Do you have books to share?

It's time for spring Cleaning! We know the closets in the community are full of children's books that need a new home.

Why not donate those books to Project READ? We will distribute all your gently used children's books at the annual Children's Fair on April 24 or on our Bright Red Bookshelves.

Drop sites are located in many of our local elementary schools and middle schools or at the following businesses:
-Brewed Awakenings
-Reed Drug
-Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
-Minnesota Reading Corp offices at the Old Central School
-Edward Jones Financial at 72 SE 7th St.

The drive continues until April 13.

Project READ Monthly Meeting

The next Project READ meeting is March 25 at 8:00 AM at the District #318 Administration Building. Come and join us to find out more about what we do!

20 Minutes A Day

By: Richard Peck

Read to your children

Twenty minutes a day.

You have the time,

And so do they.

Read while the laundry is in the machine.

Read while the dinner cooks.

Tuck a child in the crook of your arm

And reach for library books.

Hide the remote,

Let the computer games cool,

For one day your children will be off to school.

"Remedial?", "Gifted?"

You have the choice;

Let them hear their first tales

In the sound of your voice.

Read in the morning;

Read over noon;

Read by the light of

Good Night, Moon.

Turn the pages together,

Sitting as close as you'll fit.

Till a small voice beside you says,

"Hey, don't quit."

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

Mr. Martinson was "Cat in the Hat" for Cohasset Elementary's celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday. You can go to his blog and see pictures.

IASC Community Education has a few costumes including "Cat in the Hat" that can be checked out to enhance your literacy events.

Gotta Keep Reading

Ocoee Middle School in Ocoee, FL partnered with Full Sail to create an inspirational music video to get students across the country excited about reading. This video was inspired by the Flash Mob Dance on the Oprah Winfrey Show performed by the Black Eyed Peas and several thousand of Oprah's fans.Full list of credits is at the end of the video.

Thanks to Mr. Martinson at Cohasset for posting it on their school web site!

Is your child learning to Love to Read?

Check out this podcast from "Good Enough Moms".

As people around the world prepare to celebrate World Read Aloud Day on March 3, Pam Allyn, founder of LitWorld and author of What to Read When, and Meredith Sinclair, star mommy blogger of Hoo-dee-hoo.com, join Dr. Marti Erickson and daughter Erin Erickson to share tips on how to ignite the joy of reading in your daughters and your sons. You also will learn fun and creative ways you and your children can join with others near and far to celebrate World Read Aloud Day.

10 Tips for Choosing Books for Children of All Ages

1. Have children choose their own books as soon as they start showing a preference for one over another.
2. Find the children's section of your local library. Get to know the librarian, who can be a great resource.
3. Find out what your child is interested in, and help choose books that are related to his or her interests.
4. Ask friends, family, and teachers what books their children have enjoyed; try a book swap.
5. If your child does not like a book you are reading together, put it away. Reading is a fun time to share, not a time to fight.
6. Again, Again, Again! Children may want to read the same book many times, even if you think they have outgrown it.
7. Use book lists generated by various literacy organizations; they usually have good suggestions. For example: American Library Association, International Reading Association, Children's Book Guild
8. Look for books that you will like reading aloud. Your enjoyment will shine through and become contagious.
9. Try out different kinds of books to see what appeals to your children.
10. Have fun! Show your children the joy of reading and how it can open up a brand new world!