What is “Be Book Smart”?
Why Support the Campaign
Reason #1: By supporting RIF at Macy’s, you are helping provide free books and literacy resources to children who need them most. All children need access to books and to be exposed to reading at an early age to prepare for success in school and life.
Reason #2: Macy’s will thank you with a $10 off coupon* valid on eligible purchases of $50 or more!
With more than 17,000 program locations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia , and U.S. territories, RIF is making a difference for millions of children. Visit our interactive map to see our impact by state and to view videos that tell the "Heart of the Story."
A recent analysis of reading research confirmed the impact of RIF's core mission—that simply improving access to books improves children’s reading performance, helps children learn the basics of reading, results in children reading more and for longer lengths of time, and improves children's attitudes toward reading and learning. Please review our summaries of the critical literacy issues and our quick reference guide of recent literacy statistics, both of which illustrate the challenges RIF faces in creating a literate America
Who Can Participate
Anyone and everyone! Last year, over 1 million Macy’s customers participated to raise more than $3 million to support RIF programs and initiatives. This was the largest customer-supported campaign in RIF ’s 44-year history! Anyone who visits a Macy’s store during this summer can ask to Be Book Smart and support RIF at any in-store Macy’s register.
By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 1/20/2011
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Contests, Bookish Events, Add a tag
Tell us your most memorable Judy Blume moment and you could win an iPod Touch and a personal message from Judy herself!
Can you remember the day you finished Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and felt like finally this was a book about girls just like you? Or reading Superfudge and identifying a little too easily with the plight of having an annoying little brother like Fudge?
Judy Blume’s books have touched generations of kids and teens as they’ve grown up to share these stories with their own children, and now Listening Library is asking parents and kids alike to share their favorite Judy Blume memories in the Judy Blume Journal!
To celebrate the release of five Blume classic audiobooks (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Freckle Juice & The One in the Middle Is the Green Kangaroo, Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, Deenie and Iggie’s House) for the first time on CD, we’re giving away a grand prize of an 8GB iPod Touch, a $200 audiobook collection and a personal message from Judy Blume to the writer of the best journal entry, as selected by Judy herself.
Visit www.judyblumecontest.com to submit your entry, read others’ memories and vote on your favorites for a chance to win. The five finalists will be selected based on the number of votes for their entries, so share with friends and encourage them to vote for your journal entry!
Contest is open to all legal residents of U.S. and Canada
By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 11/23/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Jumpstart, Bookish Events, Add a tag
Here is a letter that I got from Jumpstart that I would like to share with you.
Dear Marya,
Our very good friends at MetLife Foundation are celebrating Thanksgiving this year by donating $500,000 as part of their “Thanksgiving Charity Score” initiative! Jumpstart has been chosen to participate as one of four charities to receive up to $175,000!
The charity that gets the most votes from the general public over the course of the initiative will get 1st place and so on through 4th place. The $500,000 will be donated as follows: 1st place: $175,000, 2nd place $125,000, 3rd and 4th places $100,000.
Help us win $175,000 by voting for us once per day through Sunday, November 28, and donating your Facebook status to Jumpstart during this week of thanks. More votes for Jumpstart means more of the $500,000 donation will support our programs nationwide, helping children in low-income neighborhoods get the quality education they deserve. We can win up to $175K, but we can only do it with your vote!
Thank you!
How to vote and donate your status:
1.) Vote every day for Jumpstart here!
2.) Donate your status on Facebook to Jumpstart! Simply copy and paste the following as your status to help spread the word to your network. Change it every day if you’d like!
By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 10/13/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Scholastic, Children's Literacy, Bookish Events, Add a tag
Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life. is a global literacy campaign launched as part of Scholastic's 90th anniversary celebration that underscores the importance of reading to better prepare children who will need strong literacy skills to survive and succeed in the 21st century. Scholastic is asking EVERYONE, our partners, publishers, educators, business leaders, nonprofits, parents, caregivers and students -- to work together to bring reading and deeper understanding to all children around the globe. The Reading Bill of Rights, the foundation of the campaign, includes eight "beliefs" that affirm every child's right to read and what that means in the 21st century... from access to books and great stories to the ability to analyze, interpret and understand information in the digital age.
Here is what we believe about reading in the second decade of the 21st century.
We call this The Reading Bill of Rights:
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By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 10/7/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Dr. Seuss, Bookish Events, Add a tag
Be the Mayor of Seussville!
RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S BOOKS LAUNCHES A SEUSS-THEMED PROMOTIONAL GAME ON FACEBOOK® PLATFORM
TO CELEBRATE THE ALL-NEW SEUSSVILLE.COM
Earn the most votes to win by Election Day, November 2nd!
(October 7, 2010, New York , NY
Do you have what it takes to be the next Mayor of Seussville? Similar to other popular social games on Facebook Platform, the game will allow players to accumulate votes by completing a variety of Seuss-themed activities for Dr. Seuss’s most beloved characters in pursuit of becoming the Mayor of Seussville. Players will create their own Seussian cabinet to perform the tasks with and will compete with contestants worldwide. The player with the most votes gained by Election Day will earn the official title of Mayor of Seussville and their picture will be featured on Seussville.com.
By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 10/6/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Rick Riordan, Bookish Events, The Heroes of Olympus, Add a tag
Rick Riordan has written yet another splendid series called the Heroes of Olympus and you can join the celebration on October 12th by watching a live broadcast. Take a look at the Heroes of Olympus website to find out more about this event, to learn about the new series, to watch videos, to play games, and much more.
www.lookingglassreview.com
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By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 8/9/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: The Screen Actors Guild Foundation, Bookish Events, Add a tag
This summer, the Screen Actors Guild Foundation has an exciting opportunity to benefit our global children’s literacy initiatives. We are partnering with the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation to sponsor our second annual online auction of celebrity-authored signed books and your involvement would really help our cause!
Between August 2 and August 17, you can bid on autographed books written by your favorite actors. To support our efforts, celebrities including Sir Sidney Poitier, Kirk Douglas, Julie Andrews, Tim Allen, Sting, Carol Burnett, Mickey Rooney and many more have donated their signed books to be part of this auction. Take part in this auction by bidding on books that will make for great summer reading or the perfect gifts for friends and loved ones.
Please visit http://www.clothesoffourback.org/sagfoundation beginning August 2, 2010 to view the selections and make your bid to support children's literacy.
Thank you
By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 8/5/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Bookish Events, Interactive online book, Add a tag
Cammy Hall is what anyone would describe as a loser. She lives with her grandparents and has adopted their way of life . . . right down to the comfortable shoes and early bedtime. And can she help it that she actually likes to knit?
At school, her skills with knitting needles and some yarn go completely unappreciated: People like Bekka Bell reign while Cammy and her best friend, the fearless Danish exchange student Gerdi, watch from the sidelines. Cammy’s used to being an outsider; after years of humiliating moments, her goal is simply to fly under the radar. Then she suddenly starts receiving mysterious text messages that lead her right to all the embarrassing secrets about the most popular kids in school. Cammy never expected to be able to climb up the high school food chain, and the agenda of the texter may be questionable—but how can she possibly give up the chance to be queen?
Loser/Queen is an online interactive serial and a groundbreaking publishing event. The beginning of the story has been written and posted—but it’s up to you to decide what happens next. Cast your vote by 5 p.m. (EST) Thursday night of each week. Then, check back Mondays at 10 a.m. (EST) to see the poll results—and how the story was affected by your choice!
When the voting—and the book—are finished, Loser/Queen will be printed as a paperback and packed with extras from the author… and you will have the opportunity to own the book you helped create.
Visit the Loser/Queen website to read the story so far and to cast your vote to help decide what happens next.
www.lookingglassreview.com
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By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 6/7/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: World Ocean Day, Dr. Seuss, Bookish Events, Add a tag
In honor of 50 years of Dr. Seuss’s One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish entertaining children around the world, Random House Children’s Books, Dr. Seuss Enterprises, The Ocean Project, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) are partnering to celebrate World Oceans Day, held annually on June 8th. Seventy-five AZA accredited zoos and aquariums across the country, and more than 600 Ocean Project partners worldwide will host fun-filled family events inspired by One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, with the goal of teaching children about our ocean’s great diversity of life and the important things we can all do to protect our shared world ocean.
Celebrating the Ocean’s Diversity with One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish!
Participating locations will commemorate 50 years of One Fish fun on or near June 8th with birthday festivities that incorporate the 2010 World Oceans Day theme. “Oceans of Life” celebrates our ocean’s diversity, just as Dr. Seuss celebrated diversity with his colorful characters in One Fish. “From here to there, from there to here, funny things are everywhere.” Children will have fun getting to know the ocean’s funny things with Seussian games and activities. Since the 2010 World Oceans Day honors former La Jolla resident Dr. Seuss, visitors to San Diego County will be able to choose from a host of special events throughout the region, including the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Botanic Garden, SEA LIFE Aquarium, Birch Aquarium at Scripps, and many others. For more information about World Oceans Day, and to find events and materials, visit The Ocean Project Website.
Random House Children’s Books is publishing a special 50th anniversary edition of ONE FISH, TWO FISH, RED FISH, BLUE FISH (Random House / 978-0-394-80013-4 / April 27, 2010 / $8.99 / Ages 5–8 / 72 pages) Originally published in 1960, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish remains a beloved Seuss favorite and has sold over 9 million copies to date. With fantastically funny creatures, this Beginner Book teaches the concept of reading with easy rhyme and identifiable illustrations. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish takes children on a wildlife adventure and, like all of Dr. Seuss’s books, makes learning to read fun.
World Oceans Day brings local attention to the global issue of climate change and its impact on ocean and animal life. The Ocean Project (TOP) advances ocean conservation in partnership with zoos, aquariums, and museums and leads efforts to promote and coordinate World Oceans Day worldwide. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of accredited zoos and aquar
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By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 5/25/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Theodore Boone:Kid Lawyer, Bookish Events, Add a tag
Today John Grisham's new book for children Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer
A perfect murder
A faceless witness
A lone courtroom champion knows the whole truth . . . and he’s only thirteen years old
Meet Theodore Boone
A faceless witness
A lone courtroom champion knows the whole truth . . . and he’s only thirteen years old
Meet Theodore Boone
In the small city of Strattenburg, there are many lawyers, and though he’s only thirteen years old, Theo Boone thinks he’s one of them. Theo knows every judge, policeman, court clerk—and a lot about the law. He dreams of being a great trial lawyer, of a life in the courtroom.
But Theo finds himself in court much sooner than expected. Because he knows so much—maybe too much—he is suddenly dragged into the middle of a sensational murder trial. A cold-blooded killer is about to go free, and only Theo knows the truth.
The stakes are high, but Theo won’t stop until justice is served.
Brimming with the intrigue and suspense that made John Grisham a #1 international bestseller and the undisputed master of the legal thriller, Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer will keep readers guessing and pages turning.
By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 5/19/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Bookish Events, Letters about literature, Add a tag
Yesterday I read about a competition called Letters About Literature. For the competition young readers had "to write a personal letter of reflection to an author whose work somehow inspired them or changed their view of the world or themselves." I only wish I had had the opportunity to write such a letter when I was in school! This year 69,000 young readers from all over the U.S participated in the writing contest, which is a reading promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, presented in partnership with Target. The winners of the 2009-2010 competition wrote to (among others) Francisco Jimenez, who wrote "The Circuit," Laura Ingalls Wilder who wrote the Little House books, J.D.Salinger who wrote "The Catcher in the Rye," and Dr. Seuss, who wrote numerous books for readers of all ages.
Here is one of the winning letters, which was written by Reagan Nelson, a 6th grade student in Spokane Washington.
Dear Laura Ingalls Wilder,
Change is something many people are afraid of, but I know it can be wonderful. It is something I have never looked at in the same way since reading your book Little House on the Prairie and meeting Laura. My house burned down when I was seven, and I almost died in the fire. Since that night my dad rescued me from my burning bedroom, things were never the same. People have always described the fire as a great tragedy that hit our family, but I have never viewed it that way. Like Laura on the prairie, this was a time when I
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By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 5/10/2010
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Children's Book Week, Bookish Events, Add a tag
Since 1919, Children's Book Week has been celebrated nationally in schools, libraries, bookstores, clubs, private homes -- any place where there are children and books. Educators, librarians, booksellers, and families have celebrated children's books and the love of reading with storytelling, parties, author and illustrator appearances, and other book-related events.
It all began with the idea that children's books can change lives. In 1913, Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, began touring the country to promote higher standards in children's books. He proposed creating a Children's Book Week, which would be supported by all interested groups: publishers, booksellers, and librarians.
Mathiews enlisted two important allies: Frederic G. Melcher, the visionary editor of Publishers Weekly, and Anne Carroll Moore, the Superintendent of Children's Works at the New York Public Library and a major figure in the library world. With the help of Melcher and Moore, in 1916 the American Booksellers Association and the American Library Association cooperated with the Boy Scouts in sponsoring a Good Book Week.
In 1944, the newly-established Children's Book Council assumed responsibility for administering Children's Book Week. In 2008, Children’s Book Week moved from November to May. At that time, responsibility for Children’s Book Week, including planning official events and creating original materials, was transferred to Every Child a Reader, the philanthropic arm of the children’s publishing industry.
Also in 2008, the Children's Book Council created the Children's Choice Book Awards, the only national c Add a Comment
By: Marya Jansen-Gruber,
on 4/2/2009
Blog: Through the Looking Glass Book Review (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: The new issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Review, That Book Woman, Trainstop, The Bookish Calendar., Bookish Events, Barbara Lehman, Add a tag
Hello everyone. The new issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Review is now online. This month the Special Feature is "Books and Libraries" - in honor of all the book related events that are taking place this month. One book that I read for this feature was especially notable. That Book Woman by Heather Henson looks at the impact that the Pack Horse Librarians had on rural communities in America during the 1930s.
The Bookish Events for this month are:
April in National Poetry Month (USA)
April 2nd is International Children’s Book Day
National Library Week April 12th - 18th (USA)
Young People’s Poetry Week April 13th - 19th (USA)
I hope you will be able to enjoy some of these events with the children in your lives.
In addition to the "Books and Libraries" feature I looked at books about spring. Then there are the titles that are linked to the Bookish Calendar. If you want to read about Easter, Thomas Jefferson, or Earth Day, you will find links to books about these subjects - and many others - here.
The book that I chose for the Editor's Choice for April is 
Trainstop by Barbara Lehman. This superb wordless picture book is a joy to look at, and children will have great time talking about the magical story. Readers will see that doing others a kind turn can be wonderfully rewarding, and in this case at least, the giver is given a priceless gift to thank her for her kindness. By the by, all of Barbara Lehman's books are memorable and magical.
I hope you enjoy this month's issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Review.
One of our reviewers just sent us her family's thoughs on That Book Woman. It looks like a fascinating story!