National Children’s Book Week – Join The Celebration!

The Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS) is pleased to endorse celebrations taking place in observance of the 92nd Annual National Children’s Book Week, May 13-19, 2013. This observance encourages young people to discover the complexity of the world beyond their own experiences through books. Local libraries in our area are dedicated to spreading the word about children’s literature and encouraging children to learn the joys that reading provides.

National Children’s Book Week is a time-honored tradition. Each year, Children’s Book Week is celebrated nationally in schools, libraries, bookstores, clubs, private homes – anyplace where there are children and books. All kinds of people are involved – librarians, teachers, parents, booksellers, artists, authors, publishers – and they devote a great deal of time and energy to making National Children’s Book Week an exciting and happy period of discovery for children.

“Our local libraries provide a wonderful environment and resource for facilitating and encouraging reading,” explained Randall Enos, RCLS Youth Services Consultant. “Book Week brings us together to talk about books and to put the cause of children’s reading squarely before the whole community and across the whole nation. A great nation is a reading nation.”

A celebration of the written word, Children’s Book Week introduces young people to new authors and ideas in schools, libraries, homes and bookstores. This year, join the party and share the joy of reading.

During Children’s Book Week schools, libraries, and parents applaud books and reading by developing ideas to mark this special event. The Ramapo Catskill Library System is often asked for tips on how to celebrate Book Week. What follows are some of the many wonderful ideas that librarians in the system have shared.

TIPS FOR PARENTS

· Talk about books with your children.
· Have plenty of books around the house for your children to select from.
· Read aloud to your children and hold family read-alouds.
· Make sure your children have transportation to the library.
· Visit the library with your children and select books together.
· Turn off the television one evening per week and spend the time reading.
· Talk with your children about their reading interests.
· Show excitement and interest in the art and skill of reading and the books that your children are reading.
· Select a book by an author who has written something your child read and liked.
· Read about a culture you know nothing about.
· Hold sleepover read-a-thons.
· Have fun making food from stories you have read, like Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs & Ham.
Serve as a role model. Let your children see you reading early and often.

  National Children’s Book Week, Ramapo Catskill Library System, RCLS