As part of this week’s Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida!, the READ USA team is conducting read alouds at local elementary schools – and we’ve been having so much fun!
Yesterday, we visited multiple classrooms at Arlington Elementary School. Our team read several stories:
- The Sorry Life of Timothy Shmoe by Stephanie McLellan, which is a 2023 Finalist for Florida Children’s Book Award 3rd-5thgrade
- Trevor’s Wiggly-Wobbly Tooth by Lester Laminack
- Frogness by Sarah Nelson, a 2023 Finalist for Florida Children’s Book Award K-2nd grade
- The Circus Shipby Chris Van Dusen
- Home is in Between by Mitali Perkins, a 2023 Finalist for Florida Children’s Book Award K-2nd grade
- The New Kid Has Fleas by Ame Dyckmam, a 2023 Finalist for Florida Children’s Book Award K-2nd grade
Thank you to Principal Paula Findlay and the whole team at Arlington Elementary for having us!
We also have a few more read alouds happening this week at Hogan-Spring Glen Elementary, San Jose Elementary, and Englewood Elementary schools. We look forward to seeing you all!
#ICYMI: Also, in case you missed it last week, check out these READ USA resources that can help parents uplift literacy and encourage reading as part of their children’s daily routines.
How have you been celebrating literacy at home this week? Tell us on social media! Links are at the bottom of this newsletter.
Thank You, News4Jax, for Celebrating Literacy with READ USA!
Yesterday, our CEO Dr. Rob Kelly joined Melanie Lawson on The Morning Show to discuss Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! and how parents can inspire a love of reading at home year-round. Thank you so much for having READ USA on the show and giving us the opportunity to talk about our favorite things: reading, books, and early childhood literacy!
Watch the segment below:
READ USA to Participate in FSCJ Literacy Fair on Feb. 11
READ USA is thrilled to join the Jacksonville Public Library and other literacy partners at Florida State College at Jacksonville’s upcoming Literacy Fair on February 11!
This FREE event will have family fun for all as together we celebrate a love of reading. Check out the details below:
Children’s Book: How to Find a Fox, by Kate Gardner
Photographed by Ossi Saarinen
Stunningly photographed, the red fox takes us on a journey through settings, seasons, and times. Our author describes in detail why the red fox may be found in a big city. For example, “human food waste is plentiful (as so are mice, rats, and garden worms!).” Our photographer captures the sneakiness and beauty of the red fox. Can you find him on every page? We even get to discover where the red fox will NOT be found. The red fox exhibits features that help him hunt, and hide, swoosh, and glide. What do red fox families look like? And what are their families called? How does the red fox sound? And how can we be sure to spot one? Maybe our photographer, Mr. Saarinen, will give us some advice on that one. Take a peek at this finalist for ‘22-‘23 Florida Children’s Book Award.
Submitted by Tabetha Cox, Tutoring Program Director
Parent Education Corner: Building a Love of Reading
What Does Building a Love of Reading Look Like?
The most powerful way to build a love of reading in our children is to read to them. Literacy begins in the lap of mom, dad, grandmother, or any beloved adult. Reading aloud to our young ones is about embracing the time, the child, and the book in an exploration of pages, illustrations, and hearing the beauty of the English language and how it works. Listening to a skilled reader while following along with the book models, fluency, the rhyme and rhythm of language, and shows young readers how books work. Author Mem Fox speaks so eloquently about the power of reading aloud to children.
The best-selling children's author and internationally respected literacy expert reveals the incredible emotional and intellectual impact reading aloud to children has on their ability to learn to read. With passion and humor, Fox speaks of when, where, and why to read aloud, and demonstrates how to read aloud to best effect and get the most out of a read-aloud session. (Amazon)
Here are some ideas about ways to interact with a child and foster the love of reading:
- Have the child write a book recommendation on a sticky note.
- Give the child small stickers and let them place a sticker in parts of the book they LOVE. Then, talk with them about why they love that part.
- Pick out a few books and let the child choose what they would like to read together. Book choice goes a long way to foster ownership and engagement with reading.
- Wear a word! Have the child pin a word from their reading to their shirt and talk about the word with others throughout the day.
- Take a book selfie. Children can take a selfie with a book and post on social media about their experiences with reading.
- Carry a poem in your pocket. Children can print poems on small slips of paper and share the poem with others throughout their day.
Submitted by Tabetha Cox, Tutoring Program Director
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