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Recently, we took a hard look at the effects of Summer Slide on children without access to books. We also saw the incredible effects that providing books over the summer, not only to children in general, but to children from low income families specifically, had on reading, comprehension and test scores.
In that spirit, the Junior League of Washington as a part of their Resolution Read project took Summer Slide head on, distributing 15,000 books from First Book to D.C. Public Schools at Garfield Elementary. Children were asked to perform various physical activites; dancing or doing jumping jacks in order to ‘earn’ their books to take home. Jumping and dancing was led by NFL player Visanthe Shiancoe. After successfully completing their exercises, children went to a table to select books and then 
read their new books with volunteers. These books were distributed as part of a program with Let’s Read. Let’s Move, encouraging children to continue moving and learning throughout the summer.
“It feels tremendous to give away the 100,000th book hand-in-hand with partners like CNCS, DCPS, First Book and DC SCORES.” said Wendy Cumberland, President of the Junior League of Washington.
More Great Photos (Courtesy of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)
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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?”
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.
