May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Looking for the latest books that celebrate Asian Pacific Islanders? Check out the following publishers and Web sites for books by and about Asian Pacific Islanders or books translated into many Asian and Pacific Islander languages.

• Asian American Curriculum Project: www.asianamericanbooks.com
• Lee and Low, www.leeandlow.com
• East West Discovery Press: www.eastwestdiscovery.com
• Children's Book Press:  www.childrensbookpress.org
• Culture For Kids:  www.cultureforkids.com
• Star Bright Books: www.starbrightbooks.com
• For films and media, go to the Center for Asian American Media, www.asianamericanmedia.org
• Asian Pacific Islander booklist can be found at www.nea.org/readacross

May is Get Caught Reading Month

In celebration of the Association of American Publishers' nationwide "Get Caught Reading Month," the cast of the Tony Award winning musical AVENUE Q have joined the cast of celebrities and public figures who have been photographed getting caught reading their favorite books. Educators can download the Avenue Q and other posters, featuring celebrities, politicians, and athletes free of charge. Go to www.getcaughtreading.org.

Online Professional Development Courses from ALA 's Young Adult Library Services

Looking for ways to turn teens on to reading? YALSA, a division of Read Across America partner American Library Association, has begun to provide online workshops, from "Making the Match: Finding the Right Book for the Right Teen at the Right Time," to "Power Programming with Teens," a course on creating successful teen literacy programs. For more information, go to www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/onlinecourses/info.htm.

Reaching Reluctant Readers

Looking for ways to reach reluctant high school readers? Read Across America partner Random House Inc. has published a terrific magazine filled with articles from educators, authors, as well as tips and resources. You can find the entire issue online or request a printed copy at http://www.randomhouse.com/highschool/rhi.html.

First Book Marketplace

Looking to buy books for your school or community program but have a limited budget?

The First Book Marketplace (http://www.fbmarketplace.org) is a Web-based subsidiary of First Book that sells high-quality children's books in carton quantities at deeply discounted prices to community programs serving children from low-income families. For more information, please call (866) 393-1222 (toll-free) and ask for any member of the Marketplace team, or email help@firstbook.org.

Reading Rockets Classroom Videos on iTunes

Reading Rockets, the national multimedia literacy resource for educators, is now offering their Classroom Video Series on iTunes. You’ll be able to see and hear teachers in real classrooms covering everything from phonemic awareness to spelling and assessment. Go to www.readingrockets.org.

Searching for Summer Reading Tips?

Reading Rockets children's literature expert Maria Salvadore is posting a terrific blog, Page by Page, on the Reading Rockets Web site (www.readingrockets.org). Read her postings and share your own thoughts and don't forget to explore the site for author interviews, Web courses, literacy news and more. Reading Rockets sister site, Colorin Colorado, is another terrific site, featuring bilingual tools and resources for educators and parents of English language learners. Go to www.colorincolorado.org.

Do Your Students Want to be Famous?

WGBH and Arthur show spinoff Postcards from Buster invite students to submit one-minute video postcards. Selected postcards will appear on the Postcards from Buster television show. Go to http://pbskids.org/buster/pfy/send.html.

Application Instructions

All entries should include the following information in the following order:

• Name of category/categories (include category number and description.) See list below. You may enter multiple categories.
• School or organization's name and contact information.
• Individual submitting award entry and his/her contact information. Please indicate if you are an NEA member.
• 750-word maximum description and highlights of your event or activity. Please be sure to include the number of students and indicate their age/grade level. Provide other information that relates to the category you are entering. (For example, if you are entering the "largest" category, be sure to provide number of students participating and include photos that support your entry.)
• Digital photos and other electronic visuals should be attached to your email. Please note: NEA is unable to accept an individual email larger than 2 mb. Please submit your digital photos in JPG format. You are encouraged to send additional digital photos by including a CD-Rom along with your entry to the address below.

Deadline: All entries must be received by Monday, May 14, 2007.

Entry Format: Please email your entry with attached digital photos to readacross@nea.org. You may also mail your entry/CD and/or hard copy to: Read Across America Awards, c/o NEA PR, 1201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036.

Questions? Additional information can be found at www.nea.org/readacross or you may call the Read Across America team at (202) 822-7362 or (866) 317-5327.

Entry Categories:

• Category #1
  Funniest event or activity
• Category #2
  Largest event or activity
• Category #3
  Most students participating
• Category #4
  Best ongoing (more than one day) activity/event
• Category #5
  Most unique or interesting event
• Category #6
  Best celebration of the Cat in the Hat’s 50th birthday on Read Across America Day
• Category #7
  Best celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday on Read Across America Day
• Category #8
  Best kindergarten or pre-K event or activity
• Category #9
  Best elementary school age event or activity
• Category #10
  Best middle school event or activity
• Category #11
  Best high school event or activity
• Category #12
  Best ESP member planned event
• Category #13
  Best NEA student member planned event
• Category #14
  Best NEA retired member planned event
• Category #15
  Best local Association sponsored/planned event/activity
• Category #16
  Best state affiliate sponsored/planned event/activity
• Category #17
  Best national event
• Category #18
  Most community leaders involved
• Category #19
  Most parents involved
• Category #20
  Best multicultural event or activity
• Category #21
  Best bilingual, i.e., Spanish, activity or event
• Category #22
  Best event/activity theme and materials
• Category #23
  Best use of NEA materials
• Category #24
  Best event/activity by an NEA national partner
• Category #25
  Best partnership/cosponsored event or activity  
• Category #26
  Best local business supported event/activity
• Category #27
  Read Across America individual "champion"
• Category #28
  Best non-member sponsored/organized event/activity
• Category #29
  Best print media coverage
• Category #30
  Best broadcast media coverage
• Category #31
  Best media coverage in general
• Category #32
  Best "Books Across America" fundraiser

In Nassau County, N.Y., the Youth Council of the Nassau County Economic Opportunity Commission has created Head Start Learns!—a literacy project designed to assist children in Head Start programs throughout the county. The literacy project provides reading activities, mentor training and book donations to children in low-income communities.

In St. Paul, Minn., Central High School senior Kaozovapa Lee has created a teen literacy and mentoring project to assist the region's immigrant community by setting up weekly literacy visits with elementary age children. The literacy project is designed to not only help the children with their reading skills and comprehension, but also to build character and mentoring skills in Lee's peers.

New York high school freshman Gustavo Maximo is organizing Our Voices, a series of poetry workshops and poetry jams to foster literacy among fellow students at Rice High School and at the Harlem Branch of the New York Public Library for the local community. The poetry project is designed not only to engage Maximo's fellow teens in poetry and literacy, but also strengthen the community-school link between the school and the local public library.

California brothers Brady and Kyle Baldwin have created the My Own Book literacy and story project, creating new books for K–3 students and organizing readings by community leaders. The Baldwin brothers have also involved teen peers in the literacy project, engaging them in reading and writing. The boys invited the mayor, fire chief, police chief, school board members, and others to participate in their reading events and will be donating books to the children in this low-income community.

Minnesota high school senior Mai Yiu Vang's Bookland project combines learning activities for children and women in the Hmong community, because Hmong children and families are struggling with literacy, and Hmong teens have been dropping out of school because of illiteracy problems. Together with the Hmong Women's Heritage Association, Vang is working with the Hmong Men's/Women's Circle afterschool program to assist with tutoring.

The Chosen Heirs, a group of 22 fifth graders in McDonough, GA., have created the Books for Breakfast Book Club featuring guest readers and community activities. The students have created themed activities, a book swap, and breakfast readings at selected elementary schools.

Seattle college freshman Emily Hazleton is working with Reading Tools for Life, using videotaping and video presentations to help create reading tools for struggling adults at the Literacy Source Center. The project will help the adult students in the program by recording the students reading and charting their progress and support, and by sharing the program with the community. The project is designed to raise the literacy level of these adults and help them find a place in the community.

In New Hampshire, members of Belmont High School's Student Council have created Hooked on Books—a hospital-based project that partners the Belmont School with Lakes Region General Hospital. The teens are creating and building a hospital reading library, organized reading events, literacy training, and book drives for the children and families.

Ottumwa (Iowa) High School's Teens Advocating Literacy is working with the Ottumwa Regional Health Center to create a Dial a Dream story program for families of newborns and parents of young children, with a concentration on English language learner students and families.

Through the Follow in Our Footsteps Literacy Program, 50 Fairfield, Conn., high school students are working with Shepherds, Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help inner-city youth in Bridgeport, Stamford, and New Haven. The students will be working with five elementary schools and will do readings featuring reading heroes; conduct book drives; and work with local illustrators and cartoonists, poetry slams, and multicultural readings.

The fourth- and fifth-grade English language learner students of Angus Elementary School in Sterling Heights, Mich., are interviewing class members and families and the residents of the Cherrywood Retirement Center. The interviews are part of an intergenerational literacy project that combines readings, pen pal partnerships with senior citizens, oral history reports and book presentations of the stories at local public libraries.

Together with her local church, Olivia Stinson has created a Pen Pal and Book Club Project that serves the children and families of incarcerated parents in her Charlotte, N.C., community. The literacy project establishes pen pal partnerships between Olivia's peers and the children of incarcerated parents. The two groups will also gather for readings, book review sessions, field trips to films based on children's books, and book group discussions.

The Hemlock Girl Scout Council Young Adult Book Club in Harrisburg, Pa., has created a teen reading discussion group complete with a signature newsletter "Have you read…??" highlighting books read by local middle school students. The council is working with local authors in developing special reading incentives, author visits and reading challenges to engage middle school students. The students created the projects to get their peers excited about reading and to share their own excitement about new books and authors for teens.

The Wilmot J. Fraser Elementary Breakfast Reading Club in Charleston, S.C., conducts weekly reading sessions for their peers at reading centers they created for the local schools. The project is designed for the school's K-3 students, but also includes outreach to the older and younger brothers and sisters of the students.

Students in the Joseph Case Junior High School Literary Book Club in Swansea, Mass., have begun writing, editing, and publishing their own books. The books are included in reading and writing sessions by the literary club with four elementary schools in the Swansea area.

The Cordova Cubs, fourth graders at Cordova (Tennessee) Elementary School are working with English as a Second Language classrooms (grades K–4) to create readings and activity projects, conduct a readers' theater, write book projects, and establish personal libraries for each of the students they help.

The New York State Conference of NAACP Youth and College Division is using its Adopt a School program in New Rochelle to increase the literacy outcomes for Black and Hispanic children in their community through the "Writing Our History" literacy project. The chapter is working with the Flushing High School Champions Club and Parsons Junior High School Beacon Program, engaging the three projects in afterschool literacy programs to track the history of the NAACP in their community. The group is conducting a reading and writing program that will end with a regional conference attended by 500 young people.

Burgettstown (Pennsylvania) Area Elementary Center's Study Buddy program makes model reading teachers of the school's third-grade students, pairing them with kindergarten classes. The extensive reading programs and activities have been developed entirely by the third-grade students. The program will provide books and reading activities for the kindergarten classrooms.

Hope McFarland, an eleventh grader in New Orleans, La., has established the Reading Ambassadors program for Providence House, a homeless shelter for 70 families living there. McFarland's reading project includes guest readers, literacy training, and book donations and takes care of the shelter's children while their mothers are also in training. The project also provides character building resources and activities to help the children and families through this challenging time in their lives.

Alexander Srodes, a Placida (Florida) High School student, author, and wildlife conservationist whose quest is to save the sea turtles and educate the world about the plight of such endangered species, has written a children's book and activity guide and education program for students. Srodes uses his book and activity guide to educate students and communities about the plight of the sea turtles and has even had his book translated into Spanish.

Find out more about Youth Leaders for Literacy grants.

In Nassau County, N.Y., the Youth Council of the Nassau County Economic Opportunity Commission has created Head Start Learns! —a literacy project designed to assist children in Head Start programs throughout the county. The literacy project provides reading activities, mentor training and book donations to children in low-income communities.

In St. Paul, Minn., Central High School senior Kaozovapa Lee has created a teen literacy and mentor project to assist the region's immigrant community by setting up weekly literacy visits with elementary age children. The literacy project is designed to not only help the children with their reading skills and comprehension, but also to build character and mentoring skills in Lee's peers.

New York high school freshman Gustavo Maximo is organizing Our Voices, a series of poetry workshops and poetry jams to foster literacy among fellow students at Rice High School and at the Harlem Branch of the New York Public Library for the local community. The poetry project is designed not only to engage Maximo's fellow teens in poetry and literacy, but also strengthen the community-school link between the school and the local public library.

California brothers Brady and Kyle Baldwin have created the My Own Book literacy and story project, creating new books for K–3 students and organizing readings by community leaders. The Baldwin brothers have also involved teen peers in the literacy project, engaging them in reading and writing. The boys invited the mayor, fire chief, police chief, school board members, and others to participate in their reading events and will be donating books to the children in this low-income community.

Minnesota high school senior Mai Yiu Vang's Bookland project combines learning activities for children and women in the Hmong community, because Hmong children and families are struggling with literacy, and Hmong teens have been dropping out of school because of illiteracy problems. Together with the Hmong Women’s Heritage Association, Vang is working with the Hmong Men’s/Women’s Circle afterschool program to assist with tutoring.

The Chosen Heirs, a  group of 22 fifth graders in McDonough, Ga., have created the Books for Breakfast Book Club featuring guest readers and community activities. The students have created themed activities, a book swap, and breakfast readings at selected elementary schools.

Seattle college freshman Emily Hazleton is working with Reading Tools for Life, using videotaping  and video presentations to help create reading tools for struggling adults at the Literacy Source Center. The project will help the adult students in the program by recording the students reading and charting their progress and support, and by sharing the program with the community. The project is designed to raise the literacy level of these adults and help them find a place in the community.

In New Hampshire, members of Belmont High School’s Student Council have created Hooked on Books —a hospital-based project that partners the Belmont School with Lakes Region General Hospital. The  teens are creating and building a hospital reading library, organized reading events, literacy training, and book drives for the children and families.

Ottumwa (Iowa) High School’s Teens Advocating Literacy is working with the Ottumwa Regional Health Center to create a Dial a Dream story program for families of newborns and parents of young children, with a concentration on English language learner students and families.  

Through the Follow in Our Footsteps Literacy Program,  50 Fairfield, Conn., high school students are working with Shepherds, Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help inner-city youth in Bridgeport, Stamford, and New Haven. The  students will be working with five elementary schools and will do readings featuring reading heroes; conduct book drives; and work with local illustrators and cartoonists, poetry slams, and multicultural readings.

The fourth- and fifth-grade English language learner students of Angus Elementary School in Sterling Heights, Mich., are interviewing class members and families and the residents of the Cherrywood Retirement Center. The interviews are part of an intergenerational literacy project that combines readings, pen pal partnerships with senior citizens, oral history reports and book presentations of the stories at local public libraries.

Together with her local church, Olivia Stinson has created a Pen Pal and Book Club Project that serves the children and families of incarcerated parents in her Charlotte, N.C., community. The  literacy project establishes pen pal partnerships between Olivia’s peers and the children of incarcerated parents. The two groups will also gather for readings, book review sessions, field trips to films based on children's books, and book group discussions.

The Hemlock Girl Scout Council Young Adult Book Club in Harrisburg, Pa., has  created a teen reading discussion group complete with a signature newsletter "Have you read…??"   highlighting books read by local middle school students. The council is working with local authors in developing special reading incentives, author visits and reading challenges to engage middle school students. The students created the projects to get their peers excited about reading and to share their own excitement about new books and authors for teens.

The Wilmot J. Fraser Elementary Breakfast Reading Club in Charleston, S.C., conducts weekly reading sessions for their peers at reading centers they created for the local schools. The project is designed for the school's K-3 students, but also includes outreach to the older and younger brothers and sisters of the students.

Students in the Joseph Case Junior High School Literary Book Club in Swansea, Mass., have begun writing, editing and publishing their own books. The books are included in reading and writing sessions by the literary club with four elementary schools in the Swansea area.

The Cordova Cubs, fourth graders at Cordova (Tennessee) Elementary School are working with English as a Second Language classrooms (grades K–4) to create readings and activity projects, conduct a readers' theater, write book projects, and establish personal libraries for each of the students they help.

The New York  State Conference of NAACP Youth and College Division is using its Adopt a School program in New Rochelle to increase the literacy outcomes for Black and Hispanic children in their community through the "Writing Our History" literacy project. The chapter is working with the Flushing High School Champions Club and Parsons Junior High School Beacon Program, engaging the three projects in afterschool literacy programs to track the history of the NAACP in their community. The group is conducting a reading and writing program that will end with a regional conference attended by 500 young people.

Burgettstown (Pennsylvania) Area Elementary Center's Study Buddy program makes model reading teachers of the school's third-grade students, pairing them with kindergarten classes. The extensive reading programs and activities have been developed entirely by the third-grade students. The program will provide books and reading activities for the kindergarten classrooms.

Hope McFarland, an  eleventh grader in New Orleans, La., has  established the Reading Ambassadors program for Providence House, a homeless shelter for 70 families living there. McFarland's reading project includes guest readers, literacy training, and book donations and takes care of the shelter's children while their mothers are also in training. The project also provides character building resources and activities to help the children and families through this challenging time in their lives.

Alexander Srodes, a  Placida (Florida) High School student, author, and wildlife conservationist whose quest is to save the sea turtles and educate the world about the plight of such endangered species, has written a children's book and activity guide and education program for students. Srodes uses his book and activity guide to educate students and communities about the plight of the sea turtles and has even had his book translated into Spanish.

NEA's Read Across America

(l-r) The Cat in the Hat, Alberto Landaeta, Houston Astros pitcher Brad Lidge, Caleb Phillips and Abigail Bruneau read Seuss classics in celebration of the National Education Association’s Read Across America program. Photo by Joe Kaleita. Courtesy of the National Education Association. All Rights Reserved.

(l-r) Houston Astros pitchers Brad Lidge and Dave Borkowski took more than 300 students out to the ball park today in celebration of the National Education Association's Read Across  America program, designed to get kids excited about reading. Photo by Joe Kaleita. Courtesy of the National Education Association. All Rights Reserved.

Students got a special reading treat when the Cat in the Hat appeared at a special spring training read-in, sponsored by the National Education Association and the Houston Astros. Photo by Joe Kaleita. Courtesy of the National Education Association. All Rights Reserved.

The Cat in the Hat got high fives from students of Reedy Creek Elementary School during a special read-in, sponsored by NEA and the Houston Astros. Photo by Joe Kaleita. Courtesy of the National Education Association. All Rights Reserved.	Read Across America, sponsored by the National Education Association, came to Florida to host special read-ins with Major League Baseball during spring training games. Photo by Cherie Diez. Courtesy of the National Education Association. All Rights Reserved.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays pitchers Shawn Camp and Ruddy Lugo read to hundreds of students in celebration of NEA's Read Across America program. Photo by Cherie Diez. Courtesy of the National Education Association. All Rights Reserved.

Getting Children Excited About Reading

Photo Gallery

NEA Secretary-Treasurer Lily Eskelsen read children's classics like "The Cat in the Hat" to first graders at John Quincy Adams Elementary School in Washington, D.C. Photo by NEA staff photographer Patrick G. Ryan.

First graders Yanira Torres, Marcela Gonzales and Keily Rubio at John Quincy Adams Elementary School in Washington, D.C., read "The Cat in the Hat," which celebrates its 50th birthday this year. Photo by NEA staff photographer Patrick G. Ryan

(l-r): Supermodel Alek Wek, NFL linebacker Keith Bulluck of the Tennessee Titans, Miss Universe Zuleyka Rivera, tennis star Serena Williams, acress Constance Marie and NEA Executive Committee member Michael Marks turned the stage over to the famous Cat in the Hat to close out NEA's "Reading on the Red Carpet" reading event. Photo by Dima Gavrysh.

The Celeste Bartos Forum at The New York Public Library was transformed into a reading wonderland with seven uniquely designed "reading lounges" such as "The Lorax Lounge" to get kids excited about reading at NEA's "Reading on the Red Carpet" event. Photo by Dima Gavrysh.

Virginia Education Association President Princess Moss prepares for the 2007 reading tour, standing in front of one of the Saturn Outlook SUVs. Photo by Dave Quick.

Saturn has been a long-time partner of NEA's Read Across America. In addition to providing Cat-a-Van vehicles, Saturn once again printed up posters that transform into red and white hats for students.

NEA Executive Committee members Marsha Smith and Mark Cebulski present a $1,000 check to Huntington, West Virginia's Central City Elementary School principal Patrick O'Neal as part of NEA's Read Across America Cat-a-Van reading tour. Looking on are the Cat, Walter Hoover, sales manager of the Saturn dealership in Hurricane, W.V., who has been involved with RAA for a number of years, and Charles Delauder, president of the West Virginia Education Association. Photo by Dave Quick.

Students at Westhaven Elementary in Knoxville. (Tour Three, February 27, 2007). Photo by Dave Quick.	Cat in the Hat with wrapped Saturn Outlook at West Haven Elementary in Knoxville. (Tour Three, February 27, 2007). Photo by Dave Quick.

NEA Executive Committee member Becky Pringle and Mike Billirakis with the specially wrapped Saturn Outlook at Campostella Elementary School in Norfolk. (Tour Two, February 26, 2007). Photo by Dave Quick.	NEA Executive Committee member Carolyn Crowder and Tennessee Education Association President Earl Wiman at West Haven Elementary in Knoxville. (Tour Three, February 27, 2007). Photo by Dave Quick.

NEA

Cat-a-Van Updates

Cat-a-Van Two

Day Five - March 2, 2007

Billingsville Elementary School rolled out the red carpet for the Cat in the Hat and Cat-a-Van Tour 2 on Friday in Charlotte, N.C. Not only did students greet the Cat-a-Van at the door wearing their red and white hats, but the auditorium was decked out with Dr. Seuss posters, stuffed animals, balloons, artwork, and books. The students weren't the only ones mesmerized by the Cat - the teachers got into the act by sharpening their slurping skills during the Green Eggs and Ham Song. Principal Byron Campbell surprised NEA Executive Committee member Becky Pringle with a plaque recognizing NEA's efforts to boost literacy. Charlotte Mecklenburg Association of Educators President Mary McCray and NEA Director Hiawatha Foster also got into the spirit by reading to the students and reciting the pledge. Billingsville Elementary School may have been the last stop on the Read Across America road trip, but it will be the driving force behind developing a nation of lifelong readers.

Cat-a-Van Two

Day Four - March 1, 2007

The Cat in the Hat and the Cat-a-Van paid a special visit today to CC Spaulding Elementary School in Durham, N.C. P rincipal Dr. Vandi Kelley's infectious energy quickly spread among the students, staff and Tour 2 participants.  NEA Executive Committee members Mike Billirakis and Becky Pringle, now arguably Dr. Seuss experts, did their rousing readings of Fox in Socks and Green Eggs and Ham.  And NCAE President Eddie Davis had all 250+ students reciting the Read Across America pledge in unison.  The event was not just a school event, but a community one. It was heartwarming to see the community's love for and involvement with the school and its students.  Parents, church members, the PTA president and school board members all attended and donned the signature red and white hats.

Day Three - February 28, 2007

Three, two, one…you’re on!  Day three for Cat-a-Van Two began in Wilmington, N .C. with a live television interview for Good Morning Carolina.  Mike Billirakis and the Cat were featured live on set with WECT-TV 6 Anchor Kim Ratcliff.  The Cat was curiously silent when Ms. Ratcliff asked a question, but Mike Billirakis saved the day by translating Feline into English.  Then it was off to Dorothy B. Johnson Elementary where North Carolina Association of Educators President Eddie Davis and New Hanover County Association of Educators President Nathaniel Johnson joined the tour and happily read to the students and asked them to promise to read often.  Because of the number of students who attend the school, there were two Read Across America assemblies.  The second was for those in grades 3-5.  The team was nervous that the older children may not be as mesmerized by the beloved Dr. Seuss character.  But just like the others, they were on their feet when the Cat in the Hat popped through the side door while music Seussical the Musical blared through the speakers.  There’s just something about that Cat.

Day Two - February 27, 2007

Cat-a-Van Two was greeted by balloons and flowers at Chamberlayne Elementary School in Richmond, VA .    They pulled out all the stops to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s upcoming birthday and encourage children to read.  Virginia Education Association President Princess Moss and Henrico Education Association President Sherri Arnold joined the tour.  A red and white sea of hats covered the entire auditorium.  The Cat in the Hat was a smashing success.  NEA Student Chair Anthony Daniels hoisted some students up to the seven-foot cat so they could get a closer look and say a special hello.  The cat even performed some fancy dance steps for the children.  Yep, the cat can dance.

Day One - February 26, 2007 

Cat-a-Van Two visited two schools in Norfolk,  Va.,  for day one of the Read Across America Tour.  The excitement built even before the Cat-a-Van’s arrival.  When Norfolk State University and its Future Educators of America heard that NEA was coming to town, they went all out and volunteered to create Thing 1 and Thing 2 costumes.  Their energy was contagious at both Campostella Elementary School and Tidewater Park Elementary School.  Executive Committee Member Becky Pringle ran from end to end of the aisle with her rendition of Green Eggs and Ham.  Mike Billirakis translated a few lines into Greek and then mastered the tongue twister, Fox in Socks.  NEA Student Chair Anthony Daniels recognized special guests and received a standing ovation as he carefully led the popular Cat through the crowd.  Virginia Education Association Vice President Jeff Cobb helped students recite the Read Across America pledge.  Education Association of Norfolk President Monte Mercer joined the fun at both schools.  The Cat-a-Van school visits were purrfection!

April 2007 Calendar National Youth Sports Safety Month       Also National Autism Awareness Month and Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month

For more information visit:
Find out how to promote youth safety in sports activities
ASPCA Education
Drug Abuse Resistance Education
National Library Week
Celebrate Earth Day
National Program for Playground Safety
Resources for National & Global Young Service Day

March 2007 Calendar National Women's History Month  Also Music in Our Schools Month

For more information visit:
Celebrate women's contributions and achievement
Read Across America
Using newspapers in the classroom as living textbooks
Find out about the dangers and preventive measures of accidental poisoning
Lots of activities for preschoolers
Get the history, shows, and schedules on Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's Circus

2007 Online Resource Kit

	NEA's Read Across America Resource Kit Cover Page (PDF 990 KB)
	Inside Cover (PDF 2,268 KB)
	President Weaver's Letter to NEA Members (PDF 3,255 KB)
	Declaration of Reading Independence (PDF 91 KB)
	Read Across America in 1996 (PDF 276 KB)
	Quote by President Weaver (PDF 107 KB)
	Read Across America in 1997 (PDF 324 KB)
	Read Across America Mission Statement (PDF 191 KB)
	Read Across America Today (PDF 37 KB)
	Quote by Eduardo Holguin, President, NEA New Mexico (PDF 178 KB)
	Three Things You Can Do in Three Minutes  (PDF 41 KB)
	Quote by Jim Trelease from The Read Aloud Handbook (PDF 82 KB)
	Read Across America Programs  (PDF 37 KB)
	Quote by LaTonya Taylor, Library Information Specialist  (PDF 96 KB)
	NEA's Books Across America  (PDF 41 KB)
	Read Across America Partners  (PDF 46 KB)
	Read Across America Leaders  (PDF 49 KB)
	Read Across America Poem  (PDF 276 KB)
	Back Cover (PDF 380 KB)

NFL players set aside their team rivalries and got into the reading game by visiting Sea Castle Elementary School in Miramar,  Miami Springs Middle School in Miami Springs, and Miami Jackson Senior High School in Miami.  On hand for the celebrity reads-ins were Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Donnie Spragan and defensive tackle Fred Evans, and tight end Ben Troupe with the Tennessee Titans. Read more.

Students at Sea Castle Elementary School were paid a "Super" treat when NFL players visited them to read their favorite Dr. Seuss classics. The read-ins are part of Read Across America and were sponsored by the National Education Association and the NFL Players Association. Photo by Noelle Theard. Courtesy of the National Education Association.

The Cat In The Hat's 50th Birthday

Teacher Activity Guide

• Cover Page
• The Story Behind Dr. Seuss's "The Cat in the Hat"
• Project 236: What Can You Do?
• Help First Book by sending a birthday card  to the Cat in the Hat
• New books  for spring 2007
• The Cat's Learning Library for beginning readers
• Leveled series  including age-appropriate font and decodable text
• Stepping Stones series for grades 1-5
• The Edge Chronicles  "fantasy" series for grades 4-7
• Babymouse, The Five Ancestors, and Maude March
• Yearling and Printz Medal and Honor Winners

10 Ways to Celebrate the Tenth Anniversary

1. Request the 10th Anniversary Resource Kit Today! Request the print version of the 10th anniversary resource kit by completing the online request form. Feel free to sign up your friends and colleagues for this year's special 10-year commemorative resource kit. We couldn't fit everything into the printed resource kit, so we've expanded the Read Across America Web site to include an online version of the resource kit with downloadable Read Across America materials.
   
   
2. Take the Read Across America Pledge to Participate. Planning a great event? We want to hear all about it. Take the pledge! Fill out your pledge form and find out what your colleagues across the country have planned. States with the most pledges will be recognized in May.
   
   
3. Subscribe to the E-Newsletter. Sign up for the Read Across America e-newsletter for the latest updates on Read Across America and tips and tricks for celebrating reading year-round. You'll also find links to grant information, classroom and parent materials, and more. To join, NEA members should send a completely blank e-mail to: join-nea-raa-enewsletter@list.nea.org. Please make sure that your e-mail is in plain text format.
   
   
4. Participate in Project 236. Did you know that Dr. Seuss used only 236 different words to write The Cat in the Hat? To recognize the 50th birthday of The Cat in the Hat, students, educators, and families nationwide will all read the groundbreaking book at 2:36 p.m. ET. All of the details can be found on the Seussville Web site. Go to www.catinthehat.com.
   
   
5. Make Some Noise, Make the News. Don't forget to check out the tips and tricks for making news in your local media outlets. From "reading forecasts" to sample press releases and photo guidelines all of the media relations tools you'll need can be found in the Public Relations Tools section of the Web site.
   
   
6. Stop and Shop. Looking for Cat in the Hat stovepipe hats? Don't get lost on the Internet. Be sure to visit the NEA Professional Library's Web site (www.nea.org/books ) for special Read Across America and Seuss-related items you'll need for your events.
   
   
7. Saturn Hats are Back. Saturn retailers will once again be distributing free Cat Hat posters to NEA members in conjunction with NEA's Read Across America 2007. Visit any Saturn facility starting February 15th to pick up the posters while supplies last. Visit www.saturn.com to find the nearest Saturn retailer. Thirty posters per educator will be distributed on a first come first served basis. Questions? Call the Saturn-UAW Partnership Team at (800) 738-1817, or send an e-mail to teacherposters@aol.com.
   
   
8. Pick a Partner. Need a little help along the way? NEA's Read Across America partners are ready with resources, volunteers, book donations, and more. Check out our list of national partners.
   
   
9. NEA's Books Across America: Give the Gift of Reading. Starting February 23, "NEA's Books Across America" program goes national, helping school libraries around the country. Find out how you can give the gift of reading to a needy school by organizing fundraisers, volunteering, or donating money.
   
   
10. Get Recognized. Win an Award. Starting February 2, entry forms will be available on this Web site for the first ever "Read Across America Awards Program." Application forms will be due April 27, and award recipients will be recognized in July. So be sure to get lots of photos and videos of your Read Across America Day events and activities!
    
    

Going to an NEA Regional Leadership Conference?
Be sure to stop by NEA's Read Across America 10th Anniversary Booth!

February 2007 Calendar

National Black History Month

 Also American Heart Month 

For more information, visit:
African-American Read-In
Get the National School Counseling Week Kit
Activities, crafts, lesson plans and more for Friendship Week

Poem

You're never too old, too wacky, too wild
To pick up a book to read with a child.
You're never too busy, too cool, or too hot,
To pick up a book and share what you've got.
In schools and communities,
Let's gather around,
Let's pick up a book,
Let's pass it around.
There are kids all around you,
Kids who will need
Someone to hug,
Someone to read.
Come join us March 2
Your own special way
And make this America' s
Read to Kids Day.

Declaration of Reading Independence

We hold this truth to be self-evident that all children have the right to read. If we don’t secure this right, too many of our children are likely to lead lives of quiet, or not so quiet, despair.

To secure this right, every adult has a role to play. As people who teach and work with America ’s children, we will craft our lessons and our work carefully even as our student populations change and grow. As parents, we will show our children the magic of learning. As members of the American education family, we will care for each other’s children as our own.

As we look to the future, we pause to dream together. We dream of a day when all children know their ABC’s before they come to school. We dream of a day when all third graders are reading to learn rather than learning to read. We dream of a day when every American teenager knows the joy of being swept away by the powerful prose of a good book. We dream of a day of great public schools and great public school libraries for every child.

And so, we the people who teach and work with America ’s children do solemnly swear that we will not rest until our children are the best readers in the world. As a first step toward this goal, we hereby commit to celebrate reading on March 2nd, NEA’s Read Across America Day, and to build a nation of readers throughout the year.

January 2007 Calendar

National Mentoring Month

 Also National Thank You Month 

For more information, visit:
Learn about Mentoring Month
Childhood obesity prevention
No Name-Calling Week
Dragons in Children's Literature

December 2006 Calendar

National Stress-Free Family HolidayMonth

 Also Universal Human Rights Month 

For more information, visit:
UNICEF Anniversary
Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
World AIDS Day
Have A Stress-Free Holiday
Communicate With Your Kids

November 2006 Calendar

National American Indian Heritage Month

 Also National Adoption Month 

For more information, visit:
National American Indian Heritage Month
American Education Week
National Family Literacy Day
John F. Kennedy Library & Museum
Children's Book Council

Read with Curious George and NEA's Read Across America

Free poster | Lesson plans

For over 60 years, this inquisitive little monkey has kept generations enthralled with his antics, all because he was curious. Today, Curious George stands as a universal symbol for the curiosity of children. And, there is no better way to satisfy curiosity than by reading books. If you're curious about any subject, there's always a book that will provide information and answer your questions. Let Curious George's insatiable curiosity foster the same spirit in your students. Help them explore new ideas and places through the wonderful world of books!

Like Curious George, NEA's Read Across America opens the world of books to children of all ages all year long. We do this through activities and special events like Read Across America Day, and by providing materials for educators and parents.

See George in theaters!

On February 10, 2006, Curious George will embark on his biggest adventure ever as the star of a new animated movie.

George, the inquisitive little monkey with an insatiable taste for adventure, sets off in a brand new tale for the big screen, where his spunky and fun-loving nature endears him to new friends he meets along the way, and (of course) lands him in a series of mis-adventures.

Download a free poster

Download the Curious George poster ( 511 KB, 5 pp) now! Remember to check this site often for more downloadable resources.

Free lesson plans

Curious George is curious about everything, especially numbers. He loves to count and is particularly curious about the number 100. We've created lots of fun activities to help your class count up to the 100th day of school and to celebrate the 100th day, as well as lesson plans for estimating distance, making a map of your school with building blocks, and more:

• Celebrating the 100th Day of School  ( 511 KB, 5 pp)
• 100 Piece Trail Mix Snack Activity  ( 511 KB, 5 pp)
• Estimating Distance  ( 511 KB, 5 pp)
• Curious George's Kite Needs a Tail With 100 Paper Links  ( 511 KB, 5 pp)
• Curious George Visits Your Home  ( 511 KB, 5 pp)
• Curious George Hides Letters!  ( 511 KB, 5 pp)
• Curious George Gets Lost -- We Need to Make a Map  ( 511 KB, 5 pp)
• Curious George Wants to Know About You -- the "Me Museum"  ( 511 KB, 5 pp)
• Curious George Wants to Know Who Works at School  ( 511 KB, 5 pp)

For more Curious George lesson plans, games and activities, and other resources visit the official Web site. You can also download the poster ( 511 KB, 5 pp).

© 2005 Universal Studios, Curious George and related characters
Created by Margret and H.A. Rey, ™ & © Houghton Mifflin Company

October 2006 Calendar

National Book Month

 Also Health Literacy Month and Computer Learning Month 

For more information, visit:
National Book Month
Health Literacy Month
Computer Learning Month
National School Bus Safety Week
Fire Prevention Week
Teen Read Week
United Nations Day
World Teachers Day
America ’s Safe Schools Week
National School Lunch Week
Black Poetry Day

September 2006 Calendar

Library Card Sign-Up Month

Also National Preparedness Month

For more information, visit:
Library Card Sign-Up Month
National Preparedness Month
International Literacy Day
Hispanic Heritage Month
Constitution Day
Banned Books Week
Family Health and Fitness Day USA
National Book Festival
International Peace Day

National Blueberry Month

Also National Baked Bean Month

For more information, visit:

Green Animals Topiary Garden and Children's Museum
Walk on stilts! Develop self-confidence through mastery of balance and coordination
President's Environmental Youth Award Program

Child Vision Awareness Month

Also Dairy Month and Effective Communications Month

For more information, visit:

UN's Web site for children
Anne Frank Center, U.S. Web site
The Flag of the United States of America
Have some fun with Garfield
National PTA
NEA Representative Assembly

Dollar General Partner Information

About Dollar General

Dollar General is a Fortune 500 discount retailer with more than 8,000 neighborhood stores. Dollar General stores offer convenience and value to customers by offering consumable basic items that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, and cleaning supplies, as well as a selection of basic apparel, housewares, and seasonal items at everyday low prices. The company has a long-standing tradition of supporting literacy and education in the U.S. In 2005, the company awarded more than 930 grants to nonprofit organizations that helped more than 81,000 individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma, or English proficiency.

About the American Library Association (ALA)

The American Library Association is the voice of America's libraries. Its mission is to promote the highest quality library and information services and public access to information. For more information on this program, visit www.ala.org/aasl/disasterrelief.

About the American Association of School Librarians (AASL)

With more that 10,000 members, the American Association of School Librarians is one of the largest divisions of the American Library Association. It promotes the improvement and extension of library media services in elementary and secondary schools as a means of strengthening the total education program.

Building a Nation of Readers

Snapshot of 2006 Activities

© 2005 Universal Studios, Curious George and related characters
Created by Margret and H.A. Rey, ™ & © Houghton Mifflin Company

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Also Get Caught Reading Month and National Physical Fitness & Sports Month

For more information, visit:
Get Caught Reading
Teachers Count
Reading Is Fundamental
Teacher Appreciation Week
UN's Web site for Children

AASL, ALA, NEA Team With Dollar General to Provide $800,000 In Grants

Beginning April 2006, NEA is joining several organizations to provide $800,000 in grant money that will be available to rebuild and expand public school libraries affected by natural disasters. Continuing NEA's commitment to restock public school libraries affected by last year's Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, "Beyond Words: The Dollar General School Library Relief Program," is a collaboration among NEA, retailer Dollar General, the American Library Association, and the American Association of School Librarians. Individual library awards will range from $5,000 to $15,000. The funds will be used to purchase books, media, and/or library equipment that support learning in a school library environment.

For more information, read the press release (also en español) and visit www.ala.org/aasl/disasterrelief. Plus, learn more about our partners.

National Poetry Month

Also National Child Abuse Prevention Month and Library Media Month

For more information, visit:
Poets.org
Prevent Child Abuse America
American Library Association
The Children's Book Council
Points of Light Foundation
Youth Service America
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work
Reading Rockets and Reading Rockets: Dia de los Libros
American Library Association: Dia de los Libros
Akeelah and the Bee

Get Ready to Drop Everything and Read!

This year, on April 12, 2006, we're celebrating National "Drop Everything and Read" Day, a partnership with the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA); the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association; Reading Rockets; and HarperCollins Children's Books. The aim of this nationwide initiative is to encourage families to designate a special time to "drop everything and read" and take at least 30 minutes to put aside all distractions and enjoy books together.

April 12, 2006, is the 90th birthday of beloved Newbery Medal-winning author Beverly Cleary, and it is the official date for D.E.A.R. Day. Cleary's most popular children's book character, Ramona Quimby, is the program's official spokesperson.

Teachers can obtain a number of downloadable D.E.A.R. materials, including "How To Host a National D.E.A.R. Day Celebration," D.E.A.R. ideas, and reproducible stickers, flyers, and logos. In addition, you can download and create "My D.E.A.R. Family Album," that will capture your family's reading heritage. For more details, go to www.dropeverythingandread.com.

Gulf Coast Tour

March 3

Final Day for 2006 Reading Tour

On the last day of NEA's Read Across America reading tour, the Cat-A-Van visited two FEMA villages in Baton Rouge – schools where 100% of the students were displaced by the hurricanes.

Miami Dolphins safety Norman LeJeune told the students of Scotlandville Elementary and Middle School how important reading is, even if you want to grow up to be a football player. Executive Committee member Becky Pringle then engaged the students in an interactive reading of "Green Eggs and Ham." Afterwards, LeJeune, LAE's Executive Director Bruce Hunt, Becky Pringle and the Louisiana governor's chief of staff read to the students in the classrooms. And, of course, the Cat in the Hat made his appearance!

The last stop on the tour was Mayfair Elementary School.  The 150 students, all in their Cat in the Hat striped hats, had an opportunity to ask the Cat questions. When one student asked, "Where is your catmobile?" the Cat, through a translator, answered, "In the shop getting fixed. Thing One and Thing Two broke it!"

Cpl. Antonya Coleman-Crump, DARE instructor for the city of Baton Rouge,  was a guest reader at several of the schools. "I really enjoyed the Cat in the Hat and the Read Across America program because it is an example of communities working together to improve children's reading skills in schools and at home," said Coleman-Crump.

March 2

"Cat-a-Vans" Culminate in New Orleans Area on Read Across America Day 

Over 700 students at Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School in LaPlace, Louisiana, were  visited by the Cat in the Hat and NEA President Reg Weaver on Thursday morning. 

Children listen attentively. Photo by John Balance.

Looking out over hundreds of red and white striped hats in the audience, President Weaver hosted the "A-Cat-Emy" Awards Show. The host had three surprises for the students and Principal Triche: (1) Each student at the school would receive a book to take home; (2) NEA donated $1,000 to the school; and (3) the award for best actor at the "A-Cat-Emy" Awards – the Cat in the Hat!

President Weaver and the awards show then traveled to St. Bernard Unified School in Chalmette, Louisiana.  The wrath of the hurricanes was evident in the utter destruction in the school's surrounding neighborhoods. However, the shrieks and ear-to-ear smiles from the 500 students during the program resonated with hope.

Executive Committee member Marsha Smith, whiskers and all, started the program by getting the students into the act!

Michelle Williams cheers during a visit to a school in need of books and support during NEA's Read Across America. Photo by John Balance.

Before the Cat in the Hat made its appearance, Michelle led the students in the reading pledge...

I promise to read
Each day and each night.
I know it's the key
To growing up right.

With books in hand, the students left the program with smiles, autographs, and hopefully, a little hope.

March 1

Visiting Schools in Need

Check presentations continued to schools in need. Photo by John Balance.

LAE President Carol Davis joined the tour at Hammond and spoke to the students about the importance of reading.

Becky Pringle, NEA Executive Committee member, told the students at Hammond that once they learn to read, a whole new world will open up to them. "Whatever you do in life all starts with learning how to read well," she said.

After giving the Cat in the Hat high five and saying goodbye, the students returned to their classrooms where members of the Southeastern Louisiana University women’s basketball team read to them.

NEA Executive Committee member Carolyn Crowder sings with a child at Belfair Elementary. Photo by John Balance.

After the program, the 450 K-5 students couldn't decide if they wanted the Cat in the Hat or an LSU football player's autograph! LSU football players, track and field athletes, and gymnasts volunteered their time to read to the students after the program.

NEA President Reg Weaver joined the tour on a visit to Park Forest Elementary School in Baton Rouge.  Wearing the Cat in the Hat's signature red and white striped hat, President Weaver, alongside Becky Pringle, entertained the students and faculty alike with a reading of Dr. Seuss’s "Green Eggs and Ham." He also asked all of the teachers and ESPs to stand and recognized them for their hard, and important, work.

President Weaver, State Senator Westin Broom, State Respresentative Regina Barrow and volunteers from The Heart of America Foundation read to the students in small groups after the program.

Cameron Parish, Louisiana

South Cameron High School was wiped out by Hurricane Rita in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. Photo by Jim Hristakos, NEA.

"We just want our schools back." Janice Dupont's answer is simple when asked what people in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, need  most.

The school district only had seven schools. Hurricane Rita's wrath reduced them to just three. Janice is a teacher at Cameron Elementary, one of the schools that was destroyed. Her seven-year-old daughter, Marissa, is enrolled at the school. They have been forced to learn and teach at one of the remaining schools in the parish on a part-time basis.

First Book provides each student in Cameron Parish schools with a new book. Photo by James Chance.

Children are doing what is referred to as "platooning" at Grand Lake High School. Three additional schools share Grand Lake' s facilities. Students from Cameron Elementary, South Cameron Elementary and South Cameron High attend extended-hour classes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Grand Lake offers elongated classes for its students (Pre-K through 12) on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The days away from school are spent looking for permanent housing, filing insurance claims and working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Children taking the "Readers Oath" with the Cat in the Hat. Photo by James Chance.

It is a tough reality brightened, at least for a day, by NEA. The The Association, along with leaders from the Louisiana Education Association, visited Grand Lake High on day three of the Read Across America Gulf Coast Tour. Besides that facility, the tour made stops at Fairview and Dolby Elementary schools in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Hundreds  of children listened attentively to readers and gasped aloud when they heard about the books and money they were receiving. They smiled from ear to ear when introduced to the Cat in the Hat and asked questions like, "How does it feel to be in a book?" Keeping the mood light, the cat's handler jokingly responded, "Squished."

February 28

"Cat-a-Van" Continues Through Texas, Visiting Beaumont, Port Arthur and Langham

A check is presented to Bessie Johnson, Principal of Travis Elementary (3rd from left). Others in photo are Anne Heuberger, VP of TSTA (far left); with Marsha Smith and Mark Cebulski, NEA Executive Committee members. Photo by Jim Hristakos, NEA.

Tattered roofs covered with blue tarps keep the elements out and remind Southeast Texas  residents of the devastation Mother Nature left behind. If you talk to people here, they will tell you they sometimes feel like the forgotten ones. Hurricane Katrina and its effects are covered constantly on the news, but here Hurricane Rita’s name is spray painted on boarded up buildings. "God bless Rita," covered one side of a church. One business wrote, "The only good Rita is a margarita."

Despite the slow rebuilding process, there is humor. There is hope. It is seen in the eyes of hundreds of children. Their faces illuminate when the Cat in the Hat enters the room.

Day two of the Read Across America Gulf Coast Tour that originated in Texas  took NEA, the Texas State Teachers Association and local members to four schools:  Martin Elementary in Beaumont; Lee Elementary and Travis Elementary in Port Arthur; and  Langham Elementary in Nederland. NEA Executive Committee member Marsha Smith and TSTA Vice President Anne Heuberger joined the tour. They were able to see damage to the schools and libraries firsthand.

Teachers and education support professionals were overwhelmed by the monetary and book donations. NEA certainly has not forgotten Southeast Texas.

Get more information on NEA's Read Across America and how you can help with the Gulf Coast Reading Tour.

February 27

"Cat-a-Van" Tour Arrives in Texas!

Children greet the Cat in the Hat in Pearland while NEA Executive Committee member Mark Cebulski and TSTA President Donna New Haschke look on. Photo credit—Sam Pierson

"Cat in the hat! Cat in the hat!" The children chanted in unison, eagerly awaiting the cat of the hour. With his hat in tact and red bow tie perfectly straight, the famed character leaped out of his "cat-a-van" to cheering fans. The children, now jumping and wildly waiving their arms, yelled "We love you." "Do you eat green eggs and ham?" "Tell Dr. Seuss we said Happy Birthday! The visit to Mary Burks Marek Elementary School was a smashing success.

Day one of the Texas tour took NEA, the Texas State Teachers Association and local leaders to three schools: Austin Middle School in Galveston; Marek in Pearland and Southmore Intermediate School in Pasadena. We delivered donations and hundreds of books.

Children love the Cat in the Hat! Photo by Sam Pierson

The excitement did not end with the children. Principals beamed and imagined what they could do to boost literacy and book supplies with the $1,000 donation they received. NEA Executive Committee member Mark Cebulski chuckled at TSTA President Donna Haschke's animated, edge-of-your-seat version of "Horton Hears a Who."

Oh the places we will go on the Read Across America Gulf Coast Tour ... from Beaumont, Texas, to Lafayette, Louisiana, and cities in between. We are sure everyone will be equally enthused and welcoming.

My Time (listen to this song MP3 )

Written by Fatin Danzler, Aja Graydon, Elise Perry
Vocals: Aja Graydon, Fatin Dantzler, Diya Dantlzer, Aquil Dantzler

Verse 1
After all of the hard work
And all of the things I sacrificed
Now I finally know my worth
The whole of me it has no price (Priceless)
I thought I’d never make it this far
I underestimated myself
And though my life has truly been hard
Now I know the greatness of my wealth

Hook 1
I’m rich in love
I’m rich in peace
I’m rich in hope
I’m rich indeed

Hook 2
I’m ready
This is My Time
All that I’d hoped for is mine
It’s mine, it’s mine
(repeat)

Verse 2
See I can have anything
See I can do anything if I believe
I’ve learned what you want you have to start first
You can’t just sit back and wait on anyone
You’ve got to put your best foot forward
Have faith and take action
‘Cause you never know where that road may lead
You can’t be afraid to take that chance
You’ve got to sow and plant your seed
Adapting to any circumstance

Hooks 1 & 2

Bridge
You’ll know when that moment comes
And childish things are put aside
When you’ve learned to embrace your true self
And you really begin to live your life

Hook 2

Repeat to fade

From the Kindred the Family Soul album “In This Life Together” 2005 Family Soul Music (ASCAP) and Babi’s Formula Music (BMI)

All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission

2006 Fact Sheet

Originally created as a one-day event to celebrate the joy of reading, NEA's Read Across America, sponsored by the National Education Association, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P., and more than 50 national sponsors including the National Football League Players Association, has grown into the nation's largest reading celebration.

Read Across America culminates each year on March 2—the birthday of beloved children's author Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. The program provides children with motivation to read and delivers an important message: Kids who read—and are read to—do better in school and in life. Read Across America calls on every community to celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday through reading motivation and awareness. The literacy program also provides NEA members, parents, caregivers, and children the resources and activities they need to keep reading on their calendar 365 days a year.

Last year, a new Spanish language program, "Lea con La NEA" ("Read with NEA") was launched to reach out to the Latino community.

In cities and towns across the nation, teachers, teenagers, librarians, politicians, celebrities, parents, grandparents, and others develop Read Across America activities to bring reading excitement to children of all ages. Governors, legislators, mayors, city councilmen and other elected officials recognize the role reading plays in their communities with proclamations and floor statements, while wearing the signature red and white stovepipe hats. Athletes and actors issue reading challenges to young readers. And teachers and principals seem to be more than happy to dye their hair blue, cook up a breakfast of green eggs and ham, or be duct-taped to a wall if it boosts their students' enthusiasm to read.

Celebrity Involvement

With more than 45 million readers participating every year, NEA's Read Across America has enlisted the support of hundreds of celebrities including Garth Brooks, Cal Ripken, Jr., Morgan Freeman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Danny Glover, Esai Morales, Ming-Na, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken from American Idol, First Lady Laura Bush, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Tiki and Ronde Barber, Alex Rodriguez, Shaquille O'Neal, Pedro Martínez, Reba McEntire, Amanda Bynes, and many, many more.

Read Across America 2006

This year marks a very special Read Across America, as millions from coast-to-coast will team up for an extraordinary cause: to bring the gift of reading to children who have been affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Read Across America will launch “NEA’s Books Across America” with its inaugural season touring the Gulf Coast region to provide reading relief by replenishing the area's public school libraries.

Your Read Across America celebration can be as simple or elaborate as time and inclination allow. Whether you choose to scale up or down, keep in mind the basic premise and your event is almost certain to be a success: On March 2, 2007, the National Education Association is calling for every child to be reading in the company of a caring adult. Use this toolkit to gather ideas and plan a successful event.

• Background Information
• The Basics
• Activity Ideas
• Media Tips
• Public Relations Tools
• Materials
• Resources
• Pledge
• Declaration of Reading Independence
• Poem
• Teacher Activity Guide for the Cat's 50th Birthday
• Request Form for the 2007 Resource Kit

Wonder how you're going to promote your Read Across America event? Well, we've got you covered. Also, find out ways to reach out to the media, local lawmakers and school board members.

Cool FREE Stuff to Print and Reproduce

Teachers can get colorful posters to decorate their classrooms and certificates to inspire students and recognize their participation.

• Posters
• Bookmarks
• Certificates
• Logo Use
• Printed Resource Kit Request
• RAA Newspaper Ad Launching Books Across America

Other Fun Things To Do

More tips on fun ways to encourage your students to read, read, read!

• Reader's Oath
• Reading Adventures Song
• Read Across America Song

Get Noticed by the Media

Use these resources to reach out to the media and get your Read Across America event publicized in advance or covered the day of the activity.

• Media Workplan
• Media Advisory
• Sample Letters to the Editor
• Sample Op-Ed Piece
• Save the Date Announcement
• Read Across America Matte Release

Get Politicians and School Board Members Involved

Tell them what you are doing and ask for their support.

• Sample Proclamation Letter
• Sample School Board Presentation

Background Information

The National Education Association (NEA) annually sponsors Read Across America. Approaching its tenth year, NEA's Read Across America focuses the country's attention on how important it is to motivate children to read in addition to helping them master basic skills.

NEA launched the Read Across America program in 1997. The nationwide reading celebration takes place each year on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss, who epitomizes a love of learning. Dr. Seuss's use of rhyme makes his books an effective tool for teaching young children the basic skills they need to be successful.

Find out more information about NEA's Read Across America and frequently asked questions .

Get creative! The opportunities are endless when it comes to planning your Read Across America event. Here's a list of previous programs that were successful.

Need Ideas? 13 Seuss-gestions

Find tips on how to involve everyone from parents to politicians. Here are 13 ideas  in case you've hit a creative wall. They will help make your event Seuss-sational!

50 Great Event Ideas

Oh, the Places Readers Will Go! They've read the Cat in the Hat in the Redskins locker room and on the radio. They mixed salsa and Seussims and even matched wits with a top Jeopardy champion. Read more about great events  in the past put on across America.

Youth Leaders for Literacy

2006 Grant Winners and Project Summaries

Sydney Steely strives to instill a love of reading in children who live in her rural, economically disadvantaged community. The 15-year-old calls Murfreesboro, Arkansas home. Steely's project targets children ages 5–8. It combines efforts with local businesses, city leaders and media. The teen plans to use the grant money to buy 100 books. Children will gather weekly at the local library. They will initially be issued a complimentary book, and then awarded additional free books as they finish reading. Parents will have to fill out forms to acknowledge that their child either read the book on his or her own or that the parent read to the child. During each session, students will describe the books they read, hopefully sparking the interest of others to read the same book. Steely will hold the children's enthusiasm throughout the project by featuring guest readers, puppet shows, student skits, art projects, parties and prizes that recognize students who read the most books within a seven-week period. Prior to winning the grant, the applicant made arrangements with local businesses and the media to advertise the project. Sydney Steely is an active 4-H Club member. Her inspiration comes from the strong-willed, main character of the book, Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. Sydney wants to capture that character's drive and use it in every aspect of her life. She is so dedicated to this literacy program that she is willing to pay for parts with her own allowance if needed.

Members of the Smoke Signals Newspaper Staff have adopted an "each one, teach one" philosophy. In September, they created a project called Kid's World. It is based out of their school, Choctawhatchee High in Walton Beach, Florida. They adopted a second-grade class from their feeder school and developed ongoing relationships with the youngsters to promote literacy and provide a positive influence. The 21 applicants want to take that a step further using the Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant. They will visit students weekly, read with them and have the students write book reviews. This process will be photographed and videotaped. At the end of the project, the high school "buddy" will present the grade school "buddy" with a newspaper featuring an article, all the book reviews, photos from the visits, and activities for each book the student read. The entire school will be able to view the videotape. Members of Smoke Signals say they have a unique opportunity to stress the importance of literacy. They say the younger students will think it is "cool" to read and write because the teenagers do.

A self-described "voracious" reader, Jennifer Tao wants to get books to people in disadvantaged and disaster stricken areas. The teen leader is part of the Be the Star You Are program in Moraga, California. The nonprofit organization's goal is to raise self-esteem and improve literacy for women, families and youth. Jennifer chairs their Star Teen Book Review and is the teen coordinator for Operation Hurricane Relief. So far, Be the Star You Are has shipped over $27,000 in books and other resources to the Gulf Coast. Jennifer wants to continue this effort using the Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant. She plans on doing everything from contacting beneficiaries to selecting and packing the books. Ms. Tao will also utilize books already in the organization's possession, but that are inappropriate for distribution. She will price and list them online to raise money for shipping. The young entrepreneur will use the same tactic if grant funds fall short of their efforts. Jennifer tells us, "The joy of delivering knowledge and entertainment is infectious!"

Reaching out, reading and respect. Nine elementary school students hope to realize the three R's using the Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant. They range in age from 7 to 11 and are part of the Emotionally Handicapped class at Moon Lake Elementary School in New Port Richey, Florida. The children want to reach out to youngsters in the pre-kindergarten autistic class, who learn differently just like they do. The older children will use pictures, songs, sign language and a repetitive hearing technique to teach the pre-K students. Over several weeks, they will pair up—spending time together, reading together, and learning how the other communicates. They will share their favorite books and create characters from the book using art supplies. The older students will create an alphabet book using pictures and make books about color for their younger buddies. Together, they will create two large books based on their ability levels. One will go to each class to remind them of the project, their new-found friends, and the mutual respect gained. The oldest child in the group, 11-year old Patrick Bailey, detailed how the project will benefit the community overall: "My project will help kids understand about different disabilities and show how kids with disabilities can really do good things too. It will stop kids from making fun of people with disabilities."

How many students does it take to cook up a great idea, mix in a pinch of fun, and organize a literacy project with some sizzle? Thirty-seven when it comes from the H.E.A.R.T In this case, H.E.A.R.T. stands for Helping Every Achiever Read to Success, a literacy program developed and directed by a student, put on by the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America chapter at Newsome High School in Lithia, Florida . Their goal is to apply an innovative and creative approach to reading. A key ingredient? Integrating culinary arts with literacy. The project targets at-risk, low-income children in grades three and under. Each week, the teens will visit schools, boys and girls clubs and a homeless shelter to read, initiate discussions, make snacks and complete culinary activities related to the books. At the end, the kids will get to be C.O.O.K.S. (Children On a Mission to Output Literacy Skills for Kitchen Success). They will put together scrumptious treats as long as they promise to read recipes and participate in group activities. Participants will walk away with a chef's hat, apron and other prizes. The project makes your mouth water and entices children to become lifelong readers—never quenching their thirst for knowledge.

The United Volunteer Service Club of Monmouth, Illinois is launching eight weeks of events that stress the importance of reading to youngsters. There are 23 high school students in the project they call Seuss on the Loose—United Through Reading. It's a fitting theme since NEA's Read Across America celebrates the birth of famed children's books author, Dr. Seuss. The group wants to make learning fun by reading great books and hosting events and contests. They mapped out daily projects and challenges with an emphasis on a particular subject each week. The topics they will tackle include reading with family, jobs that use reading, and how to get an early start through reading. Members of the club will incorporate activities that involve parents—making literacy a family affair that continues beyond two months.

From black and white printed pages, to the big screen, to real life, a California Girl Scout Troop feels the Chronicles of Narnia books teach core values. The Joshua Tree Council in Bakersfield wants to create a curriculum-based program and book club for foster care children. In their application, the scouts made a profound statement. “In the Chronicles of Narnia books, the main characters are disempowered in their real lives and learn to become empowered and unite. We feel that this book is a wonderful book to help many children in foster care systems who feel disempowered by the war in their own worlds to find inner strength and freedom in reading.” The project involves seven members ranging in age from 13 to 17. To administer the program, they will partner with Aspira, an organization that provides foster homes, adoption services, mental health services, and that helps at-risk families stay together. The Girl Scouts reached out to Disney for help in creating specific programs for the book club. They will use the $500 from the Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant to buy books so that each child can have one to go along with the curriculum.

They dream of safe streets, opportunity and a quiet place where young people and their imaginations can blossom. Stadium School Youth Dreamers, Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland, will use the Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant to create a Saturday Book Buddy Club. Participants will read novels, have discussions, develop creative group projects based on the books and even meet an author. The program will pair a young person with an adult. They will read and do activities together. Members of Youth Dreamers say many adults have negative impressions of youth in the community. This project provides an opportunity to break down walls and bridge the gap between the youth and adults. Youth Dreamers boasts its own mission statement, bylaws and board. They recently researched and identified a house for their youth center. They purchased the property, had it rezoned and are working with an architect to design the house.

They came to the United States to fulfill the American dream. They work 12-hour shifts daily to provide for their families, leaving little time to read to or with their children. Now the children are making strides to help their parents and themselves. Twenty-five young people who immigrated to Frederick, Maryland, from Burma, Asia, are creating a Family Literacy Project (FLiP).  The group, made up of kids from both grade school and high school, will have several major activities to encourage literacy and improve knowledge of the English language. Everyone will learn how to get a library card, and they are required to help at least one other family member get a library card. Students will visit the library with their parents at least once month, which is quite a task when you consider working parents’ schedules. More than 60 percent of the parents work for the same company. FLiP will have a contest and set daily reading goals. They will overcome transportation challenges by paying volunteers a $3 stipend to drive children to and from activities. FLiP members are excited to be a part of this youth-driven literacy program. “This project will help us to learn to be future leaders of our community. This project will make our parents proud.”  Burma is located in South Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal between Bangladesh and Thailand. It is one of the poorest countries in the world.

Twenty-one teens have virtually adopted a nearby Head Start program by donating toys, clothes and food. Now they want to help mold young minds and instill a lifelong love of reading. Members of Future Educators of America (FEA) attend Atholton High School (AHS) in Columbia, Maryland. Every Wednesday, 3- and 4- year-olds from the Head Start Center come to the high school for enrichment activities. There is one thing the older students believe is missing—a children’s library. They plan to use the Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant to buy books unaccessible to underprivileged young people. AHS students will do everything from ordering and organizing books to managing the library and helping children checking out books. The teens will host read alouds and organize a visit by an author. FEA will ask the entire student body at Atholton High to donate their favorite children’s book in honor of their mother or favorite teacher. The teen organizers aren’t just relying on the grant. They also plan to funnel an additional $150 into the library and ask the school to donate book shelves. This is their way of giving back to their community and leading by example.

Five members of the Project LEAD Community Service Organization want to take children where they may have only dreamed of going—around the world. The kids don’t have to pay a cent. They only have to pack their thinking caps, creativity and eagerness to learn. LEAD members in Troy, Michigan, are spearheading a project called Imagination Airlines: Read to Travel the Globe. They will make weekly visits to the Grace Centers of Hope rescue shelter in Pontiac, Michigan, to work with underprivileged children in the Kids Clubhouse program and Teddy Bear Express Day Care Center. The teens will convert the center into an “Imagination Airport.” Children will get “tickets” to guide them on a scavenger hunt from booth to booth. Each booth will include crafts, food, objects and activities from a specific country. After visiting a booth, the child will receive a “guidebook” and “passport.” The guidebook contains facts about different countries. The passport will be used to record the number of minutes the children read that day. LEAD members will combine the creative effort with snacks, prizes and book drives at their school. They hope the project will utilize the power of reading to set flight to children’s imaginations while introducing them to diverse cultures around the world.

Reese Haller wears several hats: avid reader, writer, published author and motivational speaker.  Did we mention he’s only nine years old? The fourth grader is from Bay City, Michigan. He wrote a chapter book last summer called, “Fred the Mouse – The Adventures Begin.”  He also has a DVD called “The Traits of Writing through the Eyes of a Young Author.”  Haller has been going to schools to talk about the importance of reading and writing and how they helped him publish his own book. The young author wants to expand his outreach, but transportation can be tough for a nine year old! That’s where the Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant comes in. Haller will use the money to get to speaking engagements at 71 area schools.  There, he will read to elementary school students in grades two through four. Reese will also leave behind an autographed copy of his book, in hopes of inspiring others.

Reading, writing and a cup of joe. Sixty-eight members of the Young Scholars Community Initiative in Utica, New York, are combining those elements to reach out to low-income teens who live in the Cornhill neighborhood of Utica. Members of Young Scholars attend Proctor High School. They want to create a teen-run coffee shop that will function as a community arts center and performance venue as well. They have already raised $2,500. The Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant will take them a step closer to their goal. Organizers plan to bring students and faculty from Hamilton College into the community weekly to host literacy-based workshops and performances. The kick-off event will feature performances by poets, rappers, hip hop artists and authors. In the following weeks, organizers will offer workshops on writing and performing spoken-word poetry, rhymes and raps. They will also have an open mike night, song lyric writing workshop and a final performance for prizes. The teens feel this program provides a unique avenue to discuss literacy in a “cool” way.

Barbara Fenig plans to combine literacy and recovery efforts. After visiting New Orleans, the 17-year-old from New York City fell in love with the southern city. She wants to create a reading related service project that will get books to libraries devastated by Hurricane Katrina or overwhelmed with storm evacuees. Fenig wants to organize weekly town hall meetings through the Calhoun School, where she is a junior. During these forums, one student will read aloud a short story from a collection called, “My New Orleans: Ballads to the Big Easy by Her Sons, Daughters and Lovers.” They will collect books each week and distribute them later. Fenig hopes the effort will promote literacy and remind her community to continue to support the recovery in the South.

Get R.E.A.D.Y., get set, go! A 17-year old senior is leading a literacy projected called R.E.A.D.Y. (Reading Is an Excellent Activity for Dads and Youth). It combines reading and family interaction. Pariesa Eggleston attends New Castle High School in New Castle, Pennsylvania. She envisions partnering with Lawrence County Social Services’ Project D.A.D. program. It’s designed to enhance bonding and relationships between fathers/caregivers and children up to age 12. Eggleston plans to organize trips to the library, read alouds, creative activities related to stories, meals and contests. The organizer will take pictures of families and give them a memory book to remind them their time together.

Kayla Tucker is using her project to promote literacy and to teach elementary and high school students about the Asian culture. She is 14 years old and a 10th grader at Coventry High School in Coventry, Rhode Island. Her eight-week plan includes a sit-down with an author. The older kids will have an opportunity to draw manga books and dress like manga characters. Manga is the Japanese word for comic book. Others will participate in a workshop with a renowned Japanese storyteller to hear folk tales, learn how to tell stories and learn how to inspire others. Students will read Kamishibai cards at local day care centers to children. Kamishibai cards are part of a tradition on long, Asian picture storytelling. The front has a picture and the back has original Japanese text with the English translation. High school students will also read, discuss and interpret works by Chinese philosopher Confucius.

The Girl Power Community Service Group will take to stages across their area to read aloud and act out original stories, nursery rhymes, fairy tales and Dr. Seuss books. Their audience will be preschool, kindergarten and first-grade children at numerous day care and after school programs. Through art, they hope to motivate children to get interested in reading and become avid readers. Each member of the Memphis, Tennessee, group will help compose music and dances for the existing books. They will also write and illustrate an original story that will be bound, decorated and distributed to the children. They also plan to send these books to the Memory Project, which helps get books to children in Uganda, Africa.

Members of the Johnson County Middle School Beta Club will launch a program called “Authors and Radio Readers.”  The group is from Butler, Tennessee. They will write and illustrate a book aimed at elementary schoolchildren. The book will be professionally published. The students will distribute the books to five area schools for students to read in the classroom. The Beta Club convinced a local radio station to allow members to read their books on-air once a week between Read Across America Day (March 2) and Youth Service America’s National Youth Service Days (April 21-23). The students will also read to youngsters in classrooms and donate their book to each of the elementary and middle school public libraries.

When you have nothing but the clothes on your back, sometimes a book can provide comfort. Sixteen-year-old students, Kirsten Horger and Chandler Tyler, volunteer with an organization called HomeAgain. It helps homeless men, women and children in the Richmond, Virginia, area. The Espigh family shelter offers temporary shelter for women and children. Too often, the teens have seen the confusion and fear on the faces of children entering the facility. They want to create books to get the kids comfortable and familiar with their surroundings and opportunities at the shelter. One book will simply offer pictures for children too young to read. The others will have pictures of the facility and people, along with words. The teens will get help from their peers through the Leadership Center atJames River High School. They will read to children the first week, then progress the project by taking pictures, interviewing, writing and taking the pages for professional printing. The teens will sponsor a parent-child read-along and a party to celebrate the finished product. Horger and Tyler’s goal is to welcome and support the children and their parents. “These children arrive from a variety of unsettling circumstances. We want each family to feel like they can learn to love their temporary home while they plan and work toward finding their own housing.”

Eugenia Solomon will use her Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant to help at-risk students who struggle with basic reading. The 21-year-old college sophomore lives in Washington, D.C. Her project will feature five weekly creative writing workshops at DC WritersCorps. Students between 13 and 17 will participate in local readings, poetry competitions and cultural activities in addition to creating their own anthologies. The teens will receive rigorous creative writing training and will be expected to write, edit, publish and read their writings. Solomon wants teens to walk away from the program with a better sense of self, vocabulary and a better outlook on writing and literature.

NEA's Read Across America is the perfect occasion to spark community involvement and showcase the great job your school is doing. Here's how you can get noticed:.

Become media savvy: Use this step-by-step list to help you get started.

Create a media workplan: Model your efforts on this workplan example.

Prepare a media advisory: Send a media alert/advisory several weeks before your events.

Contact your local newspaper: Encourage your local paper to get involved. Check out some sample letters to the editor you can adapt and modify to suit your needs.

Write an op-ed piece: Raise your visibility in your community by sharing your point of view about the current state of children's literature here's an example of an Op Ed (Opinion-Editorial) piece.

Send out a Save-the-Date notice: Send an announcement early so that people can mark your event on their calendars.

Take a proclamation to your community government: Ask local leaders to sign a proclamation declaring March 2nd NEA's Read Across America day. Most local governments embrace the opportunity to align themselves with enthusiasm for reading, and the fun of celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday is practically irresistable. For Local Associations, the goodwill you will reap is huge. If you want to take this a step further, invite your Mayor or Council Member to be a guest reader at your event.

Gain district-wide endorsement: Use this sample Local School Board Presentation to get buy-in, and consider taking along a Cat-in-the-Hat hat to give to the Chairperson as a gesture of good will.

Send comments to Staci Maiers

Some lucky teenagers' dreams became a reality on May 5, when the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus rolled into town.

Nine students were chosen to spend a day on the bus writing, composing and producing a song, while also having the opportunity to produce a music video.

The tour was sponsored in part by National Education Association (NEA) and Oneness, a national, non-profit organization whose focus is racial unity through music, the arts and education.

The partnership, which grew out of NEA's Read Across America, gives older students the opportunity to gain invaluable life and literacy skills through spoken word, poetry, music writing, producing and recording, and the arts.

More information is available in our press release, or contact Staci Maiers at (202) 822-7150. Stories about this event are featured at www.eschoolnews.com (free registration required), Silver Chips Online and Gazette.net.

Kneeling left to right: Dominic d'Eustachio, Will Timpson, Eddie Byrd. Standing left to right: Jeffrey Holliday; Virginia Blair, Jasmine Martin, Tamea Stover, Julian Talley, Rebecca Elias		Collaborating on songwriting is hard work!

Information about the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and Oneness is available at their Web sites.

All Arthur music materials have been distributed. Thanks very much for your interest.

Return to NEA's Read Across America home page.

Introduciendo '¡Lea con NEA!'

El programa de la NEA para la comunidad latina

(en inglés )

A través del año, "¡Lea con NEA!" de la NEA ofrecerá recursos para la lectura en inglés y español como listas de libros bilingües y enlaces a los socios de Read Across America. También ofrecerá información sobre educadores latinos, lideres de la comunidad latina, celebridades, y activistas dedicados a cerrar las brechas en los logros académicos.

Read Across America de la NEA ha escogido Edward James Olmos, el actor bien conocido no sólo por sus películas sino que también por su activismo en la comunidad. Durante su carrera, Olmos ha trabajado con gente empobrecido, ha viajado a través del país como un lector de motivación, y ha sido un líder en el movimiento para la unidad racial. Este programa ofrece varios recursos, en inglés y español, para promover la lectura.

Aquí están algunos de los recursos que nos ofrecemos:

Más información sobre "Lea con NEA"

• Introduciendo "Lea con NEA"   (PDF, 193 KB 1 page )
• Biografía de Edward James Olmos En HTML andPDF (192 KB, 1 page)
• Libros en español/ingles
• 50 libros multiculturales que cada niño debería leer
• Marcadores de Libros
• Certificado de Apreciación (PDF, 119 KB, 1 page)

Anuncios de Prensa:

30 de enero, 2005   -- Las superestrellas del fútbol americano van a inaugurar la mayor celebración nacional de lectura - Read Across America, de la NEA

¿Quiere cosas para ayudarle a celebrar "Lea con NEA" AHORA? Descargue estos recursos GRATUITOS:

"Lea Con NEA" poster in Spanish (PDF, 22" x 17", 1.1 MB )

Pida para el folio de recursos GRATUITO: 

Llene esta formulario para recibir un folio de recursos GRATUITO. El folio incluye carteles, una lista de libros multiculturales por Random House, y un cupón de Staples. Si es un miembro de la NEA, también va a recibir nuestro CD-ROM especialmente para nuestros miembros.

Inscribase hoy para recibir nuestro nuevo boletín de noticias:

¿Es un miembro de la NEA? Inscribase para recibir el boletín de noticias sobre Read Across America de la NEA por correo electrónico. Esta boletín es sólo para miembros, incluye las noticias de ultima hora sobre la alfabetización y le va a notificar sobre descuentos de mercancía. Para inscribirse, los miembros de la NEA debe mandar un correo electrónico a join-nea-raa-enewsletter@list.nea.org.

¡Reciba sus materiales de Seuss hoy!

¡Gorros, corbatas, camisetas y más!

¡Compre sus materiales de Seuss ahora en nuestra tienda de Internet!

Para mas información en inglés, visite www.nea.org/readacross.

Public Relations Tools

NEA's Read Across America is the perfect occasion to spark community involvement and showcase the great job your school is doing. Here's how you can get noticed.

Create a media workplan: Model your efforts on this workplan example.

Prepare a media advisory: Send a media alert/advisory several weeks before your events.

Contact your local newspaper: Encourage your local paper to get involved. Check out some sample letters to the editor you can adapt and modify to suit your needs.

Write an op-ed piece: Raise your visibility in your community by sharing your point of view about the current state of children's literature here's an example of an Op Ed (Opinion-Editorial) piece.

Send out a Save-the-Date notice: Send an announcement early so that people can mark your event on their calendars.

Take a proclamation to your community government: Ask local leaders to sign a proclamation declaring March 2nd NEA's Read Across America day. Most local governments embrace the opportunity to align themselves with enthusiasm for reading, and the fun of celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday is practically irresistable. For Local Associations, the goodwill you will reap is huge. If you want to take this a step further, invite your Mayor or Council Member to be a guest reader at your event.

Gain district-wide endorsement: Use this sample Local School Board Presentation to get buy-in, and consider taking along a Cat-in-the-Hat hat to give to the Chairperson as a gesture of good will.

Send comments to Staci Maiers

Hut one, hut two. It's reading fun for me and you!

San Francisco 49er Anthony Adams reads his favorite children's book, "Hop On Pop," at Leonhard Elementary. (NEA Staff Photographer daymonjharley.com)

Three read-ins, which were sponsored by NEA, NFL Players Association, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, The Heart of America Foundation and First Book, were held at Leonhard Elementary, Eisenhower Elementary and Brace-Lederle K-8 schools, all located in Southfield, Michigan.

Anthony Adams, a defensive end with the San Francisco 49ers, and his mother, Connie Davis, started the day by reading Dr. Seuss books to fourth and fifth graders.

Dave Rayner, a kicker with the Indianapolis Colts, read Seuss favorite "Green Eggs and Ham" to kindergartners and first graders. (NEA Staff Photographer daymonjharley.com)

Joining the Cat in the Hat at the second read-in were Detroit Lions fullback Cory Schlesinger, who plans to enter into the teaching profession and coach high school football after retiring from the NFL, and Dave Rayner, a kicker with the Indianapolis Colts who just wrapped up his rookie seasonn.

Capping off the day were running backs T.J. Duckett and Tyrone Wheatley of the Atlanta Falcons and the Oakland Raiders, respectively. Duckett and Wheatley issued a reading challenge to the middle schoolers for the upcoming Read Across America Day.

The schools also received a $14,000 book donation from The Heart of America Foundation through a national program that gives children everywhere the tools they need to read, succeed and make the world a better place.

The Atlanta Falcon's T.J. Duckett teams up with former Michigan State rival Tyrone Wheatley, a former Oakland Raider, at NEA read-in. (NEA Staff Photographer daymonjharley.com)

NEA also announced the launch of Books Across America, a nationwide reading and literacy program to provide books to public schools in need.

In this inaugural year, NEA's Books Across America has partnered with The NEA Foundation, First Book and The Heart of America Foundation to host a Reading Relief Tour for Gulf Coast public schools.

Grab your passports and hold on to your “Reading Hats” . . . Next stop, Whoville!  Carly Hockenberry, a student at Glendale High School in Flinton, Penn., is among the 2005 Youth Leaders for Literacy Grant winners for her creative after school event “Passport to Whoville,” which took students on a reading trip through the imagination.

Joining Carly in this year’s diverse group of winners is Matthew Her Many Horses of the Rosebud Indian Reservation in Mission, S.D., who stood at school bus stops dressed as the Cat in the Hat to encourage students to read.

NEA and Youth Service America (YSA) developed the Youth Leaders for Literacy program to encourage and celebrate literacy service of our nation's young people and honor them for doing reading-related activities that benefit others.

We were delighted to receive over 200 grant applications from groups and individuals making reading a priority in their lives and directing energy, enthusiasm, and wisdom into service to their communities. Below is the final selection of this year’s grant winners. Congratulations to all who participated, NEA’s Read Across America team will be contacting you with a list of additional resource organizations for your project.

Here's a sampling of this year's highlights:

In West Plains, MO, Desiree Phillips , a volunteer at the Christos House shelter for battered women, will be coordinating a literacy program that will not only help the children of the shelter but also the women, who themselves have struggled with literacy. The project would guide women and children into literacy with library visits, book recordings, bookstore visits, and readings.

In Johnson, IA, Jennifer Winzenburg, a high school volunteer on Kids Radio Mania, KDPS FM88.1, has made literacy a priority by using her volunteer services at the radio station to begin a special project called “Radio Reading Reviews.” Jennifer will travel to local elementary schools and tape children giving rave reviews about their favorite books. These taped reviews will then be aired on a weekend show and will include information on how children can find the featured books at their local libraries or bookstores.

In Longview, TX the Spring Hill Leaders Core will be adding to the excitement of reading through a project called “Tales of Teddy” kicking off on March 2nd and ending on April 15th. They will be encouraging elementary students needing additional help with reading to meet with them for one hour a week. Each week will have a reading theme that will be accompanied by various activities that coincide with the weekly theme. The final theme of their project is “Teddy Get Ready” in which each student participating in the reading project will receive their own stuffed teddy bear. Each participating student will stuff, dress, and name their own new reading bear.

In Portland, OR, the Rambunctious Readers of PAL will be using their volunteer services to read to area preschool students and leave books for the preschool children to use in their reading center. They will be hosting a book drive at a local bookstore and creating bookmarks to hand out to youths receiving books from their book drive. They will also be researching various foreign languages and selecting three foreign languages to learn the basics themselves and in turn teach to other interested youths for Learn a Language Day.

In LasCruces, NM, Hillrise Elementary fifth grade students will be reaching out to their community by initiating their “Baking a Batch of Good Readers” project. Their project will combine youth’s love of sweets and stories. Beginning on March 2nd these students will take the city bus to the Christian Day Nursery once a week and will take turns reading to the children. After reading books the children will enjoy snacking on a deliciously, sweet treat that was mentioned in the featured book. The nursery will receive a copy of every book read to be included in their reading center.

In Mercersburg, PA, 16 members of the Technology Student Association (TSA) from James Buchanan High School will be encouraging students at elementary, middle school, and high school levels to join in the excitement of reading with activities tailored to their level. Elementary children will read across America through the use of a booklet, developed by TSA, containing a page for each state, including little known facts about that state, authors from the featured state. Students traveling across America through literature will receive a certificate and a prize. Middle school students will be encouraged to read books from different regions of America. TSA will select the winning homeroom and present them with a prize. TSA members and Spanish club members will repair aging books and sponsor the creation of English/Spanish children’s book. High school students will write children’s stories in their English class, pass these stories on to the Spanish Club to translate, create illustrations, produce multiple copies using a printing press and distribute these new children’s books to area elementary schools, area dentist offices, doctor offices, hair studios, auto shops and daycares. TSA will also distribute these books on International Children’s day on April 2nd.

In Hague, VA,  “Literacy Lady” Rebecca Jones from Cople Elementary will be hosting a seven week story hour and book talk beginning on March 2nd . Local businesses will be donate door prizes to accompany her selection of books and community members will join in as guest readers. Jones will also write   book review for the local paper and sponsor a book drive.

In Mission, SD, Matthew Her Many Horses will encourage fellow students from his reservation, Rosebud Indian Reservation to read books from his book cart while waiting for their school bus. He will entice students to participate by dressing as the Cat in the Hat and explaining the project to the students. He will invite guest readers to join the students and read, host a book hunt, introduce the project to parents, have book theme weeks where students create crafts reflecting the theme, and have a reading celebration for all who participate in this seven week project.

In Overland Park, KS, enrichment students from Blue Valley North High School will show their appreciation for valuable literacy skills through their project called “Mission to Read Adventure”. They will be hosting various activities, such as book creating, arts and crafts, games and plays, during their sessions at a local elementary school to bring fun to their reading sessions. They will center their activities around classic stories from Aesop’s Fables such as The Tortoise and the Hare, The Boy Who Cried Wolf and The Lion and the Mouse. They will focus on different aspects of literacy each week while assisting elementary students to develop fun literary tools that will aid them in their comprehension.

In Oneonta, NY, college students, Justine LaMantia and Teresa Tartaglione, will be jumping in on the action by traveling to neighboring schools to introduce contemporary young adult literature to students. Their goal is to spark curiosity in both teachers and students about contemporary young adult literature and involve them in a young adult literature seminar on the State University College of Oneonta campus. They will provide seminar attendees with workshops ranging from read-a-loud and young adult literature sharing sessions They will host book clubs and donate books used at the seminar to local schools to encourage awareness of contemporary young adult literature.

In Flinton, PA, Carly Hockenberry, a student at Glendale High School will be hosting a school assembly at a local elementary school to generate excitement for a reading competition. Students will be challenged to keep reading logs of their books and have an accompanying parent signature on them. Awards and prizes will be given to the top readers in K-3 and 4-6. The week of NEA’s Read Across America will be filled with school-wide activities, games, and art contest portraying student’s favorite Dr. Seuss character. He will host an after school event called “Passport to Whoville” in which students arriving  will receive a passport to be carried with them throughout the school and checked off after participating in each activity. Students presenting a complete passport will receive a book prize.

In Barker, NY, the middle school members of Junior Friends of the Barker Free Library will encourage kids to visit and use the Barker Free Library. Working together these students will turn a section of the library into a Dr. Seuss themed children’s room, filling it with life size characters and scenery. They will host seven story hours, have guest speakers, explore languages and food of various cultures, and host a celebration for all who participate in the sessions. With the help of the library they will obtain new books for the library and donate them to be apart of their permanent collection.

In Gainesville, GA, the Alpha Lambda Delta college students from Brenau University Campus will be working with at-risk adolescent girls at a local non-profit organization called Gainesville Adolescent Project (GAP).  They will be building mentor relationships with these adolescents and not only engaging them in literature but also assisting them in their ability to function within society. They have planned weekly activities to expand these young adults out look on life, such as visiting art exhibits, story telling, holding literary discussion sessions, reading plays as well as developing their own plays depictive of their life experiences.

In Ripon, Wisconsin the college members of Ripon CAN (Community Action Network) – Bilingual Literacy Leadership Committee will bridge the cultural divide between locals and Hispanic migrants. They plan on implementing both language learning and diversity programs in fun atmospheres that target students of all backgrounds. They will encourage parents to take an active role in the education process regardless of the language barriers by providing local elementary schools with full text bilingual children’s books which may then be incorporated into reading programs. They will work with other academic departments to create Accelerated Reader quizzes to accompany texts. They will also host two separate bilingual reading sessions at a local elementary school. The students will enjoy read-a-loud and storytelling sessions, and will enjoy participating in the creation of a bilingual coloring book.

In Cleveland, Ohio, Anita Isom, middle school student at St. Mary’s will be encouraging students to sign up for a library card and use the library on a regular basis. Local libraries will waive library fees to help Anita in her effort to reinstate youth library cards. Anita will be hosting a book drive, establishing a book club, hosting workshops on how to write your own story and bookmaking, a teen poetry slam and she hopes her efforts will create a new generation of authors and offer youth activities that are both positive and fun.

In Indianapolis, IN, high school members of the Indianapolis Writers’ Center VOICE will be launching an on-line journal for Indiana high-school students. They will make announcements for entries of creative writing, fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for the VOICE on-line journal. They will be offering workshops at their weekly VOICE meetings to all interested in being introduced to creative writing. They will host a learning session with the guidance of local literary journal editors and librarians to present information on literary journals and how copy editing and journal selections are made. They will also initiate a visit to a professional poetry reading at a local college and host an open house reading party where the site will be officially launched.

ESL club in GamewellMiddle School will add momentum to the literary movement by assisting native tongue students to learn English by reading English books. They will visit local elementary schools and read to Spanish speaking students. They will create a documentary composed of their experiences as they themselves help one another to learn English and encourage elementary school students to be encouraged to continue in their struggle to learn English.

In New York, NY, a group of students, at the High School for Health Profession and Human Service, will be helping parents and children at the Chinese Health Center become familiar with literary resources within their community through field trips to the library, obtaining library cards, and read different types of books. They will encourage children to be more outspoken through art activities, expand their imagination through book making, think critically by comparing same subject matter of two different literary formats (book vs. video), play reenactments, teaching local children about their own cultural background through literacy and art focusing specifically on bilingual Chinese and English speakers, and encouraging children to use their problem solving and team skills by engaging them in a scavenger hunt at a local park.

In Prattville, AR, Daniel Pratt Elementary student Katie Fladung will be inviting guest speakers to read in different classes at her school in honor of NEA’s Read Across America Day. She will also be hosting a library night where parents and students come to the library and enjoy reading books together while they share pizza and drinks. Local news and media coverage will help promote the many events going on at her school, such as free book drawings from donated books, book reading contests, a school book walk, book trivia and silly sock day.

In Queens, NY, middle and high school members of the Angels of Literacy program will join in on the enthusiasm of literacy by holding peer group, read-a-loud, and story telling sessions at the Far Rockaway Branch Library. They will engage children through reading activities, arts and crafts and worksheet reviews. Their focus will be on encouraging local children to be hungry to gain knowledge about how to pick books from different genres, keep busy in a positive way and to bring positive attention to the benefits of the local library.

In San Antonio, TX, the Peer Assistant Leadership Students (PALS) Book Club has created a bilingual reading Sesussian reading project to help all pre-k through third graders in a community that lacks bookstores and a local library. The project will feature guest readers, family reading activities, and book celebrations.

In Placentia, CA, Garrett Trinkle and Leah Espinoza will be teaching the young children of HIS House homeless shelter and the Bradford Boys and Girls Club to read and love reading. The young leaders will be working closely with local community leaders as guest readers and will be coordinating reading incentive projects with the children.

In Cheyenne, WY, the Laramie County Library Youth Advisory Board will be working to create a library for the juvenile jail facility at the Jeffery C. Wardle Academy, a detention and redirection program for teens. Board members will work with therapists and jail inmates to set up the library and develop a reading program at the jail.

In Conyers, GA, the Super Stars of Baldwin County will be working with community groups like the Reading Grannies to share the joy of reading with local schoolchildren. The Super Stars will be reading to local schoolchildren and with the Green Acres Nursing Home and coordinating trainings, reading contests, and reading celebrations.

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

Presenting 'Lea con NEA!'

NEA's literacy program for the Latino community

(en español)

Throughout the year, NEA's "Lea con NEA!" (Read with NEA) will offer a variety of reading resources in English and Spanish and will feature Hispanic educators, community leaders, celebrities, and activists who are dedicated to closing the achievement gap through literacy.

To chair this national literacy initiative, NEA's Read Across America has chosen Edward James Olmos, well-known actor and long time community activist who has worked tirelessly with the disenfranchised, toured as a motivational speaker, and been a leader in the movement toward racial unity. This program offers a host of resources, in English and Spanish, to promote reading awareness.

Here are Spanish-language resources now available to you:

"Lea Con NEA" poster in Spanish (22 x 17, 1.1MB PDF)

• Introduciendo "Lea con NEA"   (PDF, 193 KB 1 page )
• Edward James Olmos Biography  In HTML and  PDF (192 KB, 1 page)
• Libros en español/ingles
  This list, compiled by Association staff, includes both bilingual books and books that have both Spanish and English editions. The titles are listed by grade level and include fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
• 50 libros multiculturales que cada niño debería leer
• News Release, Jan. 30, 2005 -- Football Superstars to Kick Off Largest National Reading Celebration – NEA’s Read Across America
• Marcadores de Libros  (Bookmarks)
• Certificado de Apreciación ( PDF, 119 KB, 1 page) (Certificate of Appreciation)

Grants Awarded for Student-Led Projects

What is Youth Leaders for Literacy?

Youth Leaders for Literacy is an initiative of the National Education Association (NEA) and Youth Service America (YSA) to help youth direct their enthusiasm and creativity into reading-related service projects. During the six-week program period and beyond, they create a groundswell of literacy service in communities across the country.

The NEA and Youth Service America developed the Youth Leaders for Literacy program in 2001 to encourage and celebrate literacy service in our nation's young people, and to provide resources to conduct reading-related activities that benefit others. Making a difference in the lives of America's children is what the partnership between the NEA and YSA is all about.

The power in participating

Something powerful happens when youth are involved in literacy service. They receive the intrinsic rewards of being involved in their community, but they also learn more about themselves and the importance that reading plays in their own lives. Being able to read makes everything else possible, including the ability to make meaningful, lifelong contributions to their communities.

More information

• Who can apply?
  Applicants, ages 21 or younger, can be either individuals or groups.

• When is the deadline?
  Grant applications must be postmarked by November 24, 2006.
  
  Download the current grant application. ( 69KB, 4pp).
  Please note: Supporting documentation refers to the detailed budget and favorite book list referenced in earlier questions on the application. You may also add any letters of support or recommendation, and you may add photos if you wish to do so. In additiion, please include a list of your literacy activities from March 2 (Read Across America Day) to National & Global Youth Service Day. Each application submitted will receive an e-mail confirming receipt. Applicants will also be notified when winning grants are selected.

• How many grants are awarded?
  Each year the National Education Association awards 20 grants of $500 each to student-led initiatives.

• When are winners announced?
  Winners are usually announced in January .

• What kinds of activities are acceptable?
  To be eligible for grant funds, applicants must include a scheduled activity (e.g., read aloud session, trip to the library, book-making, etc.) for each week of the project period as part of the proposed service project.

• Are winners obligated to report on their projects?
  Yes. Grant award winners must complete and return the project evaluation form received with their check.

• What do judges look for?
  

  • Youth leadership in developing and implementing the project
  • The involvement of youth in preparing and submitting the grant application
  • The capacity of the individual or group to administer the grant
  • The impact of the project on those providing service and those being served
  • Complete applications, including all requested support materials

Looking for ideas? Read about the winning 2007 applicants.

You can also find out more about National & Global Youth Service Day.

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

Reading is a pastime for all seasons. Click on any month below to find resources and activities appropriate for home and school. This month we feature January reading activities.

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

NEA's Read Across America Online Toolkit

13 Seuss-gestions

• Involve all NEA members. For example, bus drivers can set up a reading challenge; cafeteria workers can prepare recipes from your favorite books; and students and higher ed members can get their campus involved in your community. All of them can be guest readers.
• Look for partners to include in your event. NEA's Read Across America has more than 50 national organization partners from the American Library Association to Youth Service America. Check out our partners list at www.nea.org/readacross and find out if there's a local link for you. Don't forget to contact local businesses and organizations. They're great sources of book donations and volunteer readers.
• Arrange for a proclamation. Have your mayor, school board, or legislators issue a proclamation. For a sample proclamation, go to www.nea.org/readacross.
• Everyone loves a challenge, especially students. Remember the principal who ate a worm? The teacher who jumped into a vat of green jello? Be creative and students will "read" to the challenge.
• Read on the radio. Ask your local radio disc jockey to read or even broadcast from your school.
• Aim high. Who says high school students won't get involved? High School students love reader's theater and poetry slams, and middle school students can organize book fairs and read to elementary students.
• Invite parents and students to don their pajamas and snuggle up and read.
• Hats off to hometown heroes. Have students write to local heroes and ask them about their favorite books. Showcase these hometown heroes and their choices in your reading celebration.
• Put reading on parade or hold a book lovers' ball. Celebrate your favorite authors, books and characters in style.
• Put on your culture cap. Create a culture cafe and put books on the menu. Your reading recipes can combine food and fiction or nonfiction.
• Break a record! Guinness records were made to be broken, give one a try.
• Make your reading event a multilingual, multicultural affair.
• Team up for reading. Contact your local sports team for reading challenges and guest readers.

Don't forget to pledge your own event on NEA's Read Across America Web site, www.nea.org/readacross. You'll also be able to sign up for the Read Across America e-newsletter; find out what's already being planned around the country; request a Read Across America resource kit; and order T-shirts, Cat in the Hat stovepipe hats, and more from the Read Across Catalog. Go to www.nea.org/readacross.

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

Find out what's in the works by educators your state

Check out the state-by-state pledge pages  to see what educators in your state have promised to do on March 2.

Help your members get noticed

State Associations can coordinate getting the word out about member-sponsored events. Check out this list of helpful public relations tools.

Create a reading event, or help your members create one

We've compiled a basic to-do list for elementary or middle school teachers who want to hold an event in their classroom in conjunction with NEA's Read Across America.

Get an event idea:

Know the scoop on using the logo

NEA's licensing agreement with Dr. Seuss Enterprises specifies how we can use the Cat in the Hat image, as well as all other Seuss-related images. We need your help in adhering to this agreement so we can continue to use the Cat in the Hat graphic in our logo. Please take a look at these guidelines for using the NEA's Read Across America logo and adhere to them to keep us out of trouble. Thanks!

Save and print these free reproducible resources:

• posters
• bookmarks
• certificates of participation
• logos
• A multicultural reading calendar, and more...

Get more helpful stuff:

By Jeannine Perez, Ph.D.

"The chief test of civilization is amount 'difference' it can tolerate and absorb - one characteristic all primitive societies a horror diversity."

—Sydney Harris
Teaching Exceptional Children
Vol.32 No.3 Jan/Feb 2000

In reviewing and selecting multicultural literature for children, it's easy to overlook a large segment of our society, the 'culture of the different.' I see differences as positive, but being perceived as different can also be a source of pain and feelings of rejection. Marching to a different drumbeat, by choice or not, isn't always easy. A good selection of literature addresses the challenges, achievements, pain and joys of being (in some way) different. Children and adults better understand each other when offered multiple perspectives.

The Invisible Woman

Thrust into the world of the different several years ago by an injury, I learned a harsh truth. As I struggled painfully in my walker, I realized I was invisible! Busy, bustling people glanced at me, and then away, as though I were not there.

There are reasons for our reactions to differences. We may feel unsure of how best to help. We are uneasy, and avoid eye contact. We may even feel threatened by what we cannot control or understand, and throw a cloak of invisibility so as not to see. I knew this, of course, but at the time it was cold comfort. It was also a revelation. Invisibility is a common experience for adults and children with disabilities, who are often made to feel like non-beings.

Being invisible impacted my teaching style and made me rethink my choices in children's books. For one thing, I broadened my concept of "special needs." Children feel different for many reasons. Physical disabilities certainly, but also other, less obvious factors can set children apart: different ways of speaking or learning, toxic environments or rejection at home, emotional traumas or a behavioral disability. Good literature and storytelling expand awareness of the depth of human complexity, and help us begin to appreciate and accept diversity in our community, in our own school, and, if the stories really speak to us, within ourselves. This is true multiculturalism.

Guideposts to Selecting Literature

I keep these things in mind when selecting literature for my classroom:

universal themes of overcoming adversity (myth and folklore)

characters and stories that show diversity is a plus

plots that emphasize choice

Overcoming Adversity: the Heart of Myth and Folklore

Here is an instance in which myth and folktales go beyond entertainment. Mythical heroes and heroines face challenges and tests. Although the tales usually end "happily ever after," these endings are seldom the result of easy answers. They are set in motion because of a change in the main character, not in the surroundings. Think of universal themes with variations across all cultures: Cinderella, The Ugly Duckling, Jack the Giant Killer. With these archetypal characters, changes begin internally: a shift in self perception, a willingness to take risks, and also an acknowledgement of possibilities. As the character grows and changes, the perceptions of others are in turn affected. In challenging situations, and often with few resources beyond the will to triumph, these characters exert powerful influence in their own lives and eventually effect change. Heady elements for children who may have little control over physical circumstances!

Add nuances and layers of meaning to folktales by hunting for variations of popular stories. For example, The Rough Face Girl by Rafe Martin (Algonquin), Murfaro's Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe (African), The Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo, Cinderella Bigfoot, Laughter Ever After by Mike Thaler (familiar European, but with a humerous twist), and Vasilisa (traditional Russian), are all variants of Cinderella, one of the world's most universal of themes. There are many more.

Although myths and folktales are most attractive to younger children, older students can enjoy them, too. Include a class discussion about the underlying themes, and how they relate to your students' own lives.

Diversity is a Plus

Reading about diverse characters and situations empowers children to recognize they are not alone. We all need to see ourselves at least occasionally in the books we read. Unfortunately, while the quality and quantity of books celebrating people from different cultures are on the rise, books that feature differently-abled children as protagonists or major characters are harder to find.

The 1972 film Butterflies are Free featured Eileen Heckart as a children's author. To inspire her blind son, she created a series about a blind boy named Danny Dark who solved mysteries and went on heroic quests. The screenwriter who invented that bit of characterization was ahead of his time (he still is). Nevertheless, with diligent searching books can be found.

Choice is Key to Survival

Books that offer choices to their characters are also important. To a child who is confined or limited by circumstances, choice often seems like a priviledge reserved for others. One of the most important skills a teacher can pass on to her students is the ability to recognize options. "I can't do this!" becomes, "What can I do to get past this obstacle?" With self confidence they decide, "I can switch plans or figure out how to change conditions. Maybe I need a different goal. It's OK to ask for help, or I can do it in a different way. Perhaps I'd rather do something else instead." Options are a powerful tool for daily survival, and key to long-term success. Good books reinforce this spirit.

The Path from Acceptance to Change

Respecting differences is never enough. Change is a part of life. First we acknowledge, then celebrate changes for the adventures they can become. To do that, we don't need books spotlighting differences as anomalies, and we don't need sugar coated plots or easy answers. For me, a physical barrier became a time to grow, and I lived a happy ending. Not all physical, emotional or behavioral challenges are so easily 'fixed,' however. Satisfying books reflect changes, struggles, and endings that are not always expected.

Here are some books with a diverse array of protagonists who choose not to let their "differentness" define them:

Joey Pizga Loses Control by Jack Gantos. Joey Pizga, the unlikely, disaster-prone hero first introduced in Joey Pizga Swallowed the Key, is back and better than ever in this excellent sequel about a bright child with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). With his "meds" (medication) finally under control, Joey turns to his next challenge -- getting to know his estranged father. But his father thinks medication is for sissies, and Joey faces a painful decision no child should ever have to make: please his father, or do what he must to take care of himself? A Newbery Honor book. Reading level: ages 9-12.

Bluish by Virginia Hamilton features a trio of girls who form a fragile friendship. One of them, Natalie, has leukemia and uses a wheelchair. How they work out the dynamics of their relationship and come to terms with Natalie's "differentness" makes for compelling reading, with a little bit of an edge. Reading level: ages 9-12.

Freak the Mighty by W.R. Philbrick. Here is an odd couple, if ever there was one: Max, a large, lumbering, learning disabled boy, known as the class "retard," and Kevin, a nerdy, brilliant boy with a condition that limits his growth (he's 2 feet tall). Together they are greater than the sum of their parts. Their unlikely friendship leads to adventure and self-discovery, and allows them to achieve together what they could not achieve alone. Reading level: ages 9-12.

Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse presents Bille Jo, a girl of the Oklahoma Dust Bowl in the time of the Great Depression. An accident robs Billie Jo of her mother and leaves her hands badly damaged. Drowning in his own sorrow, her father is unable to offer comfort. Written in blank verse, Out of the Dust is a haunting portrait of a child who struggles to survive in bleak circumtances. Billie Jo finds no easy answers, but she does survive. Winner of the 1998 Newbery Medal. Reading level: ages 9-12.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor. Paul Fisher is a legally-blind 7th grader who, with the help of his thick-lensed eyeglasses, is nonetheless a first-rate soccer goalie. When the family moves to Florida, however, things change. Paul's new school classifies him as "handicapped" and therefore ineligible to play. While Paul tries to deal with his new "disabled" status, his older brother, who seems to have a perfect life, is self-destructing. A complex story with many strands, Tangerine was nominated for multiple awards. Reading level: young adult.

A good resource for books featuring differently-abled children is Exceptional Parent Library: A Special Needs Bookstore on the Internet at www.eplibrary.com. (Click on "Our Products," then "For Young People.")

*****

Jeannine Perez, Ph.D. has been teaching in the classroom for 24 years, focusing on early childhood and special education. She earned her Masters in Early Childhood, another in Counseling, and a Ph.D in Art Education/Art Therapy from Illinois State University. To keep busy while recuperating from an injury, she prepared for and achieved National Board Certification. Perez presently teaches an inclusive fourth grade class at Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico.

Dr. Perez is the author of three books:

Explore and Experiment: Adventures in Nature and Science for Young Children, First Teacher Press, 1988.

Hands-On Science, First Teacher Press, 1991.

Peace in Any Language, Humanics Publishing, 2002.

Send comments to  readacross@nea.org

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! Go to the American Library Association's Web site for free downloadable posters and bookmarks that remind parents and students that a library card is the most important school supply of all.

September 8 is International Literacy Day. Planning and participation materials are available online from the International Reading Association. The National Institute for Literacy also offers ideas for local International Literacy Day events.

Celebrate substitute teachers this year during Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week September 12-16, 2005.

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated September 15 to October 15 each year. Read our article for more information and links to resources. You can also join the celebration by participating in the National Hispanic American Read-In Chain. Visit the International Reading Association's Web site for details.  Or go to the Infoplease site to do a Hispanic Heritage Month crossword puzzle.

Observed from September 24-October 1, 2005, Banned Books Week is a time to celebrate your freedom to read. Visit the American Library Association Web site for information, resources, and lists of banned and challenged books.

September author birthdays

Discover these literary luminaries for satisfying autumn reading:

• John Bierhorst: September 2
• Paul Fleischman: September 5
• Anthony Browne: September 11  
• Mildred Taylor: September 13
• Tomie dePaola: September 15  
• Gail Carson Levine: September 17
• Stephen King: September 21
• Cooper Edens: September 25

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

The Great American Family Read-In is a wonderful activity to get families reading across America, and anytime is a great time to start. Keep it up all year, and help your family "resolve to read" any way, every day!

Bring a Great American Family Read-In to Your Family

Get your whole family to read the same book. Family members can take turns reading aloud. Encourage long-distance relatives to do likewise with the same title. When the whole clan is assembled (or via phone), host a book discussion.

Get your family reading books about the same topics. Mom and Dad may want to read books about gardening. The kids might find their parent's book even more interesting if everyone's also reading The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, or if younger readers have been reading Eric Carle's The Tiny Seed or Ruth Krauss's The Carrot Seed.

Get your family to "read across America." There are booklists at this web site with book titles from all 50 states (and others as well). If you enjoy nonfiction, read together about each state's history and unique culture. Or do both!

Enlarge your Read-In to include family and friends from far away. Ask those "across America" to make reading-aloud audio or videotapes and do the same for them.

Write about your family of readers and your family's reading adventures. It can be something as simple as a Reading Autograph Book, a captioned photo album featuring your readers, or a detailed account of the lively discussions raised from reading together.

"We're not creating a multicultural country, it's already here!"

—Rudolpho Anaya

Rudolfo Anaya is widely known as the author of Bless Me, Ultima, a classic, award-winning bestseller about a young Hispanic boy coming of age in rural New Mexico.

In addition to other works for adults, Anaya has written The Farolitos of Christmas and Farolitos for Abuelo for children. Beautifully illustrated by Edward Gonzales, they portray a little known way of Hispanic life in New Mexico.

What prompted you to write for children and young adults?

After Bless Me, Ultima was published in 1972 I was invited to visit schools to speak about my novel. I grew concerned that many Hispanic children lacked literacy skills. Back then there were no books in the curriculum that portrayed our Mexican American reality. That was a good reason for me to write books that began to tell our story. Also, I grew up in the oral tradition listening to a lot of cuentos, folktales. I used to tell my granddaughter those stories. Given these elements, it seemed natural to want to write for children.

What do you hope to accomplish with your books?

I hope my books present some of my New Mexican culture which includes Hispanic and Native American traditions and ceremonies. When children read stories that relate to them they are more apt to want to read. I hope my stories build self esteem and self interest, that is, an interest in our history. We need the stories of our community told so we can see ourselves as actors in the drama of life.

What do you think of multicultural children's literature today?

Multicultural children's literature is a field of flowers, and it truly is becoming a rainbow of many colors. But we still have a long way to go. I visit many schools and libraries where there isn't a single book by a Hispanic writer on the shelf. Hispanic parents need to be involved by making sure our literature is represented in the schools and libraries. Children's literature also teaches history, and when children do not see their history in school they began to think it is not worthy of learning.

How can we encourage young people, particularly young people of color, to write children's books and books for young adults?

Years ago I was involved in a very interesting publishing effort by Houghton Mifflin. Their editors invited a group of Latino/a writers to a conference. Their goal was to encourage us to write in the children's literature field. That was a great idea! I don't know if that particular effort has continued, but I firmly believe all publishers need to recruit Hispanic writers through such pro-active efforts. Writers write for the love of writing and to make a living. It helps to have an interested publisher.

Where do you get inspiration? Where do you go for your research?

Inspiration comes from my love of storytelling. I need to write, that's my role in life. The more I write the surer I am that I'm a writer. I write using my New Mexican culture as the background. I write about what I know. I wrote a story about a roadrunner, and I didn't need to research. We have those birds running around our neighborhood. On the other hand, if I write about a particular tradition or ceremony, I may want to read some factual accounts.

What do you think draws children or young adults to your books?

My books give children a sense of belonging. Children are sensitive. They need that sense of identifying their inner selves with the stories and illustrations in books. When I published my first children's book, The Farolitos of Christmas, I went to classrooms and showed the children the illustrations before I read the story. Edward Gonzales did an excellent job of capturing the reality of our brown-skinned New Mexican children. Suddenly the world was not all about Dick and Jane. The illustrations created a mirror of our reality, and the colors of our faces and the background were ours! Those illustrations speak a thousand words.

I went all the way through college and never saw a Mexican American as a hero in a book. We need to correct that! It's time to see our multicultural reality in books.

You make school visits. What's the best question you've ever had?

The best question is always, "Why did you become an 'Arthur?'" Then they want to know how old I am and how much money I make.

Has anything or any child or educator surprised you during a visit?

I love going into elementary classrooms, because they are always a world full of surprises. What creates those surprises is the creativity flowing through the children. I praise the good teachers who can exist all day in that soup of creativity.

Where can educators go to find a greater diversity of books, voices, and images?

With the internet there is no excuse for not finding multicultural books. Librarians are always a resource. The bottom line is our students need to know the variety of communities in our country and in the world. We're not creating a multicultural country, it's already here! We can't hide our heads in the sand. Let's prepare our children for the wonderful variety that is life.

Send comments to  readacross@nea.org

From PBS 'Between the Lions'

How do you raise a child to be an enthusiastic and consistent reader? TV, videogames, computers, and other modern distractions sometimes make it difficult for children to focus on reading.

Here are some strategies that the diligent parent can use to help motivate a child to read. Try them all -- what doesn't work one day may work well the next.

• Visit your local library often. Get your children their own library cards. Try a story hour or other free event at the library.
  
  
• Check out the local bookstore. A book or gift certificate always makes a terrific gift.
  
  
• At the library, let your child choose some of the books.
  
  
• Let your child see you reading, whether it's the newspaper, a magazine, or the latest bestseller.
  
  
• Encourage older children to read to their younger brothers and sisters. Or have the whole family set aside some time to read together!
  
  
• Show your child how people use reading all the time. Read aloud street and store signs, maps, billboards, menus, and labels on packages.
  
  
• Create a library for your child of new or used books. Look for affordable books at yard sales, secondhand book stores, and library book sales.
  
  
• Set up an area in your home where a variety of reading materials are within easy reach. Encourage writing by including paper, crayons, pens and pencils.
  
  
• Subscribe to a children's magazine. Read it with your child every month.
  
  
• Carry books to read to your child wherever you go - at the doctor's office, in line at the store, or on a long car ride. (You can also listen to stories on tape.)
  
  
• Encourage a love of words by playing rhyming and word games, singing silly songs, or writing poems and stories together.
  
  
• Talk about daily activities or tell stories about your family or culture to help children develop their language skills.
  
  
• Visit the Between the Lions web site (pbskids.org/lions) for more on children and reading.

Fill out this form and we'll send you a resource kit.  Be sure to select your correct member status . Send in your request TODAY - requests are filled on a first come, first served basis.

We want to know what you are doing in your state! After submitting your request, visit our pledge page and tell us about your planned activities.

NEA's Read Across America is the perfect occasion to spark community involvement and showcase the great job your school is doing. Here's how you can get noticed:.

Become media savvy: Use this step-by-step list to help you get started.

Create a media workplan: Model your efforts on this workplan example.

Prepare a media advisory: Send a media alert/advisory several weeks before your events.

Contact your local newspaper: Encourage your local paper to get involved. Check out some sample letters to the editor you can adapt and modify to suit your needs.

Write an op-ed piece: Raise your visibility in your community by sharing your point of view about the current state of children's literature here's an example of an Op Ed (Opinion-Editorial) piece.

Send out a Save-the-Date notice: Send an announcement early so that people can mark your event on their calendars.

Take a proclamation to your community government: Ask local leaders to sign a proclamation declaring March 2nd NEA's Read Across America day. Most local governments embrace the opportunity to align themselves with enthusiasm for reading, and the fun of celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday is practically irresistable. For Local Associations, the goodwill you will reap is huge. If you want to take this a step further, invite your Mayor or Council Member to be a guest reader at your event.

Gain district-wide endorsement: Use this sample Local School Board Presentation to get buy-in, and consider taking along a Cat-in-the-Hat hat to give to the Chairperson as a gesture of good will.

Send comments to Staci Maiers

Especially for the Press

Make copy from NEA's Read Across America

You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child!

The Press Room is filled with information about NEA's Read Across America program, Dr. Seuss, literacy facts, photos, video clips and ideas that you can use with your readers, listeners and viewers.

Media kits, photos, video footage and public service announcements are available to the media by calling (202) 822-7150 or sending an e-mail message to SMaiers@nea.org.

You also can find out what's happening around the country by visiting our State pages. Just click on a state to find out who is the NEA's Read Across America coordinator for up-to-date information. From there, you can jump to short descriptions of what’s happening in your local area.

News Releases

• January 31, 2007 NFL Players Swap Helmets for Stovepipe 'Reading Hats'
• March 8, 2006  Houston Astros Celebrate NEA's Read Across America
• March 2, 2006   Millions Celebrate NEA's Read Across America Day
• February 21, 2006 NEA Launches New Program to Bring New Books to Public Schools in Need
• February 13, 2006 - Millions to Participate in NEA's Read Across America Day Celebrations (en español )
• January 31, 2006 - NFL Players Trade In Helmets for Stovepipe Hats to Promote Reading with Local Detroit Students
• December 19, 2005 - NEA's Read Across America Day is March 2, 2006
• July 1, 2005 - NEA Rolls Out Red Carpet for Hundreds of Local Students at Annual NEA's Read Across America Read-In
• May 5, 2005 - John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and NEA Bring Music to Students at Maryland High School
• February 15, 2005 - NEA Grants Thousands to Youth Leaders for Literacy
• January 30, 2005 - Football Superstars to Kick Off Largest National Reading Celebration – NEA’s Read Across America
• January 30, 2005 - Las superestrellas de fútbol van a inaugurar la mayor celebración nacional de lectura – Lectura a Través de América, de la NEA (NOTE: This release is the Spanish translation of the release directly preceding this one.)
• January 10, 2005 - NEA's Read Across America Program, Hans Christian Andersen Foundation Sponsor Essay Contest

Get info

• NEA's Read Across America 2006 Fact Sheet 
• NEA's Read Across America Partners and Supporters  (PDF, 1 p.)
• Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children
• Kids' Top 100 Books
• Asian-American Booklist
• Lectura Recomendada/Recommended Reading  (PDF, 1 p.)
• 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Read
• Celebrity Book Picks  (PDF, 1 p.)
• State-by-State Booklist
• Youth Leaders for Literacy Booklist
• Calendar  (PDF, 8 pp.)
• Children's Literacy  (PDF, 1 p.)
• Introducing "Lea con NEA" ("Read with NEA")  (PDF, 1 p.)
• Introducing "Lea con NEA" ("Read with NEA") en Español  (PDF, 1 p.)

Logos

• Get logos and guidelines

Photos

• Tiki Barber
• Ronde Barber
• Edward James Olmos
• Jacksonville Jaguars players Greg Jones and Nick Sorensen  
• Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel)
• Photos of kids reading or celebrating

Biographies

• Theodor Seuss Geisel
• Tiki and Ronde Barber
• Edward James Olmos
• Edward James Olmos (en Español)

These incredible "Reading Buddies"—including some of the nations's leading literacy and children's service organizations—join us in celebrating NEA's Read Across America.

Many of these fine associations offer programs and activities during the course of the year that will help build momentum toward your Read Across America event. To support NEA's Read Across America and children's literacy in your community, we encourage you to explore new relationships at the local level with their regional, state, or local chapters or affiliates.

The Afterschool Alliance

Washington, D.C.
www.afterschoolalliance.org
The Afterschool Alliance consists of public, private, and nonprofit groups committed to raising awareness and expanding resources for after-school programs. Initiated and coordinated by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Alliance's initial partners include the U.S. Department of Education, JCPenney, The Advertising Council, The Entertainment Industry Foundation, and the Creative Artists Agency Foundation. It is the vision of the Afterschool Alliance that by raising national and local awareness about the importance of afterschool programs, all children will have access to quality, affordable after-school programs by 2010.

America SCORES

New York, New York (National Office)
www.americascores.org
The America SCORES mission is to inspire in urban children a lasting dedication to education, healthy living and civic responsibility. America SCORES develops programs that use the world's most popular sport, soccer, to energize and inspire public school students. All of their programs require that children use the teamwork they learn on the soccer field to support each other as poets and authors in the classroom. The combination is unique and it works. Every day, SCORES programs are creating a bond between thousands of their students and their classmates, teachers, schools and communities!

American Association of School Librarians

Chicago, Illinois
www.ala.org/aasl
The mission of the American Association of School Librarians is to advocate excellence, facilitate change, and develop leaders in the school library media field.

American Library Association

Chicago, Ilinois
www.ala.org
The oldest and largest library association in the world, ALA's 63,000 members (representing all types of librarians) are ready to celebrate in Seussational ways! Home of the highly-esteemed Newbery and Caldecott awards for children's literature, ALA offers great reading lists and programs to celebrate Banned Books Week, Teen Read Week, National Library Week, and Library Card Sign Up Month.

ASPIRA

Washington, D.C.
www.aspira.org
The ASPIRA Association, Inc. is the only national nonprofit organization devoted solely to the education and leadership development of Puerto Rican and other Latino youth. ASPIRA takes its name from the Spanish verb aspirar, "aspire." With community-based offices in six states and in Puerto Rico, ASPIRA's 300 staff members work with over 25,000 youth and their families each year in over 400 schools. Through its core activity, the ASPIRA Clubs, ASPIRA provides leadership training, career and college counseling, financial aid, scholarship assistance, educational advocacy, cultural activities, and most importantly, continuing opportunities to implement community action projects.

Association for Library Service to Children

Chicago, Illinois
www.ala.org/alsc
The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is a network of more than 4,000 children's and youth librarians, children's literature experts, publishers, education and library school faculty members, and other adults committed to improving and ensuring the future of the nation through exemplary library service to children, their families, and others who work with children.

Association of American Publishers

New York, New York
www.publishers.org
AAP is the principal trade association for the U.S. book publishing industry with some 300 members. AAP members publish hardcover and paperback books in every field and a range of educational materials for the elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and professional markets. The protection of intellectual property rights, the defense of free expression, and the promotion of reading and literacy, especially among the young, are among the Association's primary concerns. AAP is also the sponsor of Get Caught Reading, a nationwide campaign to remind people of all ages how much fun it is to read. During Get Caught Reading month in May and throughout the year, Get Caught Reading ads are featured in numerous magazines and newspapers, and booksellers across the country feature Get Caught Reading signs, displays, and celebrity posters. In 2003, AAP launched ¡Ajá, leyendo! to encourage a love of reading among Spanish-speaking people. Teachers, librarians, and daycare providers can access the campaign materials at www.getcaughtreading.com and use them to remind their students and patrons to make time for books and discover new worlds on the printed page.

The Book Adventure Foundation

Baltimore, Maryland
www.bookadventure.org
Created by the Sylvan Learning Foundation, Book Adventure is the first Web-based, nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to motivating children to read using a technology platform. At their Web site, kids take multiple choice quizzes on the books they've read offline, and earn points good toward prizes for their literary successes. Book Adventure has teamed up with NEA's Read Across America to bring young readers a reading adventure that will take them across the country—without ever leaving their hometown. Take the Read Across America Book Adventure challenge!

BookPALS

Los Angeles, California
www.bookpals.net
BookPALS is an all-volunteer program of professional performing artists from SAG, AFTRA, and EQUITY, who donate their time and talent to read aloud to classrooms of children attending public elementary schools in urban neighborhoods. This reading initiative has chapters in many large metropolitan areas. Complete the BookPALS School Application and Profile to request an actor for your school or classroom or visit Storyline to view an online streaming video program featuring SAG members reading children's books aloud.

Cable in the Classroom

Washington, DC
www.ciconline.com
Cable in the Classroom leads the cable telecommunications industry's commitment to education - to improve teaching and learning for children in schools, at home, and in their communities. Check with your local cable company for help with NEA's Read Across America public service announcements, special celebrity readers, joint events, and local programming tie-ins.

Council for Exceptional Children

Arlington, Virginia
www.cec.sped.org
The Council for Exceptional Children is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides continual professional development, advocates for newly and historically underserved individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.

Described and Captioned Media Program

Nationwide
www.dcmp.org
The Described and Captioned Media Program (DCMP) provides services designed to support and improve the academic achievement of students who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind. These services include (1) a library of free-loan described and captioned educational media, (2) a clearinghouse of information related to educational media access, (3) a gateway to Internet resources related to accessibility, and (4) a center for training and evaluation of any service provider desiring to appear on the DCMP's approved lists of video description and captioning service providers. There are no user registration or service fees. The DCMP is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the National Association of the Deaf.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P.

www.seussville.com
Read all about Dr. Seuss on this Web site. His biography covers his entire life and his legacy. The Web site also includes Seussville events, a Catalog of Dr. Seuss books including Dr. Seuss Nursery, Bright and Early Board Books, Beginner Books, The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library, Hardcover Classics, and Audio Books. Seuss products such as toys and games, clothes, cards and gifts, among others can also be found. 

First Book

Washington, DC
www.firstbook.org
First Book is a national nonprofit organization with a single mission: to give disadvantaged children the opportunity to read and own their first new books. Since First Book works with existing literacy programs to distribute new books to needy children, look for opportunities to create NEA's Read Across America events that include first books for kids.

Friends of Libraries U.S.A.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
www.folusa.com
Friends of Libraries U.S.A. is a nationwide membership organization of local Friends groups and individuals. FOLUSA motivates and supports more than two thousand member groups in their efforts to preserve and strengthen libraries, and to create awareness and appreciation of library services.

General Federation of Women's Clubs

Washington, D.C.
www.gfwc.org
GFWC, one of the largest and oldest women's volunteer organizations, has more than 4,500 clubs worldwide. GFWC members emphasize the promotion of literacy and reading through their multidecade program. Currently, there is a special emphasis on literacy with a program called Literacy: Tutoring from the Heart . The goal of the program is to create 7,500 new tutors and 10,000 new readers.

The Heart of America Foundation

Washington, DC
www.heartofamerica.org
The Heart of America Foundation was created in 1997 to teach the values at the heart of America and to help young people learn that they help themselves when they help others. Heart of America programs uniquely combine character education, service learning, and literacy. Heart of America's Books From The Heart® program finds books that are not being used and gets them into the hands of needy children in impoverished schools and on the shelves of school libraries and classrooms. The program utilizes the Heart of America's unique Ambassador network to introduce young people to community service, involving them in solving their own problems, determining need, and gathering and distributing resources.

International Reading Association

Newark, Delaware
www.reading.org
Teachers, reading specialists, researchers, and others interested in promoting literacy and improving the quality of reading instruction comprise the more than 1,250 councils and affiliates of IRA.

Learning First Alliance

Washington, D.C.
www.learningfirst.org
The Learning First Alliance is a coalition of 12 leading education organizations who work together to improve student learning in America's public schools. Members include: the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE), the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), the Education Commission of the States (ECS), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the National Education Association (NEA), the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), and the National School Boards Association (NSBA).

Library of Congress—Center for the Book

Washington, DC
www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/
The Center for the Book serves as a catalyst and a source of ideas through an expanding network of affiliated centers in 50 states and the District of Columbia, a reading promotion partnership program that includes more than 90 national civic and educational organizations, and a broad network of community of the book organizations. Visit their Web site for connections to your state Center for the Book.

Major League Soccer

New York, New York
www.getakickoutofreading.org or www.mlsnet.com
Major League Soccer (MLS), the United States' only Division I men's professional outdoor soccer league, has partnered with NEA and a roster of supporting organizations to integrate the sport of soccer into activities that help change attitudes about reading and deliver positive messages about its fun and value. The program, Get a Kick Out of Reading/¡Lee y Marca un Golazo! brings books and bilingual multicultural reading activities to select groups of children in MLS team cities. But you don't have to live in a Major League Soccer community to participate. The program also offers reproducible materials for educators, librarians, volunteers, parents, and others who would like to inspire reading with a soccer-themed reading challenge.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Baltimore, Maryland
www.naacp.org
The NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United States. Their principle objective is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of minority group citizens of the United States. The NAACP was formed in 1909 in New York City, but is now headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. It has seven regions, more than 2,200 branches, and a total membership that exceeds 500,000.

National Association for Bilingual Education

Washington, DC
www.nabe.org
The National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) is the nation's foremost nonprofit membership organization working on issues related to the education of America's English language learners. NABE, its thousands of members, and its 25 state affiliate organizations strive to ensure that these students have equal access to high quality education and overall academic success.

National Association for the Education of Young Children

Washington, DC
www.naeyc.org
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is the nation's largest and most influential organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of programs for children from birth through third grade. Founded in 1926, NAEYC now has more than 100,000 members and a national network of nearly 450 local, state, and regional affiliates. NAEYC and its affiliates work to improve professional practice and working conditions in early childhood education and to build public support for high quality early childhood programs.

National Center for Family Literacy

Louisville Kentucky
www.famlit.org
The National Center for Family Literacy, the nation's leading family literacy organization, provides leadership for family literacy development. NCFL works to ensure that all at-risk families will have opportunities to expand their education and improve their social well-being through quality family literacy programs.

National Council of La Raza

Washington, D.C.
www.nclr.org
NCLR is the largest constituency-based national Hispanic organization, with over 230 formal affiliates who together serve 39 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia—and a broader network of more than 20,000 groups and individuals nationwide.

National Council of Teachers of English

Urbana, Illinois
www.ncte.org
Since 1911, NCTE has worked to advance teaching, research, and student achievement in English language arts at all scholastic levels. Check out ncte.org for links to explore many programs, services, positions, and structures that the Council has established in pursuit of its ambitious mission.

National Football League Players Association

Washington, D.C.
www.nflpa.org
Members of the National Football League Players Association, the officially recognized union for NFL players, are lending their support to NEA's Read Across America. NFL players across the country plan to trade their helmets in for Cat in the Hat hats to show children the importance of reading. Watch the NFLPA's PSA featuring Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Tiki Barber, Ray Lewis, Tim Brown, and the Fairfax (VA) Education Association's own Cheryl Perry!

National Head Start Association

Alexandria, Virginia
www.nhsa.org
The National Head Start Association (NHSA) is a private nonprofit membership organization representing more than 952,000 children, upwards of 180,000 staff, and more than 2,400 Head Start programs in America.

National Indian Education Association

Washington, D.C.
www.niea.org
The National Indian Education Association is membership based organization committed to increasing educational opportunities and resources for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students while protecting our cultural and linguistic traditions. Founded in 1969, NIEA is the largest and oldest Indian education organization in the nation and strives to keep Indian Country moving toward educational equity. 

National Institute for Literacy

Washington, DC
www.nifl.gov/
A resource for the literacy community, NIFL was created as a part of the 1991 Literacy Act to be the hub of national literacy efforts. NIFL's goal is to ensure that all Americans with literacy needs have access to services that can help them gain the basic skills necessary for success in the workplace, family, and community in the 21st century.

National PTA

Chicago, Illinois
www.pta.org
The National PTA plays a pivotal role in representing its 6.5 million members at key meetings of educational groups, government organizations, the media, and other child advocacy groups. National PTA views the ability to read and the continued learning that is possible through reading as fundamental to improving the quality of education.

Newspaper Association of America Foundation

Vienna, Virginia
www.naafoundation.org
The Newspaper Association of America Foundation is the administrative organization for over 950 Newspaper in Education (NIE) programs in the United States that provide resources and training to educators on how to use newspapers in schools. The foundation also focuses on youth content and student newspapers, helping to develop tomorrow's readers by encouraging students to acquire and value information from newspapers and other media. As part of NEA's Read Across America for 2005, the National Education Association, the Newspaper Association of America Foundation, and Dr. Seuss Enterprises collaboratively developed a kit that helps local papers create writing contests.  The kit not only includes information on holding creative writing contests, but also includes Seuss-themed activities that NIE programs can use to encourage newspaper reading at home and in the classroom.

Organization of Chinese Americans

Washington, DC
www.ocanatl.org
OCA is a national nonprofit civil rights and education organization founded in 1973. Based in Washington, DC, OCA has over 80 chapters and affiliates nationwide and is one of the largest Asian Pacific American advocacy groups in the country. OCA is committed to education and offers annual scholarship and internship programs that provide youth opportunities that can be hard to come by.

The Parent-Child Home Program

Port Washington, New York
www.parent-child.org
A proven early literacy and school readiness program, the Parent-Child Home Program serves families with two- and three-year-olds who have not had access to educational opportunities.  The program utilizes home visits to reach families who, because of isolation, poverty, lack of transportation, and language and literacy barriers, are not participating in center-based literacy or school readiness programs. Our research-based and research-validated program has a forty-year track record of successful implementation in urban, suburban, and rural low-income communities. Extensive evaluations and longitudinal studies have confirmed the educational success of children who participate, and both the U.S. and New York State Departments of Education have certified The Parent-Child Home Program as an educational program that works.

Pi Beta Phi

Town and Country, Missouri
www.pibetaphi.org
Pi Beta Phi Fraternity, founded at Monmouth College in Illinois in 1867, was the first national college society of women to be modeled after the Greek-letter fraternities of men. Today there are 131 active chapters on college campuses in the United States and Canada, and approximately 350 alumnae groups located in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Its mission is to promote friendship, develop integrity, cultivate leadership potential, and enrich the lives of members and their communities. Members volunteer their time in community service, with an emphasis on literacy.

Public Broadcasting Service

Alexandria, Virginia
www.pbs.org
A trusted community resource, PBS uses the power of noncommercial television, the Internet, and other media to enrich the lives of all Americans through quality programs and education services that inform, inspire and delight. Available to 99 percent of American homes with televisions and to an increasing number of digital multimedia households, PBS serves nearly 100 million people each week. Its Ready To Learn program is an innovative early learning partnership with the U.S. Department of Education. Ready To Learn provides member stations and viewers 11 hours of award-winning children's programming every day. Additionally, it provides activities to enjoy by both the children and the adults who care for them to prepare these children to be ready to learn when beginning school. Ready to Learn works with local stations and community partners to provide workshops for caregivers and parents and free books to disadvantaged children through its First Book program.

Random House Children's Books

New York, New York
www.randomhouse.com/kids or www.seussville.com/
Random House Children's Books is the home of the best-selling Dr. Seuss books, which have sold more than 400,000,000 copies. In 1957, Random House pioneered the beginning reader genre when it launched the Beginner Book series with the Dr. Seuss classic The Cat in the Hat. Each year, Random House Children's Books proudly supports the National Education Association's Read Across America initiative, which calls on America's children, both young and old, to celebrate the joys of reading in conjunction with Dr. Seuss's birthday, March 2. In commemoration of Theodor Seuss Geisel's 100th birthday in March, Random House Children's Books celebrated "Seussentennial: A Century of Imagination," a tribute to Geisel's creativity, imagination, and invaluable contributions to American society that live on today through the books and characters of Dr. Seuss.

Reach Out and Read

Boston, Massachusetts
www.reachoutandread.org
Reach Out and Read makes early literacy part of pediatric primary care. Through the Reach Out and Read program, pediatricians encourage parents to read aloud to their young children and give their patients books to take home at all pediatric check-ups from six months to five years of age. Bring all the doctors together —encourage pediatricians to prescribe Dr. Seuss on March 2!

Reading Is Fundamental, Inc.

Washington , D.C.
www.rif.org
RIF, founded in 1966, prepares and motivates children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most. Through its grassroots network of volunteer-led programs, RIF offers enriching reading activities to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life. RIF knows that books can spark a child's interest in reading so talk to them about reading fun for March 2! 

Reading Rockets

Arlington, Virginia
www.readingrockets.org
Reading Rockets is a national multimedia project that looks at how young children learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help them. WETA, the flagship public television and radio station in the nation's capital, started Reading Rockets in 2000 to provide accurate, practical information to all who care about helping children learn to read. Reading Rockets is ready to blast off in celebration of NEA's Read Across America!

Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic

Princeton, New Jersey
www.rfbd.org
RFB&D is the first and only national nonprofit organization in the United States.
Today, RFB&D serves all people with "print disabilities"—those who can't effectively read standard print because of a disability. With 137,025 members worldwide, RFB&D distributed 241,281 titles in 2004. Even more remarkable, more than 70 percent of their membership—which includes students in kindergarten through graduate school, as well as working professionals—are recognized with learning disabilities. RFB&D has undertaken an innovative Educational Outreach initiative, bringing their services directly into the schools to train teachers and students how to most effectively use recorded textbooks.

Saturn/UAW

Woodland Hills, CA
www.saturnuaw.com
For years, Saturn/UAW has been a generous partner and strong supporter of NEA's Read Across America at the local, state, and national level. Saturn dealers work closely with NEA affiliates, providing hats for events, reading venues, and in some states, even the use of Saturn cars for the traveling Cat.

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Los Angeles, California
www.scbwi.org
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, formed in 1971 by a group of Los Angeles based writers for children, is the only international organization to offer a variety of services to people who write, illustrate, or share a vital interest in children’s literature. The SCBWI acts as a network for the exchange of knowledge between writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers and others involved with literature for young people. There are currently more than 19,000 members worldwide, in over 70 regions, making it the largest children's writing organization in the world.

Staples

Nationwide
www.staples.com
Staples is a leading office and school supplies superstore with a strong commitment to public education and literacy.

Target

Nationwide
www.target.com
When Target first opened in 1962, it made a strong commitment to support and empower the communities its stores serve. Target follows up that commitment by giving back over $2 million each week to neighborhoods, programs and schools across the country. Target offers store-based grants that support projects promoting early childhood education, the arts and family violence prevention. Why? Because there is no better place to see a masterpiece than reflected in the eyes of a child; there is no greater return on investment than seeing a child excel; and because a happy home encourages a child to dream and achieve.

Teachers.Net

San Diego, California
www.teachers.net
Teachers.Net recognizes that education is a fundamental factor in an individual’s prosperity, happiness, contribution to society, and impact on the future and the vital role teachers play in education and the betterment of our culture. Teachers.Net was founded on the following four principles: (1) To allow their teacher-users contribute the content and direct site development; (2) To utilize the Internet to harness the collective intellect and wisdom of the worldwide teaching community; (3) To minimize costs to the greatest extent possible through automation; and (4) To never charge teachers for using their resources.

Women's National Book Association

www.wnba-books.org
Women's National Book Association is a national organization of women and men who work with and value books. WNBA exists to promote reading and to support the role of women in the community of the book. Founded in 1917, it is a broad-based nonprofit organization with some 800 members across the country, three distinguished national awards, and a history of lively events in chapter cities and elsewhere. The purposes of WNBA are educational and charitable. In addition to being a partner with NEA's Read Across America, WNBA is also a Reading Promotion Partner in the Library of Congress' Center for the Book and a nongovernmental organization affiliated with the United Nations. At the chapter level, WNBA supports local children's and adult literacy initiatives.

YMCA of the USA

Nationwide
www.ymca.net
Together, the nation's more than 2,500 YMCAs are the largest not-for-profit community service organizations in America, working to meet the health and social service needs of 18.9 million men, women and children in 10,000 communities in the United States.Because all communities have different needs, all YMCAs are different. A YMCA in your community may offer child care or teen leadership clubs. A Y in the next town may have swimming lessons or drawing classes. About 230 U.S. YMCAs maintain relationships with Ys in other countries. So the YMCA really does build strong kids, strong families and strong communities -- worldwide.

Youth Service America

Washington, D.C.
www.ysa.org
Youth Service America is a resource center that partners with thousands of organizations committed to increasing the quality and quantity of volunteer opportunities for young people, ages 5-25, to serve locally, nationally, and globally. Founded in 1986, YSA’s mission is to expand the impact of the youth service movement with communities, schools, corporations, and governments.  YSA envisions a global culture of engaged youth who are committed to a lifetime of service, learning, leadership and achievement.

WGBH Educational Foundation

Boston, Massachusetts
www.wgbh.org
WGBH enriches people's lives through programs and services that educate, inspire, and entertain, fostering citizenship and culture, the joy of learning, and the power of diverse perspectives. Since the 1951 debut of WGBH Radio, today WGBH delivers content that informs, inspires, and entertains millions -- at home, at work, in the classroom, in movie theaters, and more.

Zero to Three

Washington, D.C.
www.zerotothree.org
Zero to Three's mission is to promote the healthy development of our nation's infants and toddlers by supporting and strengthening families, communities, and those who work on their behalf. They are dedicated to advancing current knowledge; promoting beneficial policies and practices; communicating research and best practices to a wide variety of audiences; and providing training, technical assistance and leadership development. Zero to Three is a national nonprofit organization.

Reading tips

The research is clear: children who are read to, and who read for pleasure, are significantly more successful in school than children who do not. Give your children a head start on success -- teach them that reading is FUN!  Here are some tips:

Lists of Recommended Books

Can't decide which books to share with your children?  Check these out:

Help young adolescents reach their potential and draw public attention to their unique needs during the Month of the Young Adolescent, sponsored by the National Middle School Association. And find out what kind of literature they crave with Books for Middle-Schoolers, a book list from the Children's Library in the Mt. Lebanon Public Library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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October is National Book Month, America's annual celebration of writers and readers, sponsored by the National Book Foundation. Find suggested reading and ways to celebrate at NBF's Web site.

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Pay tribute to the custodial workers in our schools on October 2, 2005, National Custodial Workers Day.

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October 10-14 is National School Lunch Week (NSLW). NSLW was established in 1963 by a proclamation from President John F. Kennedy. It is designed to help raise awareness of and garner support for the role that school foodservice and nutrition programs play in the lives of America's children today, and in the strength of America tomorrow. Go to www.schoolnutrition.org/nslw for activities, brochures, toolkits, and more.

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"Get Real! @ your library" is the 2005 theme of the American Library Association's Teen Read Week. The celebration takes place October 16—22. Go to the ALA Web site to find out how to get involved in the celebration.

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On October 20, 2005, thousands of afterschool programs in communities nationwide will celebrate Lights On Afterschool! Be a part of this effort to showcase the importance of afterschool programs and underscore the need for quality afterschool programs for all children. Resources to help local participants are available at the Afterschool Alliance Web site.

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

November is National American Indian Heritage Month. During this month we celebrate the rich cultural traditions and proud ancestry of American Indians and Alaska Natives, and we recognize the vital contributions these groups have made to the strength and diversity of our society. Visit Indian Health Services's Web site for information and resources. Also, use our Native American reading list to plan your celebration.

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November 1 is National Family Literacy Day. Sponsored by the National Center for Family Literacy, this day highlights the impact made when parents and their children learn together. Their Web site will help you plan a family literacy night.

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November 8, 2005, is National Young Reader's Day, sponsored by the Library of Congress and Pizza Hut's BOOK IT! Program. Go to www.bookitprogram.com.

American Education Week, November 13—19, 2005, recognizes the educators and school staff who keep our children safe and healthy, as well as help them achieve. Last year's theme was Celebrating the American Dream. (This year's theme forthcoming.) Get more information and resources at www.nea.org/aew/.

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Imagine  is this year's theme for the 86th observance of The Children's Book Council's National Children's Book Week, which takes place November 14-20, 2005 . Visit the Children's Book Council Web site for Book Week resources.

Celebrate National Education Support Professionals Day on November 16, 2005 .

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November Author Birthdays

Discover these literary luminaries for satisfying autumn reading:

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Fall in Love with Reading!

Chilly weather is the perfect time to get cozy with books. Take a look at our booklists to plan your child's fall reading:

• Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children
• Kids' Top 100 Books
• Asian-American Booklist
• Spanish/English Bilingual Booklist
• 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know
• Celebrity Book Picks
• 50 State Booklist
• Youth Leaders for Literacy Booklist
• Native American Booklist
• African American Booklist
• Authors' Favorites Booklist

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

"When was the last time you read out of your comfort zone?"

—Michelle Y. Green

Michelle Y. Green is a freelance writer who lives, writes, and raises two sons in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. A graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park in Journalism and The Johns Hopkins University Masters Program in Writing, she teaches "The Art of Writing for Children" at The George Washington University.

Willie Pearl, Green's first historical fiction series for families, was nominated for the 1990 Newbery Award and Coretta Scott King Award for Children's Literature, and was awarded the 1991 CRABbery Award for Children's Book of the Year. It was also used as core curriculum for fourth grade in the Compton, California school district. The second book in the series, Willie Pearl: Under the Mountain, received the 1993 Children's Literary Award for Multicultural Publishing. A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie "Peanut" Johnson (Dial Books for Young Readers), was released 2002.

When Michelle Y. Green set out to write Willie Pearl, a historical fiction series based on the life of her mother, she thought to tell a simple family story. Ten years and tens of thousands of copies later, she realizes this award-winning series represents so much more. NEA's Read Across America talks to the author about the value of family stories, the decline of multicultural literature, and the importance of both for today's children.

How did Willie Pearl come about?

In the mid-1980s when "multiculturalism" was the buzzword, I'd heard a mainstream publisher was looking to create a historical fiction series based on an African American girl. I created the first four chapters of Willie Pearl merely as a writing sample. Once under way, I realized this was an opportunity to do so much more than preserve a personal family story from my mother's childhood. Here was a way of exposing a little-known slice of Americana -- life in a Depression-era coal mining camp; of tearing down cultural stereotypes; and of creating a positive role model for children embodied in the character of a gutsy 10-year-old girl, Willie Pearl.

Why are family stories so important?

It's natural for emerging writers to write about a subject that's close to the heart. That's what makes writing family stories so perfect for children because, good or bad, every child has a family experience that's unique. Ask any author: writing about what you know is empowering. Many children, who feel they otherwise don't have a voice, can be instant experts when it comes to telling others about their family.

Family stories are a great way for children to come together and explore culture: What do you eat for breakfast? How come you don't have a Christmas tree? Why is your hair like that? What do your brothers and sisters do together for fun? It's while sharing the family stories of others, through storytelling and authentic multicultural literature, that we learn not only about our differences, but how much we have in common. It's a non-threatening way for dialogue to begin.

You used "authentic" in describing multicultural literature. Why?

I'm a baby boomer, and like most of my generation I cut my teeth on Dick and Jane. As a young girl, my literary role models were Laura Ingalls Wilder and Nancy Drew. I can honestly say that I can't remember reading a book with a central character who looked like me until midway through high school. The Civil Rights movement of the 60s and the Black Power movement of the 70s, however, compelled people of color to focus on the importance of identity and self-awareness. At the same time, America was becoming more and more ethnically diverse. Multiculturalism became not only politically correct, it became its own market niche.

Sadly, many mainstream authors and publishers saw multiculturalism in the 80s as a publishing Gold Rush. Books by and about people of color suddenly became a priority in the marketplace as "multicultural materials" became line items in school and library budgets. Yet, there was no consensus as to what constituted quality multicultural literature. We saw everything from reissued classics with colorized characters, to animal folktales, to stereotype-laden stories by mainstream authors and illustrators with insufficient assimilation into the culture they chose to write about.

Authentic multicultural literature, I believe, suggests that the person creating it has an intimate, trustworthy knowledge of that culture because he or she is a member of that culture or has been immersed through assimilation. It's the quality of difference between a biographer who uses primary sources and one who uses secondary accounts, between an eyewitness and someone watching the evening news. It's what makes you trust the subtleties of Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club as opposed to the version I might write because I happen to be intrigued by Chinese culture.

Is the multicultural literature trend stalled?

The dismal statistics seem to speak for themselves: Out of 5,500 children's books published last year, only 300 were by and about people of color. When you realize that one out of five children in this country today speaks a language other than English in the home, and that by the year 2020, one of every two students in the United States will be a person of color, that's not good news.

Many feel the pendulum has swung the other way and that the need for multicultural books has already been satisfied. Yet, I'm hopeful. New voices are constantly emerging. Many in the publishing community -- mainstream publishers, multicultural publishers, small minority presses -- continuing to produce works of excellent quality. Educators, parents, and children themselves are making more knowledgeable choices.

What can educators and parents do to make multicultural literature a part of the fabric of everyday life?

Check the culture connection. Read author bios from flap copy, reviews, and publishers' web sites to see if the author/illustrator has more than a casual connection to the culture.

Cross cultural borders. Don't wait for Black History month to recommend a book about African American culture, or go looking for a book about Native Americans at Thanksgiving. Offer a child balanced reading that incorporates books about other cultures all year round.

Infuse multicultural books across the curriculum and in read-at-home activities. During math, try a counting book with an ethnic flair. Experience history from another's cultural standpoint. Have readers role play characters from cultures outside their own during social studies.

Broaden your own palate. Model reading on your own. As adults, we all have our favorite genres and authors. But when was the last time you read out of your comfort zone to explore another culture?

Buy and recommend multicultural books. For yourself, your kids, to donate, as gifts for others. Bottom line, publishing decisions are based on simple economics: If you buy it, they'll print more!

Befriend your school librarian. These children's book specialists can recommend quality multicultural books from authentic sources as well as share books reviews, catalogs from multicultural publishers, and other trade resources such as the MultiCultural Review, Horn Book, and School Library Journal.

Stay abreast of trends. Seek out professional forums, periodicals, online journals, discussion groups, book fairs, and trade shows to help expose you to the wide range of good choices that are available.

Visit Michelle Y. Green's web site for more information about this talented author and her works.

"Children's literature also teaches history, and when children do not see their history in school they began to think it is not worthy of learning."

—Rudolpho Anaya

Most of us are familiar with stories of Anansi, the beloved trickster spider from West Africa, and Russia's Baba Yaga with her traveling house on chicken legs, Ishbushka. If we are enthusiastic about folktales, we might even know Tato Duende, the magical, secretive dwarf who dwells deep within South America's rainforests. Multiculturalism, though, is so much more.

A robust multicultural program also reflects contemporary life, not just tales of long ago and far away. Children everywhere yearn to see themselves in the stories they read. Stories that reflect their lives in accurate, positive ways help make reading relevant, interesting and fun. Authentic stories help to dispel misconceptions and untruths. They remind us that multiculturalism is woven inextricably through our daily lives, not just at the Chinese New Year or on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday.

Now, more than ever, we need good multilcultural literature. Statistics continue to confirm that so-called "minority" groups are growing rapidly. And yet, at this critical juncture, publishing figures show a decline in the number of books written by or about people of color. What can we do to help reverse this disturbing trend? We can help keep good literature in print:

Purchase books for children that are written by and about people of color.

• Support independent publishing houses that specialize in multicultural literature. Vote with your dollars to keep them alive in a competitive market.

• Take the time to find out about authors who write accurately and authentically. New authors especially need sales and exposure. This encourages publishing houses to keep giving new authors a chance. New voices are the lifeblood of publishing.

• Find good titles here, and elsewhere, and take the list to your library. If you don't find these books on the shelf, request that they be purchased for the library's collection.

• Encourage children and young people of color to write. With guidance and training they are tomorrow's authors. Help them dream and write their future into being.

Author Interviews

In the following interviews, popular and emerging children's authors talk about their work and children's multicultural literature today. NEA's Read Across America thanks these authors for taking the time to answer questions, and share their thoughts about the writing process and the importance of writing for children.

Rudolfo Anaya and Edward Gonzales collaborated on two exquisitely illustrated, award-winning books about Hispanic life and customs in a rural New Mexican village.

Michelle Y. Green created Willie Pearl as a tribute to her mother's childhood, giving us a portrait of an African-American community in Kentucky's coal mining region.

Joseph Bruchac has written or co-authored over 70 books for children. His sensitive, accurate portrayals of Native American life offer windows into a world often marginalized and seldom understood.

Almira Astudillo Gilles wrote about a modern Filipino-American boy who finds that his heritage is an asset and a source of pride. But it's not all smooth sailing en route to his precious discovery!

Additional Resources

How to Build a Multicultural Library

Special Ed Kids Read, Too!

50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know

Hispanic Booklist from NEA

Asian American Booklist from NEA

From the NEA Professional Library

Teachers, visit the NEA Professional Library Online and discover professional development books and videos best suited to your needs. Titles in the catalog that may of interest: Resources for a Multicultural Classroom (The Multicultural Resource Series), Editors Martha Green, Joyce Blakley et al. National Education Association, 2000.

Multicultural Education in Early Childhood Education, Edwina Battle Vold, Editor. National Education Association, 1992.

Multicultural Education for the 21st Century, Carlos Diaz, Editor. National Education Association, 1992.

Major League Soccer (MLS) and the National Education Association (NEA) launched a new literacy program that taps into the excitement of professional soccer and the star power of many of the League's top players to give reading a major kick. "Get a Kick Out of Reading/¡Lee y Marca un Golazo!" is a comprehensive, multicultural League-wide literacy program that aims to raise awareness about the critical importance of reading to children and their families, including the growing number of youth that are new to America and have limited English skills.

"Reading is a fundamental skill not only for professional success but for personal fulfillment as well," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said. "MLS is proud to involve all of our 10 teams and many of our top players in this important mission headed by the NEA, ensuring that every child and every family in our nation fully understands the vital importance of developing proficient reading skills."

MLS players who will serve as official spokespersons for this program are: Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago Fire); Luchi Gonzalez and Diego Walsh (Columbus Crew); Oscar Pareja and Ryan Suarez (Dallas Burn); Marco Etcheverry and Earnie Stewart (D.C. United); Josh Wolff and Diego Gutierrez (Kansas City Wizards); Alex Pineda Chacon and Sasha Victorine (Los Angeles Galaxy); Jaime Moreno and Steve Jolley (MetroStars); Joe-Max Moore (New England Revolution); Scott Garlick (Colorado Rapids); and Landon Donovan and Manny Lagos (San Jose Earthquakes).

"As the son of a teacher who read to her kids every night while we were growing up, my mom always emphasized that it was just as important to exercise your mind as much as your body, and nothing does that better than reading a good book," said San Jose Earthquakes forward Landon Donovan. "I'm really happy to be part of a great program like this. Reading allows you to go to places that not even your passport can take you." Landon's favorite book growing up was "For Sale; One Sister, Cheap" by Rachel McBride.

"Reading has always been one of my favorite activities," said MetroStars forward Jaime Moreno. "When I was a kid, my grandmother used to read to me constantly. My favorite book as a child was 'The Adventures of Tarzan.' Books were fun then and are still fun now."

The timing of the announcement coincides with the NEA's Read Across America day, an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on or around Dr. Seuss' March 2 birthday. While celebrations and Seussian activities abound on Read Across America day, NEA's Read Across America also provides year-round reading resources for teachers, parents and other caregivers.

The key components of the "Get a Kick Out of Reading/¡Lee y Marca un Golazo!" program are:

• MLS READING CHALLENGE. The summer reading competition provides an incentive to children (K-6) to achieve specified reading thresholds in order to earn "Readers Shield" certificates and/or other prizes from local MLS teams and/or local sponsors. The competition will be conducted over a six-week period beginning in May and concluding in June. Children must read (or be read to) 90 minutes a week, for pleasure, not for homework or for other incentive programs. Children who meet the challenge return their completed score sheets to participating schools, libraries, sponsors or other locally designated locations to collect "Readers Shields." Local providers will receive bilingual materials (posters, folders, score sheets, complimentary subscription to Soccer Jr. Magazine) in May.
  
  
• MLS READING CHALLENGE TEAM DAY. The day-long event, hosted by local MLS clubs, provides the opportunity for personal interaction between MLS players and children who completed a reading challenge formulated by the club and attend a designated MLS match. The specific activities will be determined by the local MLS team and sponsors.
  
  
• CREATION OF LOCAL READING COALITIONS. MLS will work with local NEA affiliates in all 10 MLS markets to create powerful reading coalitions that will work together to construct meaningful literacy initiatives for each market. Local affiliates of the following national organizations will lend their support: National Council of La Raza, National Association for Bilingual Education, National Urban League, League of United Latin American Citizens, ASPIRA and the American Library Association.
  
  
• ONGOING BILINGUAL PSAs. MLS players will participate in public service announcements (TV, Radio and Print) championing reading as a vital professional and life skill.
  

About Major League Soccer

Major League Soccer features the top American players in the U.S. and many international stars. The league's ten teams are the Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, Dallas Burn, D.C. United, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy, MetroStars, New England Revolution and San Jose Earthquakes.

May is Get Caught Reading month. Find out how to get involved at the Get Caught Reading site, sponsored by the Association of American Publishers.

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Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated in May. Use our extensive Asian-American book list to celebrate the arrival of the U.S.'s first Japanese immigrants, who reached the States May 7, 1843.

Resources

• Read about Notable Asian-American Poets and Writers.
• Read about Asian Pacific American women who have Girl Power.
• Get readings and cultural lessons through history at the National Register of Historic Places site.

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May 1 is Join Hands Day. On the first Saturday of May each year, organizations are encouraged to form inter-generational partnerships, and then work together as volunteers to improve their communities.  Why not fill those joined hands with books, and make it a day of literary service? The day is sponsored by America's Fraternal Benefit Societies, in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation and the Volunteer Center National Network. An action guide and more information are available at the official Join Hands Day Web site.

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Read to a teacher during May 2-8, Teacher Appreciation Week. Plan for special activities that honor teachers and recognize the lasting contributions they make to our lives on May 4, 2004, National Teacher Day. Materials for celebrating can be found at NEA's Web site.

Resources

• Go to the Family Education Network site for "Celebrate Your Child's Teachers".
• Read stories about and for teachers from the Thank a Teacher Project Book List.

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Reading Is Fun Week is May 16-23, 2004. Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) has set aside a special week to celebrate reading! Visit the Reading Is Fundamental site to find out how you can discover — with others around the country — why reading is out of this world!

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Get a Kick Out of Reading/¡Lee y Marca un Golazo! NEA's partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS) is heating up this summer with a Summer Reading Challenge!

The Summer Reading Challenge invites select children (grades K-6) in MLS team communities to earn the Readers' Shield Certificate:  Over a six week challenge period, children must read (or be read to) 90 minutes a week for fun — not for homework or other incentive programs. Children who meet the Challenge return their completed Scoresheets to be rewarded with Readers' Shield Certificates or other prizes from teams and local sponsors.

If you live in a community with a Major League Soccer team, check with your team to find out what's happening in your community.

If you don't live in a community with a Major League Soccer team, you can still take the challenge! Materials are available for those who would like to inspire summer reading with a soccer-themed summer challenge. Or if you want to read some great soccer-themed titles, check out their booklist.

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 May author birthdays

Discover these literary luminaries for satisfying spring reading:

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It's time to spring into books! Take a look at our booklists to plan your child's spring reading:

• Teachers' Top 100 Books
• Kids' Top 100 Books
• Celebrities' Favorite Books
• Hispanic Books
• Asian-American Books
• 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know
• State-by-State Booklist
• Youth Leaders for Literacy booklist
• Native American booklist

March 2 is NEA's Read Across America Day! To all who read with a child, we dedicate these words from Christopher Morley:

"Lord! when you sell a man a book you don't sell just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue — you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships at sea by night — there's all heaven and earth in a book, a real book."

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March is National Nutrition Month, and March 8-12 is National School Breakfast Week.

Resources

• Read It Before You Eat It! Curious George and the New Food Label
• Visit Kidseatwell.org for classroom activities on navigating fast food restaurants. Includes suggested reading.
• Put books on the menu! Navigate Your Day with School Breakfast offers recipes like Pirate Pancakes with Ahab Apple Topping! Or try some Ghosts for Breakfast by Stanley Todd Terasaki, see what happens If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff, and Don't Forget the Bacon! by Pat Hutchins.

Activity Ideas

• Work with school cafeteria staff or volunteers to concoct other tasty, healthy, book related snacks and meals like strawberry flavored milk for Seuss's Yink who likes to drink pink ink, a hearty bowl of Stone Soup, a yummy Gingerbread Man, and of course, Green Eggs and Ham.
• Let kids get involved in the cooking as well as the eating. Read Bread, Bread, Bread or The Tortilla Factory aloud then work together to research recipes to make your own. Or, have them recreate foods eaten by beloved book characters, like Harriet the Spy's favorite sandwich, Harry Potter's butterbeer, or some of that good diner food from Hope Was Here.

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March is Women's History Month. In 1980, the National Women's History Project (NWHP) was founded in Santa Rosa, California. Within a few years, thousands of schools and communities were celebrating National Women's History Week. In 1987, at the request of women's organizations, museums, libraries, youth leaders, and educators throughout the country, the National Women's History Project successfully petitioned Congress to expand the national celebrations to the entire month of March. This year's theme is "Women — Inspiring Hope and Possibility."

Resources

• The National Women's History Project is an educational nonprofit organization. Their mission is to recognize and celebrate the diverse and historic accomplishments of women by providing information and educational materials and programs. Visit their Web site for information about National Women's History Month.
• Resources for U.S. history and children's literature
• Take your students on the Women of Accomplishment: An Internet Scavenger Hunt
• A Celebration of Women Writers

Activity Ideas

• Arrange for history to come to life for young readers. Ask a storyteller, an actress, or even a parent to don a period costume to portray a famous woman author in history and share stories about her life, interests, books and accomplishments.

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March is Music in Our Schools Month. Begun as a single statewide celebration in 1973, it has grown over the decades to encompass a day, a week, and then in 1985 to become a month long celebration of music in our schools.

Resources

• Visit the official Music in Our Schools Web site, sponsored by the National Association for Music Education.
• The Sounds of Music Scavenger Hunt
• Use rock and roll to teach literary devices. Discover Jimi Hendrix' "The Wind Cries Mary" and other lesson plans from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum

Activity Ideas

• Stimulate interest in both reading and music with a rhythm activity. Create rhythm instruments like bean tambourines (paper plates with beans stapled inside) or shakers (rice-filled plastic eggs taped shut). Then have kids provide rhythmic accompaniment as you read aloud to them. If you choose a book like Green Eggs and Ham, ask them to play each time the words "green eggs and ham" are repeated.
• Lots of songs have been written as a tribute to a special person. Have kids write a song about a favorite book character or author that he/she wishes to honor with music. Kids can match their lyrics to an old folk tune or create their own background music. Hold a concert so everyone can share their song and the story that inspired it.

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March is Youth Art Month, an annual observance to emphasize the value of art education for all children, and to encourage support for quality school art programs.

Resources

• Visit the official Youth Art Month Web site, sponsored by the Council for Art Education, Inc.
• Check out the "@rt sparkers" in the @rt Room
• Support for Teachers in Art offers the Art of the Book
• Top 10 Art History Books for Children Under 12
• Caldecott Medal Winners and Honor Books, 1938-Present. Words may tell the story, but illustrations add beauty and dimension to the reading experience. Help kids appreciate the art in picture books by giving them more authentic art experiences of their own. Point out the artists' techniques as you read Caldecott Award winning titles and then provide the materials and encouragement to kids to try new methods and mediums to create their own works of art.

Freedom of Information Day is March 16. Contact the American Library Association/Public Information Office at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5041/5044 or visit their Web site.

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March author birthdays

Discover these literary luminaries for satisfying spring reading:

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It's time to spring into books! Take a look at our booklists to plan your child's spring reading:

• Teachers' Top 100 Books
• Kids' Top 100 Books
• Celebrities' Favorite Books
• Hispanic booklist
• Asian-American books
• 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should know
• State-by-State booklist
• Youth Leaders for Literacy booklist
• Native American booklist

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

Help your members get noticed

Local Associations can coordinate getting the word out about member-sponsored events. Check out this list of helpful public relations tools.

Create a reading event, or help your members create them

We've compiled a basic to-do list for elementary or middle school teachers who want to hold an event in their classroom in conjunction with NEA's Read Across America.

Get an event idea:

Know the scoop on using the logo

NEA's licensing agreement with Dr. Seuss Enterprises specifies how we can use the Cat in the Hat image, as well as all other Seuss-related images. We need your help in adhering to this agreement so we can continue to use the Cat in the Hat graphic in our logo. Please take a look at these guidelines for using the NEA's Read Across America logo and adhere to them to keep us out of trouble. Thanks!

Save these free reproducible resources:

Distribute this cool FREE stuff to your members:

• posters
• bookmarks
• certificates of participation
• logos
• A multicultural reading calendar, and more...

Check out these recommended books:

Get more helpful stuff:

On February 19, NEA's long-time partner Saturn/UAW launched Read Across America to new heights when the Cat in the Hat co-piloted the Saturn Lightship to the delight of readers from Catalina Elementary School in Orlando, Florida. With the help of volunteers from the Screen Actors Guild Foundation's BookPALS program, readers on the ground spelled out "Read Across America" and waved their own red and white hats in salute to Dr. Seuss. As a way to thank them for their help with this reading promotion, Catalina students were treated to some on-the-field story time with NFL Hall of Famer Jack Youngblood and NEA Executive Committee Member Becky Pringle. Following the fly over, students were treated to a pizza party by the local Saturn of Orlando dealership.

As in the past four years, Saturn/UAW retailers across the country will now follow suit with their own activities, including hosting Read Across America events at dealerships, providing vehicles for Read Across road trips with the Cat in the Hat, donating reading incentives to local events, and most importantly, taking time to read to children.

Contact your local Saturn/UAW retailer to see how they can partner in your NEA's Read Across America event. Following are alphabetical listings of dealerships by region.

• Central region
• Eastern region
• Southern region
• Western region

Logo and Usage Guidelines

To assist you with planning your NEA's Read Across America events, we have prepared NEA's Read Across America Logo and Usage Guidelines . We are also providing the following guidelines as they relate to questions frequently asked about Dr. Seuss licensing issues. Also, please read the rules for using our official Cat in the Hat logo.

Cakes
Ordering a cake for a celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday can add some fun to your NEA's Read Across America activities. We suggest having the cake decorated with wording such as "Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss." Unfortunately, cake decorations cannot include any Dr. Seuss characters such as the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, Sam I Am, etc. NEA's license agreement with Dr. Seuss Enterprises does not permit the use of any trademarked Dr. Seuss characters in this manner. This includes the NEA's Read Across America logo.

Event sponsorship by local businesses or local stores of national chains (such as Barnes and Noble, Pizza Hut, etc.)
Often times, local businesses are anxious to be involved in your NEA's Read Across America events. This is a good way to build relationships between your local association (or school) and the business community. It is permissible to hold an event at a local bookstore. As well, it is permissible for a Pizza Hut or McDonald's, etc., to donate refreshments for your NEA's Read Across America event.

What you must keep in mind is that the NEA's Read Across America logo cannot be used in any way that could imply endorsement of that business by Dr. Seuss Enterprises. So, for example, you cannot post a large banner or sign with the NEA's Read Across America logo and the logo of the local business. You can, however, thank the business for their donation of refreshments, etc., with a sign, in newsletters, etc. If an event/activity is held in a local bookstore or other business, there can be no requirement for those participating to make a purchase of any kind.

Identifying a local association or school with NEA's Read Across America logo
You are encouraged to include the name of your local association and/or school along with NEA's Read Across America logo. Including your local's name with the logo is a great way to build visibility and an image for your local. Also, it is important to remember that Read Across America IS an NEA program, so we encourage you to make sure that your activities/events are always branded as NEA's Read Across America.

T-shirts
Having an entire class dressed in the same t-shirt adds a very nice visual effect for your event, in addition to everyone wearing a Cat in the Hat hat. Unfortunately, it is not permissible to have any t-shirts made using the NEA's Read Across America logo or any Dr. Seuss character. Be creative and design your own t-shirt. So long as it adheres to this guideline, there are no restrictions on using t-shirts for your events.

Check out NEA's new partnership with Major League Soccer

Get a Kick Out of Reading/¡Lee y Marca un Golazo! kicks off this summer with a Summer Reading Challenge! The Challenge invites select children (grades K-6) in communities with a Major League Soccer (MLS) team to earn a Readers' Shield Certificate. Over a six week period children must read (or be read to) 90 minutes a week for fun — not for homework or other incentive programs. Children who meet the Challenge and return their completed scoresheets will be rewarded with Readers' Shield Certificates and/or other prizes from teams and/or local sponsors.

If you live in an MLS community, check with your MLS team to find out what's happening in your community.

If you don't live in an MLS team community, you can still take the challenge! Materials — including a great soccer-themed booklist — are available for educators, librarians, volunteers, parents and others who would like to inspire summer reading.  Go to the official Get a Kick Out of Reading web site for reproducible materials and more information.

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June is National Audiobook Month. Head to the library to find great audiobook selections read by a diversity of voices. Roughly one in five American households listened to an audiobook last year. Check out the abundance of children's audiobooks at Powells.com.

*****

June 12 is Anne Frank's birthday. If your child has never read The Diary of a Young Girl, now is the perfect time to introduce this classic by a girl whose indomitable spirit and legacy of hope endure.

*****

June 15 is the birthday of Brian Jacques, author of the reknowned Redwall series, in which the heroes are peace-loving animals who exhibit human characteristics in a medieval setting. Discover pages and pages of Redwall information and fun activities at the official Brian Jacques web site.

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June 20 is Father's Day. A great booklist from Minnesota's Reading with Dad Initiative lists children's picture books that prominently feature fathers.

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June 21 is Join Hands Day. On the third Saturday of June each year, youth and adult organizations throughout the country form partnerships across generations to come together to improve their own communities through neighborhood volunteering. Fill joined hands with books and make it a day of literacy service. The day is sponsored by America's Fraternal Benefit Societies in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation and the Volunteer Center National Network. An action guide and more information are available at www.joinhandsday.org.

*****

Don't close the books when the school doors close! Children frequently lose reading skills when they don't read during extended vacation. Take a look at our reading lists to plan your child's summer reading:

• Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children
• Kids' Top 100 Books
• African-American Booklist
• Asian-American Booklist
• Spanish/English Bilingual Booklist
• 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know
• Celebrity Book Picks
• 50 State Booklist
• Youth Leaders for Literacy Booklist
• Native American Booklist
• Authors' Favorites Booklist

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

July 4 is Independence Day

The Declaration of Independence was approved and signed on July 4, 1776. Hear it read aloud — or read it yourself — at The History Place.

More resources:

• Rediscover America @ Your Library is a campaign of the American Library Association to remind all Americans that free people need free libraries. Libraries are a great place to read about democracy, freedom, citizenship and community.  They also help make those things possible. Spotlight how libraries play a role in civic participation with a scavenger hunt for the election, voting, and community resources available at your local library. The PBS Kids Democracy Project may inspire ideas for your scavenger hunt, as may your librarian.
  
• The National Archives offers more reading about the Declaration of Independence.
  
• The History Channel  features biographies of the signers, as well as interpretations of our nation's founding document, the Declaration of Independence.

*****

July 15: Summer Learning Day
A $15,000 grant from the Staples Foundation for Learning will enable the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University to coordinate the first national Summer Learning Day on July 15. Go to their site to get more information and a resource kit that will help you organize a celebration of Summer Learning Day in your community.

*****

July 18: Celebrate Theo's Birthday!
No, it's not Theodor Geisel's (aka Dr. Seuss) birthday again so soon. But did you know that Theo, the lion librarian on PBS's Between the Lions, is actually named for Theodor Geisel? Visit PBS Kids online for stories, games and fun. Also, check out the reading resources that Between the Lions has shared with NEA's Read Across America.

*****

July Author Birthdays

Rediscover these authors for satisfying summer reading:

• Jean Craighead George (July 2), Newbery Award-winning author of My Side of the Mountain, Julie of the Wolves, and over 100 books for children and young people. For more information, visit the official Craighead George web site.
  
• E. B. White (July 11), beloved author of the classics Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. Find out what E. B. White has to say about his stories at a web site hosted by HarperCollins Children's Books. The Internet School Library Media Center, hosted by James Madison University, offers a teacher resource file on E. B. White, including biographies, lesson plans and more.
  
• J. K. Rowling (July 31). The author of the Harry Potter juggernaut needs no introduction. Visit Scholastic's web site for information, author interviews and activities.
  
  The Internet School Library Media Center, hosted by James Madison University, offers teacher resources on J. K. Rowling, including biographies, lesson plans, literary criticisms, and links galore.

*****

Don't close the books when the school doors close! Children frequently lose reading skills when they don't read during an extended vacation. Take a look at our reading lists to plan your child's summer reading:

• Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children
• Kids' Top 100 Books
• African-American Booklist
• Asian-American Booklist
• Spanish/English Bilingual Booklist
• 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know
• Celebrity Book Picks
• 50 State Booklist
• Youth Leaders for Literacy Booklist
• Native American Booklist
• Authors' Favorites Booklist

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

"This is not tokenism, it is the broadening of our nation's literary horizons."

—Joseph Bruchac

Joseph Bruchac, storyteller, writer, poet and musician, lives in the Adirondack foothills of New York, in the same house where his maternal grandparents raised him. His Abenaki heritage is a constant source of inspiration, and he works extensively to preserve Abenaki culture, language, and traditional Native skills.

Author or co-author of more than 70 books for children, Bruchac holds a B.A. from Cornell University, an M.A. in Literature and Creative Writing from Syracuse, and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the Union Institute of Ohio.

What prompted you to write for children and young adults?

On one level, I have to say that I became a writer because I loved to read. The excitement of reading led to my wanting to share things I cared about through writing. Sharing has always been a very important theme in my life -- part of the belief that we must always give back as much as we get.

I began as a poet and still write a great deal of poetry which has been published in such journals as American Poetry Review, The Paris Review and hundreds of small literary magazines. About twenty-five years ago, though, I began to focus on retelling traditional stories and writing for younger readers. As a father with two young sons, I found myself becoming aware of how poorly, how inaccurately, how insensitively, American Indian people were portrayed in books for kids, even such well-loved books as Little House on the Prairie.

What do you hope to accomplish with your books?

I don't think I've ever consciously set out to accomplish anything other than telling a story as well and truthfully as I could. Communication, clarity, and honesty have been my hope. If, along the way, I have given people a better and fuller picture of Native peoples and cultures then I am very pleased. Please note my use of the plural. American Indian cultures, languages, and individuals are so incredibly varied. I want people to be aware of that diversity and complexity.

How would you like teachers teachers and parents, who may be accustomed to innacurate or stereotypical portrayals of Native Americans, to use your work?

First of all, I hope they will look at my work with open minds. People become very attached to those old portrayals and may really love such books as Knots on a Counting Rope, Anna and the Old One, The Indian in the Cupboard and The Sign of the Beaver, which have some heart-warming messages in them but are deeply inaccurate and, in some cases, racist in their portrayals of Indians. Read what I have written, consider the sources of my work, and compare it with other books that may have given one-dimensional or stereotyped pictures of Native people.

Second, I hope teachers won't see my work as the be-all and end-all. If, for example, they read my novel Sacajawea, I hope it will lead them to seek out more information about the Shoshones and other Native peoples in the book, especially from the Shoshones themselves. (Luckily, a great many Native American Nations now have or are developing their own web sites, so access is easier than in the past.)

If teachers read my new novel from Scholastic, The Journal of Jesse Smoke, A Cherokee Boy on the Trail of Tears, I hope they'll look at the web site of the Cherokee Nation or buy a tape or a book by Gayle Ross (one of the finest American Indian storytellers and a descendant of Chief John Ross of the Cherokee), such as How Turtle's Back Was Cracked.

Do Native American children have specific needs when it comes to seeing themselves portrayed in books?

Yes. Honesty instead of stereotypes. Complexity instead of simple-minded pictures of either "noble savages" or "murdering redskins." And present-day images, as opposed to only seeing Indians in the past. When you can find yourself in a good book, find an image that inspires you and gives you hope, you may begin to use that image to shape your own dreams.

What do you think of multicultural children's literature today?

I'm very encouraged. Not only are more voices being heard, they are worthy of being heard by any standards. Further, the presence and success of such truly multi-cultural presses as Lee and Low is a very good sign. This is not tokenism, it is the broadening of our nation's literary horizons. After decades of staring at the same white wall, we've begun looking out the windows at the mountains and opening our doors to the possibilities of new, exciting and life-changing journeys. But we are just at the start of those journeys. We need to step through the door.

Who are other Native American authors you believe are making a real mark on children's literature today?

Among those writers who are currently active, there are several people making such a mark:

I've already mentioned Gayle Ross (Cherokee), who is both a storyteller and a writer.

Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve (Lakota) has been at this the longest--several of her books that were first published decades ago have been reissued and she is writing a wonderful non-fiction series on various tribal nations for Holiday House.

Then there is Michael Lacapa (Tewa/Apache/Hopi) who is a writer, a storyteller AND the illustrator of his books.

Louise Erdrich (Ojibwa), already one of America's finest novelists (note that I did not say "finest Native American novelists"--she is just one of the best) has made a recent and quite wonderful entry into writing for children with picture books and her superb, highly praised novel The Birchbark House.

Geri Keams(Navajo), another professional storyteller and former actress has now done several picture books.

A number of others have either written mostly for adult audiences or just started publishing. As a result, none of them have more than one or two books for children now in print. I'm hoping to hear more in the future from such people as:

Joel Monture (Mohawk)

Simon Ortiz (Acoma)

N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa)

S.D. Nelson (Lakota)

Cynthia Smith (Creek)

Virginia Stroud (Cherokee)

Richard VanCamp (Dogrib)

Cheryl Savageau (Abenaki)

There is a lot of Indian talent out there and I hope publishers are paying attention.

How can we encourage young people, particularly young people of minority cultures, to write children's books and books for young adults?

By publishing them. We do not have enough outlets for young "minority" writers. We need more publishers willing to take a chance on the unknowns. We also need good mentoring, both in school and beyond. I belong to an organization called Wordcraft Circle that was founded in 1992 by Laguna Pueblo teacher and writer Lee Francis, who directs the Native American Studies program at the University of New Mexico, to provide one-on-one mentoring to young Native writers and storytellers. We also have a newsletter, an on-line magazine, yearly awards and conferences. Hundreds of American Indian writers have been involved over the last decade. Sherman Alexie, for example, a powerful young American Indian author for adults, has worked with us as a mentor for a younger Native writer.

Where do you get inspiration? Where do you go for your research?

It is different every time. Sometimes my first source is a dream. At other times it is a story that someone tells me. It may come from reading a news article or from such memorable experiences as climbing a mountain in Oklahoma with a Cheyenne friend before dawn to greet the sun. Or it may come from memory. When I do research I look in every direction I can think--from libraries to knowledgeable elders. (I also try to purchase my own copies of every book in print on the subject--which is how I came to have the entire set of the Journals of Lewis and Clark edited by Gary Moulton.) I do look at the Internet, but there I urge caution. I have found a lot of misinformation online. A LOT!

Where can educators and parents go to find a greater diversity of books, voices, and images?

Here are two books I'd recommend. One is the classic and ground-breaking study of Native Americans in children's literature, Through Indian Eyes by Beverly Slapin and Dorothy Seale, published by Oyate. The other is Multicultural Voices in Contemporary Literature by Frances Ann Day, from Heinemann.

*****

For more information, including Joseph Bruchac's touring schedule and list of published works, visit his web site.

Send comments to  readacross@nea.org

Look for Newbery and Caldecott Winners

Winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Medals are announced by the American Library Association at their mid-winter meeting in January (www.ala.org). Plan to put the 2005 winners and Honor Books, the Coretta Scott King and Pura Bel Pre award winners on your winter reading list.

Awarded annually since 1922, the Newbery Medal is given to the "author of the most distinguished contribution to American children's literature published in the preceding year." The award is named after John Newbery, an eighteenth century English publisher and bookseller of the first books for children.

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott and is given to the artist who has created the most distinguished picture book of the preceding year.

Activity Idea:

Consider following the example of the Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne Indiana, which has hosted mock Newbery and Caldecott election programs for the last several years, giving adults with an interest in literature and illustration for children a chance to discuss new books. Using the same criteria that librarians use to decide the "real" medal winners, a group of children's literature lovers narrowed down a long list of titles to their favorite winners.

• You can see their results at http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/children/pnewbery2004/html ).
• You can get the real criteria for the Awards at Newbery and Caldecott and hold a similar mock programs with students or other book lovers.
• You can develop your own criteria and award. Kids can have a lot of fun creating their award and notifying the author and/or illustrator aboutr his/her selection!

Martin Luther King Day

On January 17, 2005 America will celebrate the national holiday honoring the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Inspire young readers with Dr. Kings's story, and help them join together as equals with others to address important community issues.

Go to www.mlkday.org for:

• information on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday of Service,
• a reading list,
• and details on small grants that will be available to communities so that they can plan and implement service projects.  

January author birthdays

Discover these literary luminaries for satisfying winter reading:

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

Observed each year from September 15-October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month honors the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens who trace their ancestry to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Spanish-speaking countries of Central and South America.

Contrary to popular belief, the word Hispanic does not refer to race, but is an ethnic term for diverse peoples of many races and origins who hold in common the Spanish language.

Celebrate with Bilingual Books

NEA's Read Across America compiled a Bilingual Booklist/Recomendada Lectura with 65 titles for grades kindergarten through young adult. From poetry to folktales to stories of contemporary life, these outstanding selections introduce young readers to a rich vein of literature with a distinctly Hispanic sensibility.

Additional resources:

• Américas Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, recognizes works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States.
• The Pura Belpré Award is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth.

Notable Hispanics

Hispanics make significant contributions to society and are represented in nearly every profession. How many of these names do you recognize?

Sandra Cisneros or Victor Villasenor (writers)? How about Luis Alberto Urrea or Ana Castillo (poets)? Raquel Welch or Martin Sheen (actors)? Linda Ronstadt or Freddy Fender (vocalists)? Rebecca Lobo or Sammy Sosa (athletes)? Cesar Chavez or Linda Chavez-Thompson (civil rights activists)? Katherine Davalos Ortega (Treasurer of the United States)? Bill Richardson (governor of New Mexico)? Antonia Novello (U.S. Surgeon General)? Ellen Ochoa (astronaut)? Luis Walter Alvarez (Nobel winning physicist)? These are only a few of the many Hispanics whose talents and hard work have enriched the lives of all Americans.

If you want to know more about famous Hispanic folks, visit:

• Notable Hispanic Americans From A-Z (InfoPlease)
  
  

Resources for Teachers and Kids

The following sites provide information, ideas and activities for celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month.

• Scholastic.com
• Fact Monster
• Thomson Gale

February is Library Lovers' Month

Library Lovers' Month is a celebration of school, public, and private libraries of all types.  It's a time for everyone to recognize the value of libraries and to work to assure that the nation's libraries will continue to serve.  Check out the these titles to share for your celebration.

Get ready to celebrate NEA's Read Across America Day

NEA's Read Across America Day is rapidly approaching -- have you submitted your Pledge to Participate? Share your plans with us and we'll post them on our state pledge pages so others can be inspired. It only takes a few minutes!

February is Black History Month

Black History Month was originally a one-week event begun by Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950), noted Black scholar, historian and son of former slaves.  It expanded to a month-long celebration in 1976 as part of our nation's Bicentennial.

Celebrate African American culture through children’s literature.  Access our list of books highlighting African American culture.

The African American Read-In Chain

Participate in this nationwide read-in of literature by Black authors on the first Sunday of February at 4:00 p.m. EST. The first Monday is designated for educational institutions to participate.  Visit the African American Read-In Chain Web site at for information and materials. 

February author birthdays

Discover these literary luminaries for satisfying winter reading:

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

What is NEA's Read Across America?

NEA's Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on or around Dr. Seuss's birthday. In 2008 it will be celebrated on Monday, March 3. (This is only a guideline. Please feel free to celebrate on the day that best coincides with your calendar.)

NEA's Read Across America also provides NEA members, parents, caregivers, and children the resources and activities they need to keep reading on the calendar 365 days a year.

In cities and towns across the nation, teachers, teenagers, librarians, politicians, actors, athletes, parents, grandparents, and others develop NEA's Read Across America activities to bring reading excitement to children of all ages. Governors, mayors, and other elected officials recognize the role reading plays in their communities with proclamations and floor statements. Athletes and actors issue reading challenges to young readers. And teachers and principals seem to be more than happy to dye their hair green or be duct-taped to a wall if it boosts their students' reading.

How and when did NEA's Read Across America begin?

In May 1997, a small reading task force at NEA came up with a big idea. "Let's create a day to celebrate reading," the group decided. "We hold pep rallies to get kids excited about football. We assemble to remember that Character Counts. Why don't we do something to get kids excited about reading? We'll call it 'NEA's Read Across America' and we'll celebrate it on Dr. Seuss's birthday." And so was born on March 2, 1998, the largest celebration of reading this country has ever seen.

Why NEA's Read Across America?

Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school.

Who sponsors NEA's Read Across America?

At the national level, the National Education Association sponsors and spearheads the program with support from 40 national nonprofit and association partners. Locally, everyone—from schools to libraries to community centers to churches to hospitals to bookstores—is invited to host local events to celebrate and promote children's reading.

Who are NEA's partners in Read Across America?

In addition to the 3.2 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers who make up NEA membership, some 40 national organizations and associations give their support.

How can I get involved?

Contact your local school, education association, library, bookstore, or local chapter of a national NEA's Read Across America partner organization about events that are taking place in your community. Explore this Web site fully for information, ideas, and resources.

When should I begin planning?

Begin planning now! NEA's Read Across America resource materials offer numerous and various opportunties for involvement in children's reading throughout the year. The first thing you should plan for is how, where, and when you will read to a child in your life—every day.

Where can I get more information about how to celebrate?

This Web site is chock full of ideas, information, and inspiration. Everything you need to plan a reading event, from simple to elaborate, is right here. Start at our main page and go exploring. Have fun!

Read for 2005!

Participate in Read for 2005, Scholastic's 5th annual event that encourages students, teachers, friends, and parents around the globe to unite to read for 2005 seconds. Information and resources can be found at Scholastic.com.

December is Universal Human Rights Month

Read about human rights legends:

Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Prize winner from Burma

Awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace prize and many other awards for her leadership in Burma’s pro-democracy movement.  While the country’s military leadership held her in detention, Aung San Suu Kyi won a general election by a landslide.

Aung San Suu Kyi biography
http://www.ibiblio.org/freeburma/assk/assk.html

Aung San Suu Kyi resources
http://womenshistory.about.com/cs/aungsansuukyi

Nelson Mandela

Profile of Nelson Mandela
http://www.anc.org.za/people/mandela.html

ANC Nelson Mandela page
http://www.anc.org.za/people/mandela/index.html

December 21 is the Winter Solstice

Resources

• A wintery tale of survival comes to virtual life at Weather Eye.  
• Learn from Mrs. McGowan's first grade class at H. W. Mountz School in Spring Lake, NJ, how to Read A Winter Book ... Write A Winter Poem.

Activity Ideas

• Make winter time a season of sharing. Books are gifts that keep giving. Create winter holiday classroom or home projects that give the gift of literacy:
  • Make a donation to your local library as a gift in honor of your favorite reader(s).
  • Bring books and holiday cheer to a local nursing home to read with the elderly.
  • Support local book/toy drives or collaborate with organizations like the General Federation of Women's Clubs or the Heart of America Foundation to sponsor your own collection effort.

Chilly weather is the perfect time to get cozy with books. Take a look at our booklists to pick out books for your child's winter reading:

• Teachers' Top 100 Books
• Kids' Top 100 Books
• Celebrities' Favorite Books
• Hispanic Book List
• Asian-American Books
• 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should know
• State-by-State Booklist
• Youth Leaders for Literacy Booklist
• Native American Booklist

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

Everyone loves our logo—and with good reason—the Cat in the Hat is a superstar!

You may reproduce the logo for use in your NEA's Read Across America event provided that you observe the following guidelines.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises has licensed to NEA limited use of the Cat in the Hat for NEA's Read Across America logo. The following guidelines are provided to assist you with proper usage of our logo. Your compliance with these guidelines will ensure NEA's continued use of the Cat in the Hat to promote NEA's Read Across America.

Also, please take a look at Dr. Seuss Licensing Issues for answers to commonly asked questions about what is permissible use of the logo.

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Grant at sgrant@nea.org . Your question will be researched and promptly answered.

Guidelines:

1. Use the logo only to promote NEA's Read Across America program, which includes promoting your events/activities. The logo may not be used for any other purpose. (We have no rights to use any other Dr. Seuss characters or art. Violation of this restriction could jeopardize our rights to use the logo.)
   
   
   
2. Do not use our logo with the logo of any business or sponsor (e.g., McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and other companies).
   
   
   
3. Do not use the logo for any commercial purpose. Thus, you must avoid stores and other sponsors selling their products in conjunction with the logo. (For example, "Buy one, get one free" promotions in honor of NEA's Read Across America are not permissible.)
   
   
   
4. Use the copyright and trademark notice (exactly as it appears with the logo) on absolutely everything that contains the logo—and the notice must be readable.
   
   The copyright notice must read:
   ^TM & © 1997 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. and NEA. Cat in the Hat image ^TM & © 1957 Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. All Rights Reserved.
   
   
   
5. Use the logo only as it appears. The logo may not be modified in any way except that it may be reduced or enlarged in size to fit the space available.
   
   
   

Thank you for reading these guidelines, and for your cooperation. Now that you're familiar with the requirements, please feel free to use our Cat in the Hat logo in your NEA's Read Across America events.

Resources for Educators

As educators, you're always seeking resources to understand your English Language Learners (ELLs) and help them dotheir best in your classroom. At the same time, you know that it's important to reach out to ELL parents and families and welcome them into your school's community of learning. To help you, Lea con La NEA offers these links  to excellent resources.

Create a reading event!

We've compiled a basic to-do list for elementary or middle school teachers who want to hold an event in their classroom in conjunction with NEA's Read Across America.

Get an event idea:

Download, print, and reproduce these FREE resources:

• posters
• bookmarks
• certificates of participation
• logos
• A multicultural reading calendar, and more...

Check out these recommended books:

Get more helpful stuff:

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

Welcome to the Cat-alog! This is the place to get your Seussian paraphernalia, including our all-time bestseller, the famous Cat in the Hat hat.

We are pleased to announce a new partnership between NEA Professional Library and NEA's Read Across America. Through this partnership you can purchase everything you need for your NEA's Read Across America celebration, as well as books and NEA logo items from the Library—all at the same time!

New! The Read Across America Page in the NEA Professional Library is Now Open!

The NEA Professional Library is now your one-stop site for Read Across America gifts and gear. The NEA Professional Library has striped hats galore and is busy amassing other cool things to help you celebrate NEA's Read Across America in style.

Order  your Seuss hats and costumes now and keep checking out this site for updates on new Read Across America products. Over the next few weeks, the NEA Professional Library will add more Read Across America items that will help you celebrate the joy of reading on March 2. Please contact us if you have questions or need further assistance.

Also, be sure to check out inflatable Seuss products to help decorate your classroom or Read Across America event.

Don't see that special Seuss item? Check out a complete list of licensed vendors approved by Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

Book Adventure, a free Web-based reading motivation program for children in grades K-8, has teamed up with NEA's Read Across America to bring young readers a reading adventure that will have them reading across the country—without ever leaving their hometown!

Kids take multiple choice quizzes offline on books they've read, and earn points good toward prizes for their literary successes.

Here's what you need to do:

• Visit www.bookadventure.org to register. Kids can register to play at school or at home. Parents can register to approve prizes and monitor progress. Teachers can register to provide their class with fun, educational and interactive reading tools.
  
  
• Read! Browse the following titles related to our 50 states and the District of Columbia. Books in this special Read Across America Book Adventure list (Adobe Acrobat pdf file) have a quiz posted on the Book Adventure Web site.
  
  
• Take multiple choice quizzes at the Book Adventure Web site on the books read offline from the Read Across America Book Adventure book list. (Quizzes based on the classic works of Dr. Seuss are also available among the 6,000 other recommended titles.)
  
  
• Earn points for each book read—good toward fun prizes!

August is National Inventors' Month

Read up on famous inventions and the innovative people whose ingenuity has shaped our lives at About.com. 

*****
August 1:  National KidsDay encourages you to celebrate and honor America's children through the gift of spending meaningful time with them. Contact your local Boys & Girls Club or KidsPeace to find out what's happening in your area on National KidsDay. Resources available through the KidsDay web site offer expert advice on ways to make the most of your time with children.  Suggestions range from books you can read with children of all ages, to suggestions for communicating with young people to help instill a positive sense of belonging and self-esteem. Visit the KidsDay web site for more information.

*****
August 21 is Christopher Robin’s birthday. Christopher Robin Milne, immortalized in A.A. Milne's books Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner, was born August 21, 1920. Test your Christopher Robin and Pooh knowledge with the quiz at just-pooh.com. Then settle down with a book and some hunny to share with your honey to commemorate the day.

*****

August Author Birthdays

Discover these authors for satisfying summer reading:

• Walter Dean Myers, August 12. Prolific and prize-winning author of books for children and young adults. According to his Random House biography, "... Walter Dean Myers came to believe that his work filled a void for African-American youths who yearned for positive reading experiences and role models... It is one of many attributes that has made him one of the most important children's and YA authors writing today." You can access lesson plans and teaching guides utilizing Myers' novels at webenglishteacher.com.
  
• Diana Wynne Jones, August 16. Long one of Britain's most popular writers of fantasy and science fiction for children and young adults, Diana Wynne Jones is enjoying increasing exposure in the United States. Many readers, hungry for good books in-between installments of Harry Potter, are discovering that Wynne Jones' Chrestomanci series, Howl's Moving Castle, the Derkholm series and many others, are finely crafted tales of magic, wonder and suspense, infused with sly wit. HarperCollins Publisher maintains a graphics-heavy web site devoted to Wynne Jones that will amaze you with its gorgeous images, but a more useful resource is maintained at Wynne Jones' offical fan site. This site is filled with information about her books, including a review of her latest work, The Merlin Conspiracy, and a question and answer piece in which Wynne Jones discusses at length her personal writing process and the value of magic and fantasy in literature.

*****
Don't close the books when the school doors close! Children frequently lose reading skills when they don't read during extended vacation. Take a look at our reading lists to plan your child's summer reading:

• Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children
• Kids' Top 100 Books
• African-American Booklist
• Asian-American Booklist
• Spanish/English Bilingual Booklist
• 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Know
• Celebrity Book Picks
• 50 State Booklist
• Youth Leaders for Literacy Booklist
• Native American Booklist
• Authors' Favorites Booklist

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

April is National Poetry Month, sponsored by the Academy of American Poets. Find out about their free resources for this celebration.

Highlight poetry for children and young adults during Young People's Poetry Week, April 12-18. The sponsor, Children's Book Council, offers an online catalog of poetry resources.

Resources

• Billy Collins, Poet Laureate of the United States, created Poetry 180 to offer high school students a poem for every day of the approximately 180-day school year.
• How To Write Funny Poetry
• Kids can construct their own poetry at MagenticPoetry.com
• "Ask the Poet" at Giggle Poetry

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Focus public attention on the reading needs of young children during The Week of the Young Child, April 18-24. The sponsor, National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), offers resources and materials for participating.

Resources

• Get Ready to Read provides early childhood teachers and caregivers practical information and ideas for developing literacy-rich environments
• First Lady Laura Bush offers advice with "How Do I Know a Good Early Reading Program When I See One?"

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National Library Week is April 18-24. This observance to celebrate the contributions of libraries and librarians is sponsored by the American Library Association. Many school libraries also celebrate the month of April as School Library Media Month sponsored by the American Association of School Librarians, a division of ALA. Visit their Web site or call 800-545-2433 for details on both events.

Resources

• Here is a list of books that celebrate the joys of reading and writing, and honor that uniquely American institution -- the public library. Shared with NEA's Read Across America by PBS's Between the Lions.
• Between the Lions, Literacy Tips for the 10-minute Parent: Discover Your Local Library
• U.S. Department of Education presents Learning Partners: Let's Use the Library
• Children's Picture Books with Librarians and Libraries: An Annotated Bibliography

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National Youth Service Days, April 16-18 is a program of Youth Service America, in association with the National Youth Leadership Council and Parade magazine. Join in by engaging kids in literacy service projects. Visit YSA's Web site for details.

Resources

• An extensive bibliography on volunteerism: 2,000 titles in English, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish
• Community Youth Involvement reading list
• "Guide for Student Volunteers Starting Early Childhood Literacy Programs"
• Create and organize a shared reading program with older children reading to younger children with "Adopt a Bunny"

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Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) will hold its annual National Record-A-Thon during the third week in April. This event is an intensive week-long volunteer effort to add recorded textbooks in every subject matter and grade level to RFB&D's collection for students who can't read standard print effectively because of a disability. Visit their Web site or call 1-866-RFBD-585 to locate the nearest recording studio.

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April 30 is Dia de los Ninos/Dia de los Libros (Children's Day/Books' Day) and a day to celebrate the power of being bilingual. A list of Web resources is available.

Resources

• Check the list provided by the National Latino Children's Institute to see if there's an El Día de los Niños 2004 celebration in your city.
• Barahona Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents
• NABE (National Association for Bilingual Education)
• Pat Mora is a nationally recognized children's book author and instigator in El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros.

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April author birthdays

Discover these literary luminaries for satisfying spring reading:

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 It's time to spring into books! Take a look at our booklists to plan your child's spring reading:

• Teachers' Top 100 Books
• Kids' Top 100 Books
• Celebrities' Favorite Books
• Hispanic booklist
• Asian-American books
• 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should know
• State-by-State booklist
• Youth Leaders for Literacy booklist
• Native American booklist

Send comments to readacross@nea.org

50 Great Event Ideas

Here are 50 of the coolest events that have taken place for Read Across America in the past. Don’t forget to check out the pledge pages  to view other events or, better yet, post your own pledge to let us know what your future plans are to celebrate the joy—and importance—of reading!

His mother's classroom at Chalkville Elementary School in Birmingham, Alabama, was the stage for Ruben Studdard's performance on March 2—NEA's Read Across America Day.

The American Idol and his mother, second grade teacher Emily Studdard, read a duet of Dr. Seuss's classic, "Green Eggs and Ham" to her students. His mother took the part of the persistent Sam-I-Am while Ruben read the role of the finicky eater. And while it took some effort for the characters in the book to agree on this unusual, but delicious dish, mother and son have always been in total agreement—that reading is an important and enjoyable part of life.

NEA President Reg Weaver joined Ruben and Mrs. Studdard for what was Ruben's first visit to his mother's school since winning the American Idol II competition. Ruben didn't disappoint, autographing students' Cat in the Hat hats and posing for photographs.

Everything you need to celebrate

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Thank you.

Reading activities for everybody

Book Adventure, a free web-based reading motivation program for children in grades K-8, has teamed up with NEA's Read Across America to bring young readers a reading adventure that will have them reading across the country—without ever leaving their hometown!

 An initiative of the National Education Association (NEA) and Youth Service America (YSA), Youth Leaders for Literacy is designed to help youth direct their enthusiasm and creativity into reading-related service projects. Grants are available up to $500.00.

 Major League Soccer (MLS) and the National Education Association (NEA) have launched a new literacy program that taps into the excitement of professional soccer and the star power of many of the League's top players to give reading a major kick. "Get a Kick Out of Reading/¡Lee y Marca un Golazo!" is a comprehensive, multicultural League-wide literacy program that aims to raise awareness about the critical importance of reading to children and their families, including the growing number of youth that are new to America and have limited English skills.

Winner of The Parents' Choice Award as the best TV show for kids 4-to-7, Between the Lions is the first series to offer educationally sound reading instruction that combines phonics and whole language. Between the Lions is sharing a selection of reading tips for parents and teachers, as well as book lists you can take to the library or the book store.

The Great American Family Read-In is a wonderful activity to get families to read across America, and anytime is a great time to start. Keep it up all year, and help your family "resolve to read" any way, every day!

Professor Kay E. Vandergrift, of Rutgers University's School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, has produced an extensive web site on literature for children and young adults. Her First Lines page is a fun way to test your knowledge of children's literature. Which well known book opens with, "Where's Papa going with that ax?" said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast." Do you know the answer? Test yourself!

Children everywhere yearn to see themselves in the stories they read. Find out how to select good books, build a library, and more in our Multiculturalism and Children's Literature section. Includes author interviews!

Parents want and need information about what's happening in their child's classroom and how they can help. The information and resources presented in NEA's Help for Parents can help meet that need.

Alabama

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) 202.224.6518
Rep. Josiah “Jo” Bonner Jr. (R-Ala.) 202.225.4931
Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) 202.225.4876

Arkansas

Rep. John Boozman (R-Ark). 202.225.4301

California

Rep. Fortney “Pete” Stark ((D-Calif.) 202.225.5065
Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) 202.225.2631
Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) 202.225.3601
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Calif.) 202.225.1766
Rep. Grace Flores Napolitano (D-Calif.) 202.225.5256
Rep. Linda T. Sanchez (D-Calif.) 202.225.6676
Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.) 202.225.8045

Florida

Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) 202.225.4136
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) 202.225.3931

Georgia

Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) 202.224.3521
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) 202.225.2931

Idaho

Sen. Michael Crapo (R-Idaho) 202.224.6142
Rep. C.L. “Butch” Otter (R-Idaho) 202.225.6611

Illinois

Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) 202.225.4061
Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-Ill.) 202.225.2111
Rep. Mark Steven Kirk (R-Ill.) 202.225.4835

Indiana

Rep. Julia Carson (D-Ind.) 202.225.4011

Iowa

Rep. James A. Leach (R-Iowa) 202.225.6576
Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa) 202.225.5476

Kansas

Rep. Jerry Moran (R-Kans.) 202.225.2715
Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kans.) 202.225.2865

Louisiana

Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) 202.225.6636
Rep. Rodney Alexander (D-La.) 202.225.8490

Maryland

Rep. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) 202.225.4016
Rep. Albert Wynn (D-Md.) 202.225.8699
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) 202.225.4741
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) 202.225.5341

Massachusetts

Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.) 202.225.6101

Michigan

Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.) 202.225.3831
Rep.Candice Miller (R-Mich.) 202.225.2106
Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Mich.) 202.225.2261
Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) 202.224.2934

Minnesota

Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) 202.224.5641
Rep. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.) 202.224.3244
Rep. Gil Gutknecht (R-Minn.) 202.225.2474
Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) 202.225.2271

Mississippi

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) 202.225.5876

Missouri

Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) 202.225.2876
Rep. Samuel B. ”Sam” Graves (R-Mo.) 202.225.7041

New Jersey

Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) 202.225.6574
Rep. William J. “Bill” Pascrell (D-N.J.) 202.225.5751
Rep. Steve Rothman (D-N.J.) 202.225.5061
Rep. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) 202.225.7919

New Mexico

Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) 202.225.6316

New York

Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) 202.225.5516
Rep. Major Owens (D-N.Y.) 202.225.6231
Rep. Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) 202.225.4365
Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) 202.225.6506
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) 202.225.3615

North Carolina

Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-N.C.) 202.225.4531
Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) 202.225.2731
Rep. Melvin Watt (D-N.C.) 202.225.1510

North Dakota

Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) 202.225.2611

Ohio

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) 202.225.7032
Rep. Timothy Ryan (D-Ohio) 202.225.6601

Pennsylvania

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) 202.224.6324
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) 202.225.2431
Rep. Tim Holden (D-Pa.) 202.225.5546

Rhode Island

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) 202.225.4911

Texas

Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Tex.) 202.225.4831
Rep. Charles Stenholm (D-Tex.) 202.225.6605
Rep. Martin Frost (D-Tex.) 202.225.3605
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Tex.) 202.225.4865
Rep. Michael Burgess (D-Tex.) 202.225.7772
Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-Tex.) 202.225.1640

Virginia

Rep. Virgil Goode Jr. (R-Va.) 202.225.4711
Rep. Robert “Bob” Goodlatte (R-Va.) 202.225.5431
Rep. Jim P. Moran (D-Va.) 202.225.4376

Washington

Rep. Richard Ray “Rick” Larson (D-Wash.) 202.225.2605

Wisconsin

Rep. Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) 202.225.3031
Rep. David R. Obey (D-Wis.) 202.225.3365

Create a reading event!

We've compiled a basic to-do list for elementary or middle school teachers who want to hold an event in their classroom in conjunction with NEA's Read Across America.

Get an event idea:

Download, print and reproduce these FREE resources:

• posters
• bookmarks
• certificates  
• logos
• A multicultural reading calendar, and more...

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