March 2008 Archives
This week I’d like to refer you to a letter I received from the President of First Book:
RIF, if you don’t know, is one of the pioneers of kid-directed book distribution programs. I’ve already reached out. Do you think you might take a couple minutes to reach out to your congresspersons?
Infusing a love of books in our own kids is challenging enough . . . imagine how hard it is to do in families without our resources and level of education.
Dear Jim,
Reading is Fundamental (RIF), a national nonprofit literacy organization and a good friend of First Book, needs your help. The President’s proposed fiscal year 2009 budget eliminates the RIF Book Distribution Program. Unless Congress reinstates funding for this program, RIF will be unable to distribute 16 million books annually to the nation’s youngest and most at-risk children.
While RIF is hard at work demonstrating to Congress the importance of reinstating their program’s funding, they need the help of all of us who believe in the power of books in the lives of children. We urge all of the First Book community to reach out to their members of Congress to request the reinstatement of RIF funding. Your voice, as a constituent, is the most important resource we have to make sure that Congress protects this critical program.
Please visit rif.org and help RIF build support in Congress for reinstating the funding. RIF will regularly update the website to show the ways you can most help!
We hope you will share this message with family, friends and colleagues. Thank you for your support as First Book and RIF work to bring new books and resources to the kids who need them most!
Sincerely,
Kyle Zimmer
President , First Book
RIF, if you don’t know, is one of the pioneers of kid-directed book distribution programs. I’ve already reached out. Do you think you might take a couple minutes to reach out to your congresspersons?
Infusing a love of books in our own kids is challenging enough . . . imagine how hard it is to do in families without our resources and level of education.
Have you run across any of those D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) programs at schools or other places? Basic idea is that you carve out some time when everybody has some uninterrupted reading time, and make a fun thing of it.
I remember some past PageTurner winners—including All Hallows High School in the Bronx—have done quite wonderfully with them.
Of course, they don’t work so well if the kids aren’t armed with good books they can engage with. That is, if the books aren’t there, and they aren’t fun reads, the time reading isn’t likely to be fun, either.
I mention this because somebody just pointed out that my friends at FirstBook and some others are involved in a D.E.A.R. website that offers materials and guidance for people looking to try it out.
Actually, if you know any schools looking for books (for kids ages 10 and up) I happen to be giving away some Maximum Ride books myself right here. Kids seem to have been enjoying them, and some schools have done some pretty fun book-oriented stuff with them.
JP
I remember some past PageTurner winners—including All Hallows High School in the Bronx—have done quite wonderfully with them.
Of course, they don’t work so well if the kids aren’t armed with good books they can engage with. That is, if the books aren’t there, and they aren’t fun reads, the time reading isn’t likely to be fun, either.
I mention this because somebody just pointed out that my friends at FirstBook and some others are involved in a D.E.A.R. website that offers materials and guidance for people looking to try it out.
Actually, if you know any schools looking for books (for kids ages 10 and up) I happen to be giving away some Maximum Ride books myself right here. Kids seem to have been enjoying them, and some schools have done some pretty fun book-oriented stuff with them.
JP
