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Today’s guest blogger is Laura Geringer, beloved children’s book author and one of First Book’s favorite people.

First Book goes to Broadway! It’s gratifying to announce the highly successful completion of the first stage of First Book’s partnership with the Kaufman Center. The collaboration gave rise this summer to a pilot program of seven colorful and comical musicals for children, all based on children’s books available from First Book’s online Marketplace store.

In the lineup were “The True Story of the Three Little Pigs” by Jon Scieszka, “Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkes, “Kenny and the Dragon” by Tony DiTerlizzi, and my own “A Three Hat Day“.

The show was called “Cover to Cover”, and was a tribute to the power of storytelling in our lives. It was tremendously moving to me as over a hundred children sang the lyrics to the closing song:

There will always be a new book to discover
And the books I love
will always be
A part of me …

Through this new partnership with The Kaufman Center, First Book makes its theatrical debut on stage, bringing books into the lives of children in need through story and song.

During National Aerospace Week, First Book is sharing stories about science and engineering from some of our friends at Lockheed Martin, sponsors of First Book’s Springboard to STEM program. Today’s guest blogger is Ray Burick, Vice President of P-3 Programs and Greenville Operations, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company. 

 

Airplanes. Space shuttles. Drones. Satellites. Space stations. Fighters. Cargo planes. Commercial jets. Stealth technology.

The aerospace industry is not only fascinating, but is also the very definition of cutting edge technology. Aerospace is challenging, innovative, progressive and dynamic.  And, it impacts so many other industries.  Just imagine how different our lives and world would be without contributions from the aerospace industry.
From a larger picture, the aerospace industry brings the world closer together ? literally ? with the products that it produces.  It also ensures that the freedoms we value as a country are there for future generations.

From a career perspective, the aerospace industry offers growth and challenges to the people it employs. My first job involved installing engines into new aircraft designs.  Today, I have the privilege of overseeing operations for one of the world’s most unique and vital aircraft ? the P-3 Orion.

Each job I’ve had as an aerospace engineer has come with a certain set of responsibilities.  Not only has each role expanded my knowledge of an aircraft, it also enabled me to manage teams, budgets, logistics and operations in varying degrees.  Everything I learned from working with a small team of engineers, I use every day in working with the entire P-3 team that includes more than 1,300 individuals.

Being a part of the aerospace industry offers you the chance to gain experience from day one on the job. You have access to a variety of jobs, from conceptual design to supporting aircraft on missions once they are delivered to the customer.  I remind myself daily that not a lot of other industries have such a range of career opportunities like the ones found in the aerospace community.
I love my career.  I wouldn’t change it for the world.  My hope for the future of my industry is that today’s students are as amazed by the possibilities of working in aerospace as I am.  If you want to literally help shape and design the future, check out what the aerospace industry can offer you.  I can promise you that you’ll never run out of opportunities to literally shoot for the moon ? and beyond.

Today’s guest blogger is Laura Geringer, beloved children’s book author and one of First Book’s favorite people.

Last night First Book’s Chandler Arnold and I attended the final exciting performance of Cover to Cover, a lively collection of seven brief musicals all based on children’s books available on the First Book Marketplace, including my own book, A Three Hat Day.

My hope is that the many children who receive and read this special twenty-fifth anniversary edition of my book through First Book will learn to love reading as much as I do and that books will become a very important part of their lives.

The show was created and produced by the Kaufman Center’s Summer Theater Workshop, directed by Sean Hartley, and performed in Merkin Hall, here in New York City. For twenty years, the Kaufman Center has been commissioning new playwrights and songwriters to create short child-friendly plays and songs. Like First Book, this non-profit organization is dedicated to enriching the lives of children from all walks of life through the magic of storytelling.

To quote one of the beautiful songs in last night’s new stage adaptation of A Three Hat Day, a reading a book can be like “Opening a door / where there never was a door before.”

We hope this first collaboration of First Book and the Kaufman Center will pave the way for future programs that offer music, art and story to more and more children throughout the nation, and that bring families together with authors, artists, educators and community members in a celebration of the joy of reading.

Passionate about literacy? Want to share your thoughts on literacy issues? Have literacy tips that you want to share? Then we want you!

The First Book Blog is always interested in featuring fresh and exciting new voices on our blog. In particular, we are looking for dynamic writers who are interested in blogging about literacy issues in a weekly column for the First Book Blog.

If you are an educator or “thought leader” who thinks that you have what it takes,  please email [email protected] with a brief bio and a link to your blog. Feel free to pass this along to anyone you think would be interested in lending their voice to our blog.

Happy blogging!

Today’s guest blog post comes from Ron Rauss,  an author, illustrator, and published photographer.  Ron lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and son. He was announced as the 2010 Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories New Author Contest Grand Prize winner in March 2011 and will have his first picture book “Can I Just Take A Nap?” published by Simon and Schuster in 2012.

Last October I received an extra treat with my Halloween goodies.  Not just another chocolate bar or bag of candy corn, this treat came in the form of a phone call from General Mills letting me know that I had won the grand prize in the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories New Author Contest.  I remember thinking that someone must be playing a Halloween trick on me, I loved my story but could it really be the big winner? It was no trick; Can I just Take a Nap? (a story inspired by my son Aiden) was chosen from over 8,000 contest entries and the manuscript would be reviewed by Simon & Schuster.  Wow, does it get any better than that?

Believe me when I tell you that it does.  In mid December I received another special call; this time it was from an editor with S & S and an early Christmas present, a publishing deal for my story. What a wonderful way to end 2010 and bring in a new year.

 Six months later the excitement of the big win has not worn off and I still have to pinch myself now and then to make sure it’s not all a dream.  The only negative is that I have to wait until next spring for the best part.  That’s when my book will debut in paperback free inside millions of boxes of Cheerios^®, giving kids all over the country the opportunity to enjoy the book before the hardcover edition ever hits the bookstores.  It’s the part of the contest that is really special and reminds me why I started writing for children in the first place.  I write to make children happy, I write for the smiles, and because of First Book and General Mills Can I Just Take a Nap? will be responsible for millions of smiles in 2012 (I have my fingers crossed!).  That’s what I call an overwhelming success.

There are many ways for authors to judge whether their books are successful or not.  Sales figures, critic reviews and literary awards are just a few.  These things are all nice and they can give writers the validation needed to create day to day in a world filled with constant rejection. But in the grand scheme of things these numbers, opinions and medals are secondary to the enjoyment and wonder of a child.  All the other things are just icing on the cake.  With the Spoonfuls of Stories contest you can have the best of both worlds, helping get books to kids who need them while fulfilling your dreams of becoming a published, award winning author. Not to mention the pride of being associated with a wonderful organization like First Book whose main goal is to get new books to schools and programs that serve low-income children.  

The contest is open for submissions now at spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com, but only until July 15^th.  So put on your creative thinking caps and get to work, your story could be the reason for millions of smiles in 2013 and the biggest will belong to you.

Today’s guest blog post is from Sheila Frye (teachingliteracy):

Short Bio: Sheila has been in education for over thirteen years serving as a Special Educator, Gifted and Talented Teacher, Reading Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Adjunct Professor of graduate education. A lifelong lover of reading, Sheila is currently a doctorate candidate studying the relationship between literacy learning and technology.

Books.

Some may think they are merely printed words inked onto pieces of white paper.

But to a child, they can be so much more.

Research shows that children who grow up in print-rich environments and have access to high-quality books fair better academically in school. They are more self-confident learners and believe in the power of exploration and imagination.

Unfortunately, many families in low-income areas often lack money to buy books, and all families, including those in high-income ones, typically do not frequent their local libraries. The result? Stunted literacy development and a missed opportunity to be a lifelong reader.

Organizations like First Book are “putting books in the hands of children who need them the most.” First Book works tirelessly to make books available in homes, classrooms, and programs in North America and end illiteracy once and for all.

Interested in learning more about this valuable organization? Just click here.

Teacher Appreciation Week provides us with the opportunity to celebrate great teachers who change lives and inspire young people to reach for their dreams. First Book is especially grateful to teachers who work tirelessly to fight illiteracy and  introduce children to the joy of  of reading.

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, we asked our guest blogger, Sabrina Stevens Shupe, to share her advice on how to inspire students to discover the joy of reading. Shupe is a teacher, writer, and education activist in Colorado. She has worked with students in struggling communities in Philadelphia and Denver, and currently works with grassroots education movements around the country.

I’m sure it’s not surprising to hear a teacher say this, but I absolutely love books. Some of my earliest and fondest memories of childhood involve reading: being read to by my parents and teachers, cuddling with a book while the weather was too bad to play outside (or even when it wasn’t!), sharing a book with my sister or a friend. I still enjoy those things today, and feel a little rush of endorphins whenever I step into a library or smell fresh pages as I enter a bookstore. 

When I first started teaching reading two and a half years ago, I began with some questions: Why do we read? Why is reading important?

I was so depressed when I heard my students’ first responses. “Because that’s what we’re supposed to do in school.” “To get a good grade.” “Because we’re told to.” “To pass a test.” Clearly, reading had become a “have to” instead of a “want to”—which isn’t surprising given how hard it is for working families to find time to read together these days (when the parents can themselves read, which isn’t always the case), and the resurgence of boring, often humiliating, drill-(and-time-and-graph!)and-kill methods of reading instruction.

It was clear I had my work cut out for me—we needed some positive, fulfilling experiences with books!

After lots of read alouds (one of my favorite things to do!), Readers Theater, buddy reading, and book clubs, here are some of the better answers we discovered.

We read because…

• Reading, and being read to, open us up to experiences we may never be able to have in real life. In real life, money or time or physical constraints might keep us from traveling to the Moon, or around the world, or backwards and forwards in time. But we can go to all of these places in books, stretching our minds in the process.
• Reading makes us think and see things in new ways. By looking at different books, examining characters, or reading multiple perspectives on the same topics or events, we learn about new things, and learn how to consider multiple perspectives and possibilities. That helps us not only become better readers and students, but better theoreticians, better problem-solvers, better friends, better family members, and better community members.
• Reading helps us escape when times are tough, and celebrate when times are good. Reading is a great way to take your mind off of your own problems in life, or commemorate special events by reading about how others greet those same events.
• Reading teaches us how to write. By reading the writing of accomplished writers, we learn about how to effectively tell a story or impart information. Mentor texts are powerful tools for learning how to do everything fro
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In celebration of Earth Day, First Book asked our friends at Tata Consultancy Services to send us a post in support of our blog series on STEM education.  Tata is committed to enhancing environmental performance through the reduction of their carbon and ecological footprints and involvement of business associates and partners.

Thank you to TCS for supporting First Book’s STEM initiative!

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has a structured corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that has three distinct themes – health, education and environment. We believe in giving back to all the communities we operate with and in utilizing IT as an instrument for social development and progress.

We are deeply committed to the causes of education and the environment, including set up and maintenance of infrastructure for urban beautification, pollution reduction and healthcare, waste management in the office environment, tree plantation, and water treatment. 

At a global level and in North America, we are committed to preserving the environment by investing in a host of initiatives and goals aimed towards environmental sustainability throughout our business lifecycle. These programs vary from reduction of waste, water, electricity, paper and carbon footprint, to increase usage of non renewable energy sources like solar, waste conversion, biogas, biodiversity management on campuses and rainwater harvesting.  Most importantly Green IT initiative goals like reduction of carbon footprint.

A unique feature of our CSR is that employees champion these initiatives and act as catalysts both inside the organization and in the local communities we operate in. From contributions and donations to conservation and causes, volunteering in clean-up drives and eco-awareness initiatives, participating in national events, working on EPA and WWF initiatives, using technology to aid Green IT; employees use the various vehicles to participate and contribute to environmental citizenship.

Our theme of Environmental Citizenship is built on the foundation that individuals can influence and make a transformational impact on ecological issues. By encouraging and incentivizing behavior that is favorable to the environment, the organization is developing a psyche that is tuned towards responsible citizenship.

To learn more about First Book’s STEM Initiative, visit stem.firstbook.org.

This week First Book is sharing stories about science and engineering from some of our friends at Lockheed Martin. Today’s guest blogger is Brian Hershberger, an aeronautic engineer with Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs (Skunk Works) in Palmdale, Calif.

When I visit a school to discuss engineering I always ask the students, “What do engineers do?” The answer: Predict the future!

As an engineer at the Skunk Works in Lockheed Martin’s Aeronautics sector I have been fortunate to participate in multiple advanced development projects. We start with customer problems and apply physical principles – with a healthy dose of ingenuity – to create vehicle designs and predictions that solve those problems. The collaborative efforts of many skilled engineers go into every project we tackle and we depend on the efforts of teachers and parents to keep our country on the leading edge of innovation in technology and science.

My personal engineering journey started with aviation. I grew up around aircraft and have always been fascinated with flight. My brother and I used to “fly the couch” by rearranging the cushions into a tandem cockpit guided by Dad’s expired navigation charts. These experiences led to a broader fascination with how the world works; certainly in the duality of rigid rules (physics) and more flexible rules (communication and leadership) that frame all engineering challenges.

Teachers that inspired my engineering cognizance did so by connecting observations in the physical world to the underlying principles in engaging and thought-provoking demonstrations. In classroom visits supported by Lockheed Martin we strive to demonstrate simple, interactive examples that highlight engineering perspectives. Teamwork, communication, critical thinking and prediction of future events based on critical thinking are some of the topics we address.

A favorite demonstration involves raw eggs and a mouse trap. The question: “How does the egg break; when it first hits the trap or when the wire strikes the shell?” With the event caught on a high speed camera, and sometimes a bit of egg on my face, the result is always the former. Getting students excited about exploring their world and asking why, why, why, wherever their talents lie, is a responsibility we all share.

If you’re a student, what do you think of Brian’s job? What do you like (or dislike) about studying science and math in school?

This week First Book is sharing stories about science and engineering from some of our friends at Lockheed Martin. Today’s guest blogger is Sarah Brown, a systems engineer with Lockheed Martin in Syracuse, New York.

I was exposed to engineering from an early age because both my parents are software engineers. But I never really understood what an engineer did beyond sit at a computer.

My freshman year of high school, I joined the FIRST Robotics team at my high school because I thought robots sounded really cool. Little did I know I was about to go through an intense start-to-finish engineering design project. After six weeks of staying late after school sanding drive rods and coming in on weekends to debug our roller mechanism, we had a complete robot that could actually drive around and pick up soccer balls. At that moment, seeing our idea finally come to fruition, I knew I wanted to be an engineer when I grew up.

Now, nine years later, I’m a third-year ELDP working as a systems engineer on a ground-based radar program. While our design cycles are a little longer than the six weeks we had on the robotics team, I still love being an engineer. Every day brings with it a challenging new problem, whether it be designing a new algorithm, debugging a problem in the lab, or dealing with a requirements change from the customer.

I’m always amazed at the new and exciting applications we find for our technology. For example, here at MS2 in Syracuse we’ve applied the signal processing techniques we use to detect targets with radar and sonar to the Mine Communication System (MCS), which helps trapped miners communicate with the surface in case of emergency.

If you’re a student, what do you think of Sarah’s job? What do you like (or dislike) about studying science and math in school?

Today’s blog post is by Chandler Arnold, First Book’s executive vice-president and director of the First Book Marketplace:

Not long ago, First Book introduced a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) section on the First Book Marketplace, our award-winning online bookstore for programs serving kids in need. This special STEM section is made possible through our partnership with Lockheed Martin, a world-renowned aerospace, security and technology company, and their K-12 education initiative, Engineers in the Classroom.

To celebrate this partnership, we’re going to feature some special guest posts on our blog next week from Lockheed Martin scientists and engineers. They’ll share a little bit about the cool things they do every day as part of their jobs – like planning missions to Mars or delivering radar systems to clients in faraway countries.

In today’s global, high-tech economy, students in the United States face competition from all corners of the world, and they need to master subjects like math, technology and engineering in order to become the rocket scientists, aerospace engineers and computer programmers of tomorrow. Books about these subjects can be hard to come by for schools and programs serving kids from low-income neighborhoods, but, thanks to Lockheed Martin’s generosity, First Book is able to provide them – now and for years to come.

Like our friends at Lockheed Martin, we want the kids we serve to have the opportunity to become astronauts, study volcanoes and build the next generation of computers. Making these books available to them is the first step.

Erica S. Perl is an award-winning children’s book author.  Her new picture book, Dotty, illustrated by Julia Denos, was published by Abrams in August, 2010.

Bookmark, The First Book Blog, is the last stop of the blog tour for my new book, Dotty.  Dotty is the story of a girl named Ida, her extremely persistent imaginary friend, Dotty, and her perceptive and kind teacher, Ms. Raymond.  When Ida starts school with Dotty in tow, she is pleased to discover that her classmates also have imaginary friends.  But as the year continues, all the other imaginary friends disappear, while Dotty remains… and playground conflict ensues.  Ms. Raymond steps in — not to rescue Ida, but to show her that she is not alone and that imagination is very much welcomed and encouraged in her classroom.

This blog tour has been a blast and as a special treat for the First Book blog, I’ve invited Julia Denos, Dotty’s wonderful illustrator, to join me today!  I’ve asked her three questions that I often get asked, and that – coincidentally – make great jumping off points if you read Dotty with kids and want to discuss it and do extension activities:

• Hi Julia!  Thanks for joining us.  First question: what is your “Dotty” (that is, what is the secret side of you that not everyone gets to see… and that won’t go away)?

My inner child is my “Dotty”! She’s always hanging around. I don’t think I will ever really totally grow up, I will always sort of have one foot in the imaginary realm and the other in reality, a little like Ida I guess… this makes me forgetful about practical things/open/dreamy half of the time, but worried I’ve forgotten my keys/grown-up acting/super-organized (to try to make up for it) the other half of the time. Most of the time people see grown-up me, but the inner child is the real deal, behind me on a very long blue leash.

• Can you tell us about a really good friend… real or imaginary?

My best friend is named Matt. He’s a talented artist. He creates character designs and outfit concepts for video games now, but we used to draw in high school art class together. He used to skate board and I used to try to balance on his board, not very well. He is very good at being practical and patient when I am dreaming off on a little cloud and forgetful (Matt’s a secret dreamer too). He’s the best listener I know. His favorite snack are peanuts-in-the-shell. We make each other laugh. We just got married this year!

• Okay, last question:  What would you like to see Ida and Dotty do next, if they had another adventure?

Ida learns to ride on Dotty’s back and Dotty learns to fly. Recess is spent at Dotty’s house (they fly there) having tea, instead of on the black top. Katya is invited if she’s nice.

Hmm, a flying adventure.  I like that.  Guess I better do some more writing!

Thanks for joining the blog tour, Julia! It has been such fun visiting blogs and meeting new friends along the way.  But never fear, I have some live-in-person events coming up, including the Princeton Children’s Book Festival tomorrow (9/11/10) from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. in Princeton, NJ and many more, so please check the events page at my website – eri

Bess the Book Bus is nearing the end of her second nationwide outreach that will cover 36 states and deliver 27,000 books into the hands of children who otherwise may not have been able to experience the joy of owning their very own book.

Our trip began at the end of April and will end in the middle of September. This leg of the trip has taken us to areas such as Pittsburgh and Camden, NJ, two of the most underserved areas on this trip so far. We partnered with Transitions Lenses and VSP to bring both healthy sight and free books to the Boys and Girls Clubs there. Thanks to the support of Candlewick Press, Townsend Press, and our great friends at First Book, Bess is overflowing with brand new books, all of which were free.

Throughout this trip, it has been thrilling to see the dedication of the parents, guardians, and teachers as we cross the USA.  One parent walked her children two miles after seeing us on the morning news. She couldn’t believe that someone-anyone was in her neighborhood offering free eye exams, glasses with Transitions lenses, and free books. Both of her children ended up needing and receiving glasses. They also left with armloads of brand new books and ear-to-ear smiles. In fact several parents and grandparents rushed their kids to our event after hearing that we were in the neighborhood, and almost all of them needed and received glasses. Thanks to our partners at Transitions Lenses and VSP and to the doctors volunteering their time, our kids will also now have the healthy sight they deserve as each child is getting eye exams and free glasses when needed.  The look on the parents’ faces was one of tangible relief.  Even better, the kids came out of the mobile vision clinic full of pride, flaunting their new glasses.

Today we are in Maine, headed to Houlton where we will partner with Aid for Kids to put on a literacy fair. Thanks to First Book and the DOE, Bess will have 4,000 brand new books on board to give away in Maine alone. The kids are going to be so excited when they find out they will each receive up to five new books!

As I pack my bags and get ready to hit the road this morning I am filled with gratitude. We are happy to report that reading is alive and well in this country as is the excitement kids have for picking the just right brand new book they have been waiting for or finding that cherished favorite. I can hardly believe that this is my life; that so many great people surround me and that I have the opportunity to live my dream of spreading the joy of reading. I am also hopeful. I hope that one day all of our kids will have equal access to these very basic tools, things that they should already have and will need to succeed in school and in life.

Guest blogger Tamara Dunham is a member of the Iowa Gamma chapter of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women at Iowa State University.  While interning with the Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C., Tamara has continued her support of First Book by volunteering at First Book events and introducing her coworkers to the mission of First Book.  Together First Book and Pi Beta Phi have distributed over 1 million books across the United States and Canada.  This would not have been possible without the enthusiastic support and volunteering spirit exhibited by Pi Phis like Tamara.

As a current member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity, each year I participate in several philanthropic events on and around campus, including charity-sponsoring events.  One organization that Pi Phi supports is First Book. The Fraternity’s commitment to literacy dates back almost 100 years, and because of this commitment we continually raise funds for First Book to provide books to children in need.

While interning in Washington DC, I volunteered for First Book’s “Shameless Promotion” event held during the American Library Association (ALA) Conference.  First Book invited authors to help make a video to promote the “First Book Story.”  There were lots of willing authors and illustrators who shared something about themselves as well as put their touch on the reading of the “First Book Story.”  The ALA Conference was a very rewarding opportunity to take part in because the authors and illustrators are so passionate about getting kids to read and reaching out to those who do not have access to books.  I really look forward to seeing the final product and hope to share the enthusiasm of First Book on my campus.

In addition to participating in the ALA conference, I also had the chance to visit the First Book National Office to meet with the co-founder and the staff of First Book. After this visit, I discussed my experiences volunteering with First Book with my co-workers, and they too were very interested in being able to take part in such a worthy cause.  Being involved with such a wonderful organization was very gratifying and I know that my continued support will help First Book reach out to children in need.   First Book does wonderful things for children and I couldn’t ask for a better organization to be involved with.

Guest Blogger Rachael Walker is the Outreach Consultant for Reading Rockets, a national multimedia initiative which aims to inform and inspire parents, teachers, childcare providers, and others who touch the life of a child by providing comprehensive, accessible information on how to teach kids to read and help those who struggle. Rachael began her career in children’s literacy at Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), has also served as a consultant to the NEA’s Read Across America campaign, and was most recently the Executive Director of Reach Out and Read of Metro DC.

‘Central casting’ at AdLit.org and Reading Rockets is looking for young, creative writers and filmmakers to star in the Exquisite Prompt Write It, Film It Video Contest.   Like the Exquisite Prompt Writing Challenge, prompts for the Exquisite Prompt Write It, Film It Video Contest are inspired by the authors and illustrators participating in the Exquisite Corpse Adventure, the rollicking online serial story sponsored by the Library of Congress and the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance.

To enter the contest, writers and film makers in grades 2-12 choose a prompt, create a narrative, then make a video of their story. In addition to a short video (no longer than 3 minutes) kids also submit original writing related to their video project, such as interview questions, storyboards, dialogues or scripts, in order to win fabulous prizes.

Entry deadline is August 13th. Visit www.readingrockets.org for resources and information on how to enter.

Bess the Book Bus is officially at the halfway point of her nationwide outreach. We find ourselves in beautiful Portland, Oregon preparing for tomorrow’s outreach in Albany. It has been an eventful couple of weeks that have brought us through the Navajo Nation where we were able to give books to the kids at Montezuma Creek and Bluff Elementary Schools.  Our travels also brought us through Utah and Nevada and into the Sacramento Valley of California. We have given away 10,600 books so far and could not be more grateful for overwhelmingly positive response from the communities we are visiting.

In each area, as in previous communities, individuals have stepped up to make this outreach a success.  The garage we stopped at in Utah refused to charge us for our tire rotation, insisting we spend the money on books instead. Several hotels have given us deep discounts to help offset expenses. Many of the people hosting our events have also provided us with meals and a place to sleep. All of this kindness equates to the most important thing- more books in the hands of our kids.

For every dollar we save we can provide up to three new books from the First National Book Book Bank.  In Reno,  Zoe Miller and our friends at Grassroots Books gave away two books for every one book we gave away from the book bus. They also loaded us with hundreds of brand new books for middle readers when they heard we were running low and may not have enough books by the time we arrived in Detroit.  The event at Grassroots Books was an energized book bonanza with face painting, games, a bounce house, and Bess the Book Bus. The kids had a blast. They each got five books to take home.  I think the parents had just as much fun.  Several parents came back by to tell us how much their kids loved the books and Bess. In these challenging times it is important to remember that families can have fun enriching experiences for little to no cost. As business owners and community members, it is important for each of us to consider what we can do to be a part of the solution.

Memorial Day weekend brought us to the beautiful Sutter Buttes where a friend we met on Facebook hosted us at her families almond farm. Janet is a counselor for special needs kids at Hiram Johnson High in Sacramento. She found us through our author friend Sabine Goldman who arranged and hosted our trip in Mesa, Arizona.  We all spent the weekend sharing stories about the kids we work with and planning ways we could collaborate in the future to get more books into their homes, including a literacy outreach aspect for their Teen Parenting Program. It was a fantastic few days that made us all more committed than ever to our programs and gave us some great ideas for combining our efforts.  Janet took several hundred books back for her kids. Our friend Seena Hawley also met us out there. She is a bus driver in the Berkeley area who gives her kids books to take home through Bess’ Page Pals program. We have been mailing books to her for the last year, but finally had the chance to meet her. She is another true inspiration. She also took several hundred books to bring to the kids in her summer programs. I hope we can meet the kids next year.

Reading is alive and well and individuals all over the country are pitching in to share their love of books.  From kids who want to share the story of their favorite books and authors to the adults and businesses that are making this summer’s outreach so successful, we are seeing proof everywhere.

Guest Blogger Rachael Walker is the Outreach Consultant for Reading Rockets, a national multimedia initiative which aims to inform and inspire parents, teachers, childcare providers, and others who touch the life of a child by providing comprehensive, accessible information on how to teach kids to read and help those who struggle. Rachael began her career in children’s literacy at Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), has also served as a consultant to the NEA’s Read Across America campaign, and was most recently the Executive Director of Reach Out and Read of Metro DC.

Asian Pacific Heritage Month

At Reading Rockets and its sister site Colorin Colorado, celebrate the family traditions and the rich diversity of Asian and Pacific Americans through books and authors.  Find great books written about a wide range of Asian and Pacific American cultural experiences. Meet authors Janet Wong, who grew up in Los Angeles where she observed the rich community life that comes from many cultures blending together, and Laurence Yep, who writes books that draw from his Chinese American background yet speaks to common feelings and experiences. Reading Rockets’ one-page Parent Tips offer ways for parents to help kids become successful readers and are available in 11 languages, including Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Hmong.

The Exquisite Prompt Writing Challenge Continues!

The Three Bears retold, inventions, obituaries, tall tale lunacy, dead words, cliff-hangers, and more! Lemony Snicket (A Series of Unfortunate Events) and Steven Kellogg (Pecos Bill) provide the inspiration for this month’s writing prompts. Give your K-12 students the chance to flex their writing muscles — and win fabulous prizes in the Exquisite Prompt Writing Challenge!

Summer Reading

Watch and learn about some of the best ways to keep kids engaged with learning during the summer break — and avoid the “summer slump” —  in Adventures in Summer Learning, the newest episode of Launching Young Readers, WETA’s award-winning series. Then dig into a virtual beach bag of resources to help families get ready for fun, enriching summertime experiences.  Make sure kids have a summer companion by browsing the 2010 Big Summer Booklist from Reading Rockets.

We have come quite a long way since our New Orleans outreach and the mileage is only a small part of it.  This leg of the trip has been a true testament to hospitality and the willingness of complete strangers to step up and pitch in. This trip is surely becoming the story of the power that reading and books have to unify people, people who otherwise may have never met.

After leaving the Big Easy we made our way toward Houston Texas. We stayed the night with a family we had met in Tampa through the Head Start program there. The Bolden family has been part of Bess’ Page Pals program since they moved to Houston last year.  We have known them for four years. Seeing them was a joy. 

It was a pleasure to sit around the dinner table as part of the family discussing the books that I had read to the four of them through the years and the ones they still had, and treasured. It was even more exciting to have these kids giving my sister and me advice and recommendations on great authors and thrilling reads. Dinner was wonderful. After dinner, we all went out to Bess the Book Bus so they could pick a variety of books to get them through summer. They were so excited. A couple of the books they chose finished collections they have been working on.

Our next stop was Mesa, AZ.  Our author friend Sabine Goldman had set up three schools for us to visit.  Peralta Trails Elementary had collected over 400 books for Bess to distribute at two less fortunate schools. Longfellow, Elem. and Four Peaks Elem. What a wonderful group of kids these were. They were so excited to show us the books they chose to donate. It was obvious that they worked very hard to help their neighbors. Again, a love of reading has a way to unite people, and kids are more powerful than most adults dare to imagine. I think our future is in good hands, especially if we allow kids to start helping now.

The kids at Longfellow and Four Peaks were wonderful. We were able to meet over 1,000 very enthusiastic young readers. They were beaming as they waiting in line to get on the bus and were all anxious to tell us how much they read and what their favorite books are. One boy inquired as to the price of the books. “How much are the books?” he asked. When we told him they were free his face lit up. “Whew, because I don’t have any money and my mom doesn’t get paid till next week” he exclaimed.  I wish we could have given him 100 books.

Next, we had an event at Changing Hands Books in Tempe, Az. What an incredible store. I think I could spend a week in there. Brandi and the staff had done a book drive that collected over 600 books for Bess. They also honored Bess as a special story time guest and invited three schools to come get free books.  Kids never cease to amaze me with their enthusiasm for a good story and a book to keep.

That night we were invited to participate in a poetry slam at Queens Pizza in downtown Mesa. It was my first, and the crowd was full of pros.  I made it through three rounds coming in 4^th of 4! What an honor as I was quite out of my league. As the The Klute, the MC for the slam had made announcement about Bess the Book Bus prior to the event and explained that as the reason a non-local was allowed to compete, Bill- the winner, decided to give the pot to us! He insisted that we use the money ($11 that had been collected in a Kool Aid Man pitcher)to put towards our food costs. Thanks Bill! This was the second impromptu fundraiser in a week for Bess. Reading really is the great unifier.

Friday was to be our final night in town. Much to our amazement Evermore Nevermore one of the coolest stores I have b

My name is Scott Heinlein and I’m a Staff Safety Engineer.  I have responsibility for ensuring environmental, safety and health (ESH) compliance for numerous facilities at Lockheed Martin.  Lockheed Martin is committed to sustaining people, environments, and products to ensure the long-term viability of the Corporation.  We have made significant progress reducing waste, conserving water and minimizing our carbon footprint over the last few years.

I have an environmental background and have held several positions within Lockheed Martin in the environment, safety and health field, as well as, facility management.  Prior to joining Lockheed Martin seven years ago, I started my career as a compliance inspector with OSHA.  I gained valuable experience enforcing safety and health regulations, which I am able to use in my current role.

As a Safety Engineer, I get involved with various aspects of ESH and try to spread ESH awareness to other employees in the organization.  Every year, we celebrate Earth Day by giving back to the community in some fashion.  This year we are performing activities to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day.   One event planned is to perform a stream cleanup at one of our facilities.  Volunteers will donate their time to help remove trash and debris from the property.

In addition, I work with our facilities to identify eco-friendly alternatives including recyclable materials and other sustainable products.  I’m always open to employee feedback and value their contributions and suggestions to improving our facilities.  I partner with various groups in our organization and have had the opportunity to work with experienced professionals who also have the same passion for being environmentally conscious.

Each day presents a new challenge which makes my job exciting.  I’ve been able to advance my career while continuing to learn new things.  Lockheed Martin values its employees and has a vested interest in watching us grows as leaders.  We also have fun along the way.

Guest Blogger Rachael Walker is the Outreach Consultant for Reading Rockets, a national multimedia initiative which aims to inform and inspire parents, teachers, childcare providers, and others who touch the life of a child by providing comprehensive, accessible information on how to teach kids to read and help those who struggle. Rachael began her career in children’s literacy at Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), has also served as a consultant to the NEA’s Read Across America campaign, and was most recently the Executive Director of Reach Out and Read of Metro DC.

Practical jokes, bad moods, idioms, cinquains (it’s National Poetry Month!), an insect guidebook, adventure stories, and historical fiction via Twitter….author Megan McDonald (Judy Moody) and author and illustrator Timothy Basil Ering (The Tale of Despereaux) provide the inspiration for this month’s writing prompts in the Exquisite Prompt Writing Challenge, a year-long activity from Reading Rockets and AdLit.org that gives students in K–12 a chance to flex their writing muscles — and win fabulous prizes!  The Exquisite Prompts are offered in connection with each of the authors and illustrators participating in The Exquisite Corpse Adventure.

The prompt schedule through June 2010 is also available as are the writings of winners from October through February.  Meet the Whinoceros and the Chimpancheeze, check out the fabulous items created for the Fairy Tale Catalog, and imagine the music to the inspired lyrics in Homeward Bound.

Plus, there’s a new wrinkle to the Exquisite Corpse Adventure: the Mystery Author Contest. Follow the clues and learn the identity of the newest member of Team Corpse. More fabulous prizes are at stake!

Guest blogger Linda Sue Park is the author of A Single Shard (Newbery Medal winner), Kite Fighters and her latest book, Keeping Score . In addition, Linda Sue has published several other novels, as well as picture books, poems and short stories. Linda Sue recently visited a First Book school and kindly agreed to share her impressions.

I recently visited a Title I school in Washington state to share some of my books with students there. I met with 83 fifth-grade students in the library.  It was clear to me from the moment I arrived that the students and the staff took pride in their school and were eager to welcome me.

The librarians and teachers had done some wonderful preparation before I arrived and the kids were already familiar with my picture book THE FIREKEEPER’S SON. I talked to them about my own family background; my love of reading; my early efforts at writing; and of course showed them photos of my dog. Then I booktalked a few of my titles, including KITE FIGHTERS, and finished up by talking about revision and rewriting, rejection, and the importance of reading. After that we had a few minutes of Q&A.

The kids were terrific. I didn’t see a single one of them wiggling or acting distracted–it felt like all their eyes were on me every minute. It is a K-8 school, and several eighth-graders were studying in the library at the time; I was tickled to see that by about halfway through, they had all abandoned their carrels and were standing at the back listening to my presentation!

At the very end I talked about First Book, and when I advised the assembled group that individual classrooms could register in addition to the school as a whole, I was encouraged to see the teachers and librarians in the room scribbling down the web address.  I then brought out boxes of books and told the kids I had made arrangements with First Book to provide each child with a copy of KITE FIGHTERS. I wish you could have heard the squeals in the room! Then I told them that I had already autographed the books for them and got a second chorus of squeals. We did a round of applause for First Book, then we handed out the books as the kids left the library.  The best part was that as the students went down the hall, most of them already had the book open, reading as they walked!

I hope everyone involved with a school or program serving children from low-income families will visit www.firstbook.org/register to connect  with your great organization!

Guest blogger Yury Polnar is the Marketing Acquisitions Manager at Demand Media, an online community of freelance writers and copy editors that creates informative articles for popular websites like LIVESTRONG.com, eHow.com and many others.

Last December, more than 4,000 Demand Media freelance writers and copy editors put their fingers to keyboards around the country and kept busy writing for a cause. For every eight articles created that month, Demand Media agreed to donate one book to a child in need. And in the span of just one month, this talented and passionate group of writers and editors created enough articles to put 16,072 brand new books in the hands of thousands of children across the country!

Today, I’m happy to announce a two-week return of the “Write for a Cause” program. In partnership with First Book, we hope to help rewrite the future for thousands of underprivileged kids and empower the next generation of writers, editors, business owners and space explorers to reach the stars through adequate access to literature and other educational resources.

For more information about First Book’s partnership with Demand Media and how you can help, please click here. And to monitor the progress of this campaign, please visit the Write for a Cause Facebook page.

Guest blogger Stacy Conway is the marketing and communications manager for the Pi Beta Phi Foundation.

Even before my daughter was born, I read to her. I remember propping up myself in bed, resting a book on my big belly and reading out loud to the little girl inside. And I haven’t stopped reading to her. Now eleven months old, she loves books. Oftentimes she’ll crawl over to me, hold up a book and look at me imploringly with her big blue eyes. Then I scoop her up, put her on my lap and read out loud to the little girl by my side.

Books have always been a part of my daughter’s life. I assumed it was the same for every child. Then I met Elaine Powers. Elaine was guest speaker at Pi Beta Phi’s Leadership Academy, a three day conference for members. Pi Phi has made a commitment to combat illiteracy, and has partnered with First Book to make this happen. Elaine is Executive Director of Lemay Child and Family Center, a First Book recipient group. Through grants from First Book, Lemay Child and Family Center is instilling a love of reading in young children.

Elaine shared a story about a little girl at the Center. She and her sister, like many of the children at the Center receive financial scholarships so they may attend. Their mother mainly raised the girls, but sometimes their father would show up at the end of the day to take them home. Whenever Dad did pick them up, he’d tell the girls to immediately collect their things so they could leave. He didn’t stop to talk with the teachers, or inquire about his daughters’ progress. He didn’t make small talk with the other parents, or ask the girls’ about their day. There was no interaction between him and his children.

Until one day, when he went to pick up his daughters, and found them in the midst of a pajama party. The Center had planned the event, encouraging the children to dress in their pajamas while they listened to “bedtime stories.” When the father walked in, his little girl ran to him, held up a book and asked if he would read to her.

And he did. He put down his things, sat on the floor and pulled his daughter close to him. And then he began to read.

As Elaine described that moment, watching a father connect with his child over the pages of a book, I thought about how one simple act could have such an incredible impact. Hearing Elaine’s words showed me the great work accomplished by First Book. And through our sponsorship, Pi Beta Phi Foundation and Fraternity are helping to make moments like the one Elaine described possible.

In honor of Leadership Academy, 25,000 books are being donated nationwide to children in need, including 300 to Lemay Child and Family Center, so even more lives can be changed over the pages of a book.

About Pi Beta Phi Foundation
In 1990, Pi Beta Phi formalized its philanthropic vision by creating Pi Beta Phi Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. From its inception, the Foundation’s aim has been clear: to empower Pi Beta Phi Fraternity with the funding needed to pursue its mission and purpose.  Targeting education, leadership and philanthropy, the Foundation enriches lives and supports both Pi Phis and the community at large.

The Foundation funds a broad range of philanthropic efforts benefiting both the Fraternity and the community, including scholarships, emergency relief grants, leadership development programs and literacy initiatives. As it celebrates 20 years since its founding, the Foundation continues to provide opportunities for members to grow in the spirit of sisterhood and friendship.

Guest Blogger Rachael Walker is the Outreach Consultant for Reading Rockets, a national multimedia initiative which aims to inform and inspire parents, teachers, childcare providers, and others who touch the life of a child by providing comprehensive, accessible information on how to teach kids to read and help those who struggle. Rachael began her career in children’s literacy at Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), has also served as a consultant to the NEA’s Read Across America campaign, and was most recently the Executive Director of Reach Out and Read of Metro DC.

Know what today is?  Dr. Seuss’s birthday! March 2 is the day that Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in 1904 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

It’s also Read Across America Day, the National Education Association’s annual celebration for toddlers, teens and everyone in between to celebrate their literacy and language skills and the joys of reading.

Besides all the Seuss silliness, the thing that I really love about the day is that it is a day of reading for everyone.  Though the National Education Association originated and sponsors the celebration, everyone is invited to be in the company of a child and a book.

Looking for some last minute ideas to celebrate the day?

• Send a Read Across America e-card from Reading Rockets to your favorite readers and get them excited about this special day of reading
• Have some reading and writing fun with Dr. Seuss and your local newspaper
• Make the day even more meaningful with Seuss and service to others
• Get cookin’ with these Green Eggs and Ham activities
• Find great books to read, share a story online, or visit Storyline Online to watch videos featuring Screen Actor’s Guild members reading children’s books aloud

So what are you waiting for?

Spread the word, share a book

Make this campaign succeed

Give a Seuss birthday present

Help a child to read!

*Title from the Read Across America poem by NEA’s Anita Merina

Hi, my name is Tom Mittan and I’m an engineer at Lockheed Martin in Owego, NY. I began my career working as a structural engineer on the Presidential Helicopter Program, and from there have moved onto the K-MAX Unmanned Helicopter program as a systems engineer and aircraft performance data analyst.

My first inspiration to learn more about engineering began when I entered high school and joined a Lockheed Martin-sponsored engineering Explorer Scout Post (a division of the Boy Scouts of America), here in Owego, in New York’s southern tier. The Explorer Scout Post focused on hands-on activities that engaged students in the design and construction of various projects such as radio transceivers, robots, and remote controlled airplanes. The projects were not only fun and engaging, but also offered valuable insight into the engineering process and a great opportunity to interact with real engineers and learn more about what they do.

In addition to the Lockheed Martin-sponsored Explorer activity, I was also exposed to science, technology and mathematics through secondary school programs such as Science Olympiad and MATHCOUNTS, as well as Technology Education classes (a branch of traditional Shop classes). These experiences, like those in Explorer scouting, greatly helped to augment the principles I learned in my science and math classes by offering lots of hands-on experience and a chance to work in a team environment on some very interesting projects.

Without fun and educational experiences like those offered in the programs above, it’s often difficult for students to picture anything beyond all the formulas and equations taught in their calculus or chemistry classes. With them, however, students are able to experience firsthand all the exciting possibilities these fields have to offer.