Written by Yesterday afternoon a massive tornado hit the town of Moore, just outside Oklahoma City. Dozens have been killed, hundreds injured and the town was nearly leveled. This is one of the most destructive tornadoes in the history of the United States and even more destructive weather is possible in the region over the next few days.
When a disaster like this hits, especially in schools and harming children as this did, we all look on, feeling empathy, wishing they could do something. Us too, here at First Book, watching the twitter feeds, the news, and holding our breath, hoping one more person will be found alive. The time will come to rebuild schools and provide books for schools whose home and school libraries were destroyed.
Until then, please join us in supporting the Red Cross in their disaster relief efforts. This organization is the front line to repair and support, not just those in Moore, OK, but all who need it most in the region over the next few days.
You can go online at www.redcross.org and donate. Call Red Cross at 1-800 REDCROSS. Text REDCROSS to 90999, to give $10, or click on the American Red Cross image on the left to donate.
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“Once upon a time . . .” A magic phrase that can change our breathing. As far as we know, humans are the world’s story-telling creatures. Let’s think about the unique period in the lives of children when they begin to savor that phrase, when in fresh ways little ones are experiencing their surroundings and deciding where they fit. For many youngsters, media is their main source of information and entertainment. Children lucky enough to become readers discover that they can read those once-upon-a-time words to themselves—and others. They discover the pleasure and power of words. Since words and books are powerful, how can we doubt that the images of children, families, and cultures in their books have a subtle and significant impact on young readers and their families? Who merits having their stories shared and who doesn’t? How does it feel not to see people like you between the covers of beautiful books? Are all our books created and valued equally?
I wish you could see the smiles of Spanish-speaking children when, in reading one of my books to them, I say a word in Spanish. “Leaves sail through the air/like lazy mariposas,” I say, and the bilingual children smile as they imagine lazy butterflies. Those children delight in sharing their linguistic knowledge. They feel included, a feeling we all appreciate. Makes me wish I were trilingual, multilingual. Luckily, in our diverse country, we have authors and illustrators from many countries excited by sharing their stories. Diversity: our common wealth.
To share what I call bookjoy, I founded Día: El día de los niños, el día de los libros, Children’s Day, Book Day, to celebrate children and to promote connecting all our children to books, to initiate a national, annual April tradition. Thanks to First Book, many such celebrations place books in the book-hungry hands of children, especially low-income children. Through the years, I see the excitement of children and families. I remember the child who asked, “Is this for me to take home to keep?”
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What does a book mean to a child? A book all his or her own? I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have books. I was raised by my grandparents in a house full of books that belonged to my grandmother. I loved to pull the books off the shelves and look through them, even when I didn’t understand most of the words.
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Since Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast last fall, First Book has been working to help local schools, community programs and families rebuild their lost libraries.