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Welcome to Friday's Writing @ Reading prompt challenge. We think of it as Our Closing Ceremonies!

We've had lots of fun this week exchanging literacy ideas, reliving special times with our little ones (who may not be so little anymore), and sharing creative ideas in words and images. Here are the final Writing @ Reading Prompts for our 2013 Share a Story - Shape a Future event.

• Have you read a book with your child that you want to save and share with them when they get to middle or high school? 
• Today is Poetry Friday ... here's your chance to write a poem for a Kindergartener!
• The other day we asked what characters you like to "play" when you read ... what / who are the characters your toddler- to Kindgergarten-aged child likes to imitate (e.g., dress up as). 

Can't decide on just one topic? Yeah! We hoped that would happen. Remember, you are welcome to write a post for any or all of them! Each post = 1 entry for our fabulous book prize packages.

Rules Reminder:

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All week long, I've had a song stuck in my head ... "This Magic Moment" by the Drifters. The song title may be the only refrain I can remember, but each time I *hear* it, I smile.

Why? Because it reminds me of all of the times I had the honor of being with a new reader the moment they discover they are really reading. Here are a few of those magical reactions over the years ...

• "I mean it, I can read ... it's not because I mesmerized (sic) the book!"
• "Do you have something you want help reading?"
• "I got this!"
• "Can I read another book?"

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Do you remember that moment?

For those of us who are passionate about raising readers, we nurtured that spark and now it is a flame we carry with us always.

Just as it excites us to watch our toddlers and preschoolers explore the world around them, being part of that moment when a child has discovered reading is pretty darned special, too.

Although we tend to equate Kindergarten with learning to read, not every child is ready to read quite yet. It becomes a balancing act of guiding and helping (but not pushing too hard) and minimizing the peer comparisons.

Lucky for us, our guests today have great ideas on ways to encourage your reader-to-be and nurture a love of literacy, too. We're hosting "Graduation Day" at Family Bookshelf, and these are the posts to get us started:

• Mia Wenjen explains the reading and writing connection in her post Invented Spelling and Creating Books with your Kindergartner at Pragmatic Mom;
• Susan Stephenson reminds us that reading is not just books at the Book Chook;
• Debbie Alvarez describes the Kindergarten Reader at The Styling Librarian;
• Colleen O'Hearn talks about Kindergarteners at the Library on the Destination Happy blog;
• Laurie Mattaliano is In Search of a Swan and His Trumpet (reading up) at Rocks in the Dryer;
• Dawn Little explores Text Features with Kindergartners at the Literacy Toolbox; and
• Michali Lerner shares her thoughts in It's a Small World on the Marketing Barefoot team blog;

I will be back later with a post about that magical moment of discovering "I Can Read." In the meantime, we would love to hear YOUR stories about literacy with Kindergartners ... or your journey to being a bookworm and writer.  

Add your links in the comments here or on the Family Bookshelf post and we'll incorporate them into the Event Summary.

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We hope that you've been enjoying all the posts so far this week for our 2013 Share a Story - Shape a Future literacy blog tour.

Before we know it, the school bells will ring, and we'll alternately worry about how our "babies" are doing and dreading the spelling lists! But lets not rush it! So today, we'll enjoy the footloose, creative creatures who are our preschoolers.

Today's Writing @ Reading Prompts reflect the joys of the dramatic life ...

• Is there anything your preschooler has taught you about reading?
• Help: what do you do when the rhyming book doesn't rhyme like it should? Tips please!
• Create a book ad! Susan Stephenson, the Book Chook sent us this one as an example of the limitless possibilities.

Can't decide on just one topic? Yeah! We hoped that would happen. Remember, you are welcome to write a post for any or all of them! Each post = 1 entry for our fabulous book prize packages.

Rules Reminder:

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Welcome to the May celebration dedicated to emerging and developing readers! This month we are hosting the I Can Read Feast for New Readers here at Share a Story - Shape a Future.

For the next three days we will be talking about easy reader and short chapter books. In the days to come, stop back by to find book reviews for easy reader, short and illustrated chapter books, as well as tips and ideas for nurturing the developing bookworms.

The blogosphere is starting to come alive with ideas and activities for summer reading ... that time of year when kids see "no school," and we think "but they need to keep their skills up." Even though easy readers and illustrated chapter books are designed to help new readers build their skills, there is no reason they can't be fun!

So to kick us off, I'm going to go back to a personal fave!

Andy Shane and the Queen of Egypt
by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
illustrated by Abby Carter
Candlewick Press, 2008
reading level: 3.5

Summary: Each student in Ms. Janice's class will do a project related to an African country for the Culture Fair. When Ms. Janice didn't hear Andy say "Egypt," Delores Starbuckle does her best to answer for him (and change his choice). In the process she announces to the class that she is the Queen of Egypt, and is left having to persuade Andy that they can work together. Andy needs time to think about it. This early reader chapter book offers a humorous story about friendship, passion, and school projects!


Anyone familiar with Andy Shane's relationship with Delores knows that these are fun, fun books. Although the reading level is for a third grader, my then first grader L-O-V-E-D this book. It is a just-right selection for families with mixed age audiences: whether mom and dad are doing all the reading or the third grader is reading alous with younger siblings!

Do you have a favorite summer read for new and developing readers? We'd love to add it to our list! Just add your link in the InLinkz collection or in our comments! We'll pull them all into the main post when the event closes.

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One of the mini-themes today is the idea that being a reader transcends "formats." Kids will never get inky fingers reading the newspaper any more, but we hope that they always have the joy of holding and exploring a book.

That said, we also recognize the value and unique opportunities that eBooks and Apps can give our kids. They might just get us over the hump and send reading rates soaring ... at least we can hope so.

Well, that is the idea that Josh Ory and his team (self-described limestone miners!) used as the foundation in creating Reading Racehorse and launching their first eBook app in December 2011.

Even though we are a 'for profit' company, our goal is to teach the world to read. So, in my opinion, it would be selfish of us to not do this. Our concern is for the kids.

What is "this" you ask? Well, it is big. I mean B.I.G. BIG.

For the next 48 hours, Reading Racehorse is giving away Frank the Friendly Pirate, an eBook App available in the iTunes store. [for iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch]  From the iTunes store description:

The defining function of the app is when a word in the story is touched, the pronunciation of that word is heard through the speaker on the device. There are other apps that continuously read stories in their entirety, but we have taken this a crucial step further.

Our app allows the child to read the words they already know. Then when they come to a word that gives them difficulty, he or she can touch that particular word to hear what it is. The reason this works is the natural tendency to take the easiest path. They will simply read the words they already know and only use the touch function on the ones they don't. Eventually the child will be able to read the entire story without touching any words.

No special code, no secret password, just a free download. We are very grateful to Reading Racehorse for this most generous donation and all that it means for connecting kids with books. While you're in the iTunes store, we would love it if you'd thank Josh, too!

Reading Racehorse will be releasing additional titles in 2012, so stay tuned.

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