WEBSITES FOR KIDS and see what you can discover.

Merry Christmas!

I hope you've taken some time and created a Christmas poem or two of your own. If you haven't yet, you still have time.

I'll include a third and final Christmas poem here today and wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!


CHRISTMAS PEACE

Christmas bliss
Christmas joy
Christmas dreams fill each girl and boy.

Christmas babe
Christmas sights
Christmas stars light up the night.

Christmas hugs
Christmas smiles
Christmas love spreads across the miles.

Christmas hope
Christmas day
Christmas peace brightens our way.

Acrostic Poems

Did you write a Christmas poem yet? Not sure where to start...

Here is a quick and easy poem to get you started--an Acrostic Poem.
An Acrostic Poem is simply spelling out a word, vertically--one letter on top of the other.
Then you need to think of a word for each letter that helps describe the word itself.

Let me show you:

S parkling
T winkling
A way up high
R adiant sky

Can you think of an acrostic poem for Santa or Elf or Toy???

Or pick any word you'd like.
Give it a try.
An Acrostic Poem doesn't need to rhyme--just spell the word, letter by letter with other descriptive words.

Ready! Set! Write!

Christmas Poetry

Poem are generally short and packed with lots of colorful images which create instant sensory connections. For me, the Christmas season has always been a special time for writing poetry.

I can remember in 6th grade we spent one afternoon fashioning Christmas cards with an accompanying poem. Of course, I loved combining my two favorite pass times-- writing and art. I made one Christmas card after another. Once I had an image in mind--like the Christmas star or holly or even a candy cane--I would write the poem to go with the picture.

Why don't you give it a try? Your poem doesn't need to rhyme, but it can. That will make it a bit tougher--more of a challenge--but a fun one. Think of capturing feelings, pictures of a time and place with your words.

And poetry is a great place to play with words--not only rhymes, but alliteration (when words in a row start with the same letter--Sam said silly stuff.)

And don't forget about similes--comparing one thing to another using "like" or "as." The stars glistened as bright as 4th of July fireworks. Metaphors use similar comparisons but leave out the "as" or "like." Even the cat's candy cane curled tail reminded me of Christmas sweets.

Here is a link to one of my Christmas poems. How about a Christmas challenge--one new Christmas poem each day now until the 25th!

Ready, set, write!