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It’s that time of year again! Time for children of all ages to dress up as their favorite comic book hero, movie star, cartoon character, and so much more. Time for them to run wild in neighborhoods nationwide, collecting candy in mom’s least favorite pillowcase. Yes, it’s Halloween tomorrow! Have you bought bags of goodies to hand out to hungry Trick-or-Treaters? I hope not, because this year, Books for Treats is making a stand. They’re telling parents to “Give brain candy. Feed kids’ minds, not their cavities!”

The concept of Books for Treats is simple. It’s a program that encourages adults to give “gently read” children’s book at Halloween instead of candy. According to their website, “Books feed children’s minds, while candy only feeds their cavities. Books encourage children to read, and parents to read with them and/or ask them about their books. Many children rarely receive books as gifts, so even gently read books are special treats.”

The concept of giving books is in direct opposition to giving candy. Would you believe recent statistics show that annually, Americans spend $950 million on Halloween candy?! It’s no wonder childhood diabetes is increasing alarmingly and that at least one in four children is 20% or more heavier than their ideal and healthy weight! Books for Treats wants to see these frightening statistics changed, and they are encouraging this change through the usage of books at Halloween.

You may think that giving books instead of candy is expensive. Well, there are easy ways to get clean, re-usable children’s books. Think about garage sales, library book sales, or thrift stores. You can do this sort of shopping year round to prepare for your neighborhood Trick-or-Treating kids. You may also think that giving a child a book as opposed to candy will result in a disgruntled kid. However, based on the testimonials from past participants, many children run back to the sidewalk, waving a new treasure, yelling, “Mom! Look! I got a book!” If you can’t take part in Trick-or-Treating, there’s even a way to donate to Books for Treats at their website: http://www.booksfortreats.org/.

Happy Halloween from Sylvan Dell Publishing, everyone! Stay safe, and remember to read your favorite spooky children’s book tomorrow!

Who likes to write? Do you like to write? Then, why haven’t you entered your writing in the Gallery of Writing to celebrate the National Council of Teachers of English’s National Day on Writing? Yes, I know, I used “national” a lot in that sentence, but seriously, October 20 is a day to celebrate all we do as writers, publishers, readers…you get the idea. If you believe in the written word, this is the day for you!

Celebrate NCTE's National Day on Writing!

On October 8, 2009, Senate passed a resolution supporting the National Day on Writing. Celebrated Tuesday, October 20, this day is intended to “draw attention to the remarkable variety of writing we engage in, and to help writers from all walks of life recognize how important writing is to their lives.” At the center of this celebration is the National Council of Teachers of English. Members of NCTE value writing as a tool for learning and live the importance of writing daily. Members nationwide will do their best to share their knowledge about writing and transform the public’s understanding of writing and the role it plays in society today.

How can you get involved? Submit your writing to the National Gallery of Writing! The Gallery is a digital archive of compositions, accessible to all through a free, searchable website, filled with examples of writing from across the United States. The Gallery will be unveiled for readers on the official National Day on Writing, October 20. To submit your work (and you had better do it soon!), head here: http://www.galleryofwriting.org/. Participate in this exciting event by sharing your work with the world!

Sylvan Dell believes in the power of the written word. Our authors work to spread literacy to the youth of America through book signings, school visits, and even virtual author tours. We’re proud to support the NCTE’s National Day on Writing. Be sure to submit your work to the Gallery of Writing. But there’s so much more you can do!

First submit your work online! Then, tell others to do the same. If you’re a professional writer or teacher, set up a speaking engagement for students, educators, church groups, media…the possibilities are endless. Organize a celebration in your community at your school, workplace, or local library. Finally, check out the National Council of Teachers of English social media sites on Facebook  and Twitter. The National Day on Writing is October 20! What will you do to keep the writing passion alive? For more information, be sure to visit the National Council of Teachers of English website: http://www.ncte.org/dayonwriting.