Something to Do on Father's Day With Your Kids

The Copperfield's bookstore in Novato will be hosting the Scholastic Summer Reading Road Trip on Sunday, June 19th from 10 AM to PM. 

The Novato Copperfield's is at 999 Grant Ave, Novato. Take the DeLong exit to Front Street.

Children's Book Week 2016

Children's Book Week is the annual celebration of books for kids and the joy of reading. It is the longest running literacy initiative in the country for children. This year it runs from May 2 to May 8th.

You can find out more about the history and purpose of Children's Book Week and this year's artist here.

Happy 100th Birthday, Beverly Cleary!

Six decades ago, I picked a book from my school library called Beezus and Ramona. At the time my favorite books were fairy tales, The Betsy, Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace and the Cherry Ames series by Helen Wells. None of these books were about contemporary families like mine. The Betsy, Tacy books took place in the early 1900's, more my grandmother's childhood than mine (I loved those books and so did my daughters). The Cherry Ames books were a series about a young girl starting  nursing school and following  her into various nursing positions. Cherry Ames, Army Nurse was my first real exposure to World War II. All of that was a far cry from Beezus and Ramona. Almost a quarter century later, when my daughters were reading the book, it was just as real. By then, Beverly Cleary had written several more books about Ramona and her family: Ramona the Pest, Ramona the Brave, Ramona Quimby, Age 8, Ramona and Her Mother, Ramona and her Father and Ramona Forever. In 1999, she wrote her final book about Ramona, Ramona's World.

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 Did you know Beverly Cleary was a struggling reader who grew up first to be a librarian and then a writer? You can find out more about her at CNN and NPR. She also has a website, http://www.beverlycleary.com/ where you can find all the 41 books she has written, learn about the characters and even play games. In Ramona Quimby, Age 8, she wrote about Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) a month long celebration of reading. D.E.A.R. programs have been held nationwide on April 12, Beverly Cleary's birthday.

Beverly Cleary won the Newbery Medal in 1984 for Dear Mr. Henshaw and Honors in 1978 for Ramona and Her Father and in 1982 for Ramona Quimby, Age 8.

The Sonoma County Library has every book written by Beverly Cleary and many as audio-books as well.

Read Across America Day

In celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday, March 2 is Read Across America Day sponsored by the National Education Association (NEA).

More wisdom from Dr. Seuss

World Read Aloud Day

World Read Aloud Day  is celebrated in over 100 countries to highlight the importance of reading and storytelling. How are you going to celebrate?

Children’s Book Week

May 12-18th is Children’s Book Week, a celebration of books for young people and the joy reading. Established in 1919, it is the longest running national  children’s literacy initiative.

This years poster is by Robin Preiss Glaser, the author of the Fancy Nancy and Nancy Clancy books. She is the 2013 Children’s Choice Illustrator of the Year award Winner for Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet.

Celebrate World Read Aloud Day

 

Grab a kid, grab a book and enjoy a story together. It just might be the beginning of a terrific habit.

Happy 110th Birthday, Dr Seuss

Back in the olden days when I was a kid (the fifties), a book was written by Rudolf Flesch called Why Johnny Can’t Read (there is nothing new in the universe). Flesch along with the journalist, John Hersey, blamed boring primers, like the Dick and Jane books,  for that failure. Dr. Seuss rode to the rescue with  The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham (and many more) that even with a limited vocabulary were engaging and funny.

 

Each year his birthday is celebrated as Read Across America Day sponsored by the National Education Association. Read more about why Read Across America is so important here.

November is Picture Book Month

Picture books are an important tool in introducing children to reading. Toddlers love “lift the flap” books and “touch and feel” books. Dr Seuss helped introduce funny and colorful “easy to read” books in the late fifties that changed picture books forever. But there are many picture books meant for older children; the reading level can be as high as fifth grade. As S.T.E.M. and the new Common Core become ubiquitous, we will be seeing more non-fiction picture books that can be wonderful learning tools.  We are headed fast into the giving season and I have been collecting picture books to present to you for consideration as gifts. You can find out more about Picture Book Month  here. Join us as we explore the wonderful variety of subjects, artistic styles and genres available in bookstores and libraries.

Sonoma County Book Festival

Tomorrow, Saturday, September 21, is the annual Sonoma County Book Festival held this year at Santa Rosa Junior College, 1501 Mendocino Ave in the Bertolini Student Center, Quad and Library. The hours are 10 AM to 4PM. The admission is free and so is the parking. For more information and directions go here.

Mac Barnett is the author of 2012 Caldecott Honor Book  Extra Yarn.

One In Three

According to a survey conducted by Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and Macy’s, only one in three parents  with kids 8 and younger  read to them every night. Fifty percent of parents say that their children play video games or watch TV before bed. Macy’s and RIF are partnering to provide 1.6 million  books for children in need. Check out  the Be Book Smart program.

The most important thing you can do to help your child to become a reader is to read to him! The amount of reading done outside of school is consistently related to gains in achievement. Children who do not read well by the end of third grade are 4 times more likely to drop out of high school. Today is a good day to start!

Happy Children’s Book Week!

Children’s Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the United States. This is the 94th annual celebration. This year’s poster is by Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick, author of  The Houdini Box, The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck (see reviews here). Selznick’s artwork celebrates Maurice Sendak and Remy Charlip. Both authors died in 2012. Look for my review of a reissue of a book illustrated by Maurice Sendak and written by Janice May Urday in 1959 later this week.

 

Remy Charlip was a multi-talented man. As well as being a children’s book author and illustrator  he was a dancer, choreographer and a director at the National Theater for the Deaf and a founding director at the Merce Cunningham Dance Theatre. His books include:

He was also Brian Selznick’s model for the drawings of filmmaker Georges Melies in The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

Copperfield’s Books Summer Reading Adventures

Sonoma County’s local independent bookstore, Copperfield’s, is offering  summer reading adventures from June 3 until August. In August, join Copperfield’s for an adventure party where prizes will be awarded to all. Kids from age 0 through 8th grade can participate. Sign them up in May at your local Copperfield’s Books or sign up online here. Then pick up the reading adventure lists, events schedule, passports and forms to track your reading beginning June 3.  Note to parents: reading to your kids counts! All events are free!

Good News for Timmy Failure Fans

Monday’s Press Democrat has an article about local cartoonist and author, Stephan Pastis. For fans of Timmy Failure Mistakes Were Made a second book has been  completed (but not published) and the author is working on ideas for the third book. I know some eight year olds that are really excited about that.

 

As of Sunday, Copperfield’s Books in Montgomery Village still had signed copies for sale. And on Friday, May 3, he will be at the Copperfield’s Books in Petaluma at 7 PM.

Fundraiser at Copperfield Books for Yulupa School

This weekend, Copperfield Books Montgomery Village, is hosting a fundraiser for Yulupa School. Twenty percent of sales from the Yulupa community will go to the school. You will need to present a flyer with your purchase. What a great way to get your kids some books for summer reading and something for yourself, too.

The store has a large children’s section and knowledgeable sales people. There is a good selection of picture books, non-fiction books organized by topic and early reader books. There are lots of graphic novels (including some signed copies of Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made), plenty of series books like Puppy Place and Magic Tree House and an excellent selection of middle grade chapter books and series. There is something for everyone and something for your school, too.

Copperfield’s books is located in Montgomery Village at 775 Village Court in Santa Rosa. The dates for this event are Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28. The store is open on Saturday 9 AM to 8 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 6 PM.

Jennifer Fosberry Comes to Yulupa School

This morning, all the second grade classes and one first grade class met with Jennifer Fosberry, the author of Isabella Star of the Story (see below). Since she is pretty punny on the page, I was not surprised that she gave a humorous and information presentation. She told us how she got started writing. After a career as an engineer, she decided to stay home with her three children. When her oldest daughter was four she loved to play dress up. One day she was a … princess and the next day she was a … princess and the day after that a … princess. Since there are few jobs for princesses, Ms. Fosberry decided to write a book for her daughter about women she admired. She thought her daughter would understand the message that she can be anything she wants to be if it was in a book. That first book was My Name Is Not Isabella. She then wrote a book for her son, and that one became My Name Is Not Alexander.

Ms. Fosberry read the book Isabella Star of the Story twice. The first time she read it she talked about all the visual clues and foreshadowing  in Mike Litwin’s illustrations. Isabella has a little mouse, called Button, that plays various roles in her imagining of herself as the characters of the books she is reading. On the Peter Pan page, Button is Tinkerbell. Alexander appears in the background in the library and as the Cowardly Lion when Isabella is reading The Wizard of Oz. If you look carefully, you might be able to predict what book Isabella will be reading next. In the second run through, she had everyone stand and act out the book (per her instructions). That part was a really big hit. Then she took questions.

I tutored a second grader after lunch and he was enthusiastic about the assembly. The other kids seemed to enjoy it too. It isn’t often that seven and eight year olds get to meet an author and find out how they work and why they started writing. Thanks to Copperfield Books for bringing Jennifer Fosberry to Yulupa School.

KidsWorx Creative Workshop

KidsWorx Creative W0rkshop will be at the Santa Rosa Avenue Friedman’s Home Improvement Store parking lot on Saturday, April 6 from 9A.M. until Noon. I may have to get myself a kid because they are doing a project that interests me. They will be making seed paper (and then planting it in a pot to take home). There will also be Children’s Museum of Sonoma County’s  interactive exhibits. Did you know that the Museum is set to open this year? You can find out more about it here.

Read Aloud Dad

In honor of World Read Aloud Day (today) and International Book Day (tomorrow), I’d like to introduce you to the Read Aloud Dad blog. The post that made me want to share this with you is The No. 1 Way To Excite Children About Reading. It involves The 10,000 Hour Rule. One of my sons-in-law has been a read aloud dad for a couple of decades, he would agree with everything in the post.

To find out more about World Read Aloud Book Day click here. You can find out more information on World Book Day here.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

Saturday, March 2 is the 109th anniversary of the birth of Theodor Seuss Geisel, known to generations of children as Dr. Seuss. He believed learning to read should be fun and exciting. He respected children and trusted their intelligence. As I have said before, I grew up in a Dick and Jane world. Dr. Seuss changed that.

For some interactive Dr. Seuss fun go to Seussville .

Remember, Read Across America, is Friday, March 1st.

Read Across America

Friday, March 1, is Read Across America Day. Celebrated in conjunction with the March 2 Birthday of Dr. Seuss, The National Education Association (NEA) sponsors the day to help create a nation of readers.

What are you planning to read on Friday?

Roosevelt Elementary in Santa Monica did a great video to inspire you and your kids: It's a Readathon! (Gangnam Style).

Hat Tip: Read Across America on Facebook