Spring has arrived! Don't miss this go-to list of spring-inspired children's books by Black authors. Dream big, explore the outdoors, discover new adventures, and so much more.

"Sulwe" by Lupita Nyong’o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
"Sulwe" tops our list due to its incredible reviews by charmed families -- and who couldn’t love a well-crafted storybook by the uber-talented Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong’o? Featuring stunning illustrations by Vashti Harrison, Sulwe has won multiple prestigious awards due to its message: “love the skin [you] are in and see the beauty that radiates within.” Listen to this free Sulwe read aloud, narrated by none other than Lupita Nyong’o herself.

"Where’s Rodney?" by Carmen Bogan, illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Rodney daydreams all day about the small park between his home and school. Where is Rodney? He may be at home or school, but his mind imaginatively wanders outside, where he loves being the most. As if by magic, Rodney is transformed when he finally encounters a huge park -- a great, big park where he can peacefully be. Check out this wonderful "Where’s Rodney?" read aloud on YouTube.

"Tasha’s Voice" by Carmen Bogan, illustrated by Floyd Cooper
From the author-illustrator duo who created "Where’s Rodney?," the not-yet-released storybook "Tasha’s Voice" takes place at the same beautiful park. Tasha finds it difficult to speak at school, but does she find her voice once she discovers her love of the great outdoors? Pre-order Tasha’s Voice now from AALBC, whose mission is to “sell books by or about people of African Descent.”

"Water, Water" by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Eloise Greenfield is an award-winning poet with a mission to write in "Water, Water" about all the delightful experiences kids can have when they discover and play with water -- whether this be indoor sinks or outdoor puddles and pools. This quietly philosophical book will encourage young children to appreciate and creatively think about water in new ways by following the journey of a playful child.

"Ty’s Travels" (series) by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Nina Mata
"Ty’s Travels" follows an imaginative, energetic young boy named Ty who uses his creativity and love of nature to explore the great outdoors and make new friends along the way. Ty’s unapologetic playfulness will encourage young readers to follow his fun journeys and learn how to use the power of their imaginations. Check out all the books in the series: "All Aboard!," "Zip Zoom," and "Beach Day."

"She Loved Baseball: The Effa Manley Story" by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Don Tate
This nonfiction book follows Effa Manley (1897 - 1981), the only woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for her executive work. Effa Manley spent her childhood watching the legendary Babe Ruth play in the Yankee Stadium -- and her adulthood breaking barriers by being the owner of the Newark Eagles. This book shows all girls and boys that they can and should shoot (or swing!) for the stars. Check out this awesome read aloud on YouTube.

"Your Name is a Song" by Jamilah Thompkins Bigelow, illustrated by Luisa Uribe
"Your Name is a Song" follows a little girl who is upset that everyone continues to mispronounce her name. On a walk back home, the girl’s mother teaches the girl that her name is beautiful -- and that names from all cultures are beautiful and lyrical. Will the girl be able to use this new information to teach classmates, teachers, and friends to start pronouncing her name properly? Watch this free read aloud.

"Max and the Tag-Along Moon" written & illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Max’s grandfather promises young Max that they both see the same moon at night -- and that the moon will follow Max all the way home. Max worries once clouds roll through the sky to cover up the moon, but learns something about his grandfather along the way. Watch this read aloud on YouTube.

"The Other Side" by Jacqueline Woods illustrated by E.B. Lewis
With beautiful, fluid watercolor illustrations by E.B. Lewis, "The Other Side" tells the story of two young girls: Clover, who lives in the Black side of town, and Anna, who lives in the white side of town. Despite Clover’s mom warning her of the dangers of crossing the fence, will Clover find a way to develop a friendship with Anna? Watch the read aloud here.

"Bird" by Zetta Elliott, illustrated by Shadra Strickland
Mekhai, called Bird by his late grandfather, uses drawing to create freedom and security as he copes with his grandfather’s death and brother’s addiction. "Bird" is the recipient of multiple awards and deserves to be read this spring due to its discussion on new beginnings. Check out the read aloud here.

Want to make the most of screen time for your young reader? These tried and true reading apps promote phonemic awareness in young children. Phonemic awareness is a child's ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the sounds of letters and groups of letters.

Transforming reading into a fun and engaging activity not only supports children in developing essential literacy skills but it encourages them to build a love of learning too. The educators and creators of the free reading apps below have made it their mission to do just that!

In a time when social distancing can pose challenges to young readers (practicing reading is a fun activity to do with friends, family, and classmates after all), incorporating extra learning activities into your kids' screen time may offer an effective way to overcome that obstacle. Plus, these hand-picked literacy and reading apps are all free!

Duolingo ABC
Named one of the best inventions of 2020, Duolingo ABC teaches young readers the alphabet, phonics, sight words, and more! With over 300 short, interactive lessons, Duolingo is an easy-to-navigate, gamified learning program; “gamified” meaning readers set their own pace and progress in a fun and multi-sensory way. These mini-games keep readers engaged and motivated through reward systems that build confidence and fluency in reading.

OG Card Deck
Developed around the Orton-Gillingham method of word learning, OG Card Deck helps readers sharpen their understanding of over 80 common sound correlations that form the building blocks for reading and spelling. Each phonemic card provides opportunity for experiential learning through hearing the sound, watching a clip of the proper articulation, and practicing with a voice recording/playback option. This app is a useful and straightforward literacy tool that will increase phonemic awareness in your reader.

ABC Magic Phonics
There are a handful of ABC Magic Phonics versions that you can navigate through as your reader gains fluency. This app is an excellent introduction to phonics. Like OG Card Deck, ABC Magic Phonics takes a fun but more simplistic approach to teach readers letter/sound connections and sound combinations, reinforcing comprehension with phonetic pictures. Some gamified reading apps with all the bells and whistles,can distract kids from retaining new information. If your reader is easily overstimulated, these fun but straightforward learning tools may be a better fit.

Phonics Genius
Phonics Genius is another flashcard-style app that increases phonemic awareness and is customizable to its user. Readers learn to identify letter sounds, their relationship to words, and how to blend them. Kids start by choosing a letter or letter combination and then have the choice to select where in the word set (beginning, middle, or end) they would like it to go. With over 6,000 words grouped into a few hundred categories, readers can enjoy diving into the multitudes of phonetic combinations.

Starfall Learn to Read
Starfall has proven to be an effective program for teaching emergent readers language comprehension. Focusing on phonemic awareness, sequential phonics, and common sight words, Starfall uses playful, multisensory games and activities to engage its users. It emphasizes exploration and grasps the necessity of positive reinforcement. “Great” and “making progress” are sounds kids need to hear when learning a new skill. In this way, Starfall promotes confidence in your reader that they will cherish and utilize offscreen.

Reading Hero
Reading Hero is an app that assists kids with their sight words. Readers recite words aloud into the microphone and are provided immediate feedback, gently ensuring errors will not become permanent patterns. Essentially, the app provides support comparable to a tutor or reading buddy for those tricky, “non-decodable” words. Practicing and supplementing the memorization of high-frequency sight words in addition to phonics instruction helps readers approach reading and grasp literacy through multiple avenues.

Teach Your Monster To Read
Like ABC Magic Phonics, there are multiple Teach Your Monster To Read apps you can download based upon your readers level. All are composed of fun, interactive games that feature a charming monster who engages your readers' imagination while teaching letter sounds/combinations and how to blend/segment them.

This award-winning app is not only immensely captivating with its story line and graphics, it was designed in collaboration with leading academics and compliments all synthetic phonics programs used in schools. It is worth noting that this program is free if accessed through its website on a computer, and has a 30-day free trial on your smart device with minimal cost beyond that.

Khan Academy Kids
Like most apps mentioned here, Khan Academy Kids creates an individualized experience for every learner and touches on multiple subjects, including reading. It features interactive activities, books, videos, games, and more! This app also allows you to see which activities your child has completed and track their progress. Khan Academy also offers offline content in a special section of the app’s library called “Kodi’s Suitcase,” which allows your reader to engage anywhere without an internet connection.

Related articles:

8 Winter-Themed Children's Books Featuring Black Protagonists
35 Things Kids Can Read That Aren't Books
25 Ways to Get Kids Reading Everyday

Position Summary
An integral member of the R2S team, the Learning and Engagement Manager is responsible for the development, implementation, and daily management of Read to Succeed’s literacy programming. These experiences include early (0-5 yrs) and K-3 literacy programs as well as family learning initiatives. The main responsibilities of this position include: developing and implementing trainings and programs; scheduling, training and supervising staff, volunteers, and interns; growing and maintaining community partnerships and communication strategies; overseeing student intakes and matching of students with tutors; designing and administering of student assessments; managing budget expenditures for instructional materials and curricula; and providing ongoing support to staff, tutors and students.

Position Summary
An integral member of the R2S team, the K-3 Literacy Coordinator assists the Learning and Engagement Manager (Manager) in K-3 literacy program implementation, including scheduling and training volunteers and interns; maintaining community partnerships and communication strategies; performing student intakes and matching of students with tutors; conducting student assessments, tracking student and tutor data, tracking budget expenditures for instructional materials and curricula; and providing ongoing support to tutors and students.

We’ve curated a list of eight of the best wintertime storybooks to read with your children this year. Some are classics and some are brand-new. Take a look and leave a comment with a book that you would add to the list!

"The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats
A children’s wintertime classic and the recipient of the 1963 Caldecott Medal, "The Snowy Day" has been read and loved by millions of children for decades. "The Snowy Day" beautifully captures the sense of excitement and whimsy children experience playing in the snow. Take three minutes to enjoy this free read aloud with your children by the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.

 "The Nutcracker in Harlem" by T. E. McMorrow - Educational
A young Black girl in New York City during the Harlem Renaissance (1910s through mid-1930s) learns to sing and dance thanks to her newly-found magical nutcracker toy. This beautiful wintertime storybook immerses readers into the joy of the winter holiday season. The Nutcracker in Harlem won the Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Book of the Year award and is illustrated by the Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist James Ransome.

"Snowflakes" by Cerrie Burnell & Laura Ellen Anderson
Mia, the young protagonist, leaves the big city to go to live with her grandmother in a hidden, snow-covered forest village. She struggles with her new life, having to adapt to a new climate and rural, farming way-of-life. Mia questions why everything is different, including why the other children’s skin color is lighter than hers. The beautiful moral of "Snowflakes" is: “Every snowflake is different, every snowflake is perfect.”

"Amadi’s Snowman" by Katia Novet Saint Lot
A young Nigerian boy named Amadi escapes his mother’s daily reading lessons to run off to the market. But something unusual captures Amadi’s attention: he is stunned when he catches a popular older boy secretly reading. Amadi’s curiosity piques when he notices a strange new storybook about a fluffy white being with a carrot-nose, and this leads him to realize that reading can open up vast new corners of the world - including snow, which he’s never seen. Plus, here are free Amadi’s Snowman educational activities.

"Molly, by Golly!" by Dianne Ochiltree - Educational
"Molly, by Golly!" Is an intense legend about how the first female firefighter, a courageous Black woman named Molly Williams, fights a raging fire during a dangerous blizzard storm. Molly bravely takes charge despite the rest of the all-male firefighting team being ill with the flu. Author Dianne Ochiltree consulted historic records and firefighting experts to retell the story of the legendary Molly in the early 1800s.

"The First Day of Winter" by Denise Fleming
Featuring whimsical watercolor paintings by the author herself, "The First Day of Winter" follows a young boy who bestows gifts to a magical snowman over the first ten days of winter. Get started now with this free read-aloud video on Youtube, and discuss literary concepts with your children afterward with this free "The First Day of Winter" educational toolkit from the State Library of Ohio - click here.

"Cold and Hot" by Jacqueline Sweeney
A young Black boy experiences the two temperature extremes - very cold and very hot - within the same wintry day from his parents piling on several layers of clothing after he goes to play in the snow. Perfect for ages 3 to 6 years old. (Plus, check out this free parents’ and teachers’ guide here).

"Malaika’s Winter Carnival" by Nadia L. Hohn
In the second book in the Malaika series, a young Black girl named Malaika finally joins her mother in a new country. Here, she experiences her first snow while she acclimates to her entirely new world: she must learn to get used to the new chilly climate and her new school, family, and friends. Follow Malaika’s journey as she visits her first magical winter carnival! Beautiful mixed-media illustrations by Irene Luxbacher. For more information, visit the author’s website.

What books would you add to this list? Leave a comment below!

You may also like:

• 10 Ways to Help Kids Read More Books in the New Year
• 10 Ways to Celebrate National Family Literacy Month
• Free Kids Learning Activities & Educational Resources
• 15 Ways to Weave Reading Into Family Time
  

At the end of the year, we like to take a look back at some of our favorite articles we posted on the blog. Don't miss our top 10 posts from 2020 and leave a comment to let us know your fave!

1. Free Kids’ Learning Activities & Educational Resources
   This one-stop-shop contains loads of free ideas to promote literacy, encourage exploration nearby, and spark a lifelong love of learning. Check it out to discover whimsical ideas such as free children’s story audio books, virtual field trips and book clubs, free coloring pages, and reading & comprehension activities.
   
2. 10 Ways to Help Kids Read More Books in the New Year  
   Studies suggest that making learning fun and engaging can lead to a genuine curiosity and enjoyment of different subjects, especially reading. This blog post lists ten creative ways to help kids read more - don't miss it!
   
3. 35 Things Kids Can Read That Aren’t Books
   Do you know a reluctant reader? Sometimes reading books or homework passages simply doesn't inspire a love of reading at a young age, and that's okay. There are tons of things for children to practice reading that aren't books. Check out our blog article for 35 great ideas.
   
4. StoryLane - Community and Family Literacy Activity
   StoryLane is part scavenger hunt, part storytime, and entirely awesome. A great activity for families who are socially-distancing, StoryLane promotes family fun, literacy, and a way for neighbors to come together for a great cause! Read about StoryLane in Asheville and how your community can create your own over in our blog post.
   
5. Read Aloud Tips for Young Readers (And Their Parents)
   Research suggests that reading aloud is an excellent way to practice and promote reading abilities in children. There are many evidence-based methods for reading out loud that have been shown to improve literacy achievement. Read the blog post to learn what they are!
   
6. 15 Fun Ways to Weave Reading Into Family Time
   Who knew that activities like baking, cooking, board games, scavenger hunts, and chore charts could be fun ways to encourage your child to read more? It's easy to weave more reading into family time without your kids even knowing they're doing it! Read our blog post to learn more.
   
7. Vocabulary Jar - Fun Family Literacy Idea
   The Vocabulary Jar is one of our absolute favorite family-based literacy activities–easy to make and a fun tradition to build on at home. A Vocabulary Jar turns the chore of attaining new words and definitions into a fun family game - and can even become competitive. Check out the blog post for more information.
   
8. 10 Ways to Celebrate National Family Literacy Month
   While November is National Family Literacy Month, these 10 ideas can be used to encourage reading and family literacy all year long. Discover some of our favorite celebratory ideas, including the Thanksgiving Cafe (which can be modified for other dinner parties), starting a Little Free Library, and reading to senior citizens.
   
9. 5 Multisensory Ways to Teach Sight/Trick Words
   Sight words are frequently-used words that cannot be decoded and are often difficult for beginning readers to sound out; for example, “said,” “you,” and “make." Check out our blog post to discover five fun ways for children to learn sight words using multiple senses!
   
10. Get to Know R2S Executive Director, Jamie Creola
    Take a few minutes to enjoy learning about our new Executive Director, Jamie Creola, with our fun (literary) interview questions.
    

Stay tuned in 2021 for more fun, creative, and effective family literacy ideas on the R2S blog!

The incredible challenges of 2020 have shown our entire community just how resilient, compassionate, and forward-thinking we are. Read to Succeed volunteers and supporters are no exception.

When the pandemic struck and schools closed, our volunteers were unable to continue serving the 200+ students with whom we worked in-person across 11 elementary schools. We quickly had to adapt our programming and find a way to reach families, support teachers, and keep advocating for literacy in our WNC community.

Over the past eight months, R2S has invested significant time and resources in transforming our delivery of services. In addition to creating interactive online training courses for our volunteers, we also fully adapted our reading tutoring program to an online format.

Now, when 2nd-grader Amani meets with her tutor Bob, they do so over video conference. Amani in her home on her laptop, and Bob in his home on his computer - reading, connecting, and practicing core literacy skills.

We know that R2S students have not received the support they deserve this year. The pandemic has widened an already-existing opportunity gap between Black and white students in Asheville City and Buncombe County Schools. Lack of access to learning resources, one-to-one support, and in-class instruction leaves students further and further behind.

Bottom line: THE TIME TO STEP UP IS NOW. Your partnership makes our work possible. Will you help us reach our fundraising goal of $25,000 by December 31st, 2020? Click the button below to donate securely online.

Or mail a check made out to Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe to:
 
Read to Succeed
PO Box 18652
Asheville, NC 28814
 
Despite the challenges of this year, we have emerged on the other side of 2020 with a renewed sense of purpose and an impassioned commitment to advocating for early literacy. Your dedication to our community’s children energizes us. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued support of Read to Succeed!

Are you ready to get into the holiday spirit AND support an awesome literacy nonprofit right here in Asheville? Well then head on down to Barnes & Noble in Biltmore Town Square the weekend after Thanksgiving for the Read to Succeed Holiday Book Fair!

Where: Barnes & Noble in South Asheville (33 Town Square Blvd, Ste 100, Asheville, NC.)
When: Sat., November 28th - Sun., November 29th, 2020
What to expect: Barnes & Noble staff will be handing out COVID-safe snacks from the cafe as well as bookmarks and crafts for kids to take home.

The best part? Proceeds from every purchase that weekend will go to Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe. Plus, everyone who visits has a chance to win this awesome holiday bundle featured below.

To ensure your Barnes & Noble purchase benefits R2S, make sure you present the bookmark below when checking out. You can click the PDF below to open and print it, or they will be handing out bookmarks at the entrance to Barnes & Noble on the days of the Book Fair (Nov. 28th and 29th).

Would you rather shop online! No problem! Visit BarnesandNoble.com online and make sure to check the box that asks you if yours is a book fair order on the payment page. When prompted, enter the R2S Bookfair ID: 12602066. Learn more here

RSVP for the R2S Book Fair on facebook here and you will get a reminder when it is happening! This family-friendly event is TOTALLY free to attend and Barnes & Noble is taking all precautions to keep everyone who participates safe and comfortable.

Our deepest gratitude goes out to Barnes & Noble who has already collected over 400 children's books for R2S as part of their larger Holiday Book Drive that runs through Dec. 12th, 2020. Your dedication to children in our community and literacy achievement is energizing, and we are so thankful for your partnership!

Did you know November is National Family Literacy Month? What an excellent time to celebrate reading together as a family!

From birth to adulthood, research shows that reading aloud with kids builds strong literacy skills. Learning to read is the most important skill a child can learn since all future learning depends on reading ability. All future academic success, professional achievement, emotional and behavioral development, civic engagement, financial well-being, and overall health depend in part on a person’s literacy skills.

When young children learn to read at grade-level, they also feel more confident, capable, and enthusiastic about learning. Don’t miss these ten fun ideas for celebrating National Family Literacy Month in November (and all year!):

1. Turn family time into reading time. There are thousands of ways to incorporate reading into family time. Sneak reading and literacy activities into cooking, car rides, chore charts, and family game nights. Check out some of our favorite ideas in our blog post, 15 Ways to Weave Reading Into Family Time.
2. Support local literacy organizations. In Western North Carolina, a handful of nonprofits are dedicated solely to supporting literacy achievement for children and adults in our local community. Check out Read to Succeed (R2S), Colorful Pages Coalition, the Pop Project, and the Literacy Council of Buncombe County to learn more. Support your local literacy organizations by sharing these links on social media or donating your time, books, or money.
3. Donate books. You can currently donate multicultural and inclusive books to Read2Succeed at the Holiday Book Drive at Barnes & Noble in Biltmore Town Square. You can also donate books directly to local literacy organizations and other nonprofits such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, and the Habitat Restore.
4. Start your own Little Free Library. Perhaps your family has a bookshelf filled with books nobody has read in years: declutter your home by gifting these to a Little Free Library instead. Little Free Libraries are miniature libraries in your neighborhood or community in which everyone is invited to borrow or leave books. You can create your own Little Free Library and register it online, or purchase a library kit from Little Free Library.
5. Support your local library. Your family can support your local Buncombe County library simply by getting involved. Register for a library card, check out books & audiobooks, and encourage those in your community to take advantage of the multitude of free resources available from a library near you. Of course, you can also volunteer your time, money, and books.
6. Transform screen time into reading time. Have your children watch the many wonderful PBS shows that highlight core literacy skills: Reading Rainbow, Between The Lions, Word Girl, and Martha Speaks, amongst others. Research suggests that turning on captions while watching TV shows or movies can also reinforce strong literacy skills in children. Check out literacy-based educational apps like Duo ABC and Youtube read-aloud channels like Sankofa Reads.
7. Start a virtual book club with friends, family, and neighbors. Your children can read their favorite books out loud to relatives, who can ask them comprehension-based literacy questions afterward. They can also act out storybook scenarios with other children or classmates, even over Zoom or Skype. Children love make-believe; creating imaginary scenarios helps foster creativity and abstract thinking in childhood.
8. Volunteer to read. Celebrate National Family Literacy Month by volunteering as a reading tutor with Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe. Don’t have the time to volunteer? Spread the word - ask high schoolers and college-aged family or neighbors in your community to become volunteer readers, since many young people need volunteer hours for their school or club.
9. Read to senior citizens. Even though retirement and assisted-living communities are under various stages of lockdown due to COVID-19, your family can still bring joy to seniors during this difficult time. Call your local retirement communities and ask to read virtually to seniors, over Skype or Zoom. Encourage your child to read their favorite stories and explain their favorite aspects of them -- this will enhance their understanding and ability to explain concepts to others.
10. Thanksgiving Café. Have your children write out, label, and decorate a menu listing the main ingredients for all the food options that will be served at Thanksgiving. Your children may harness their imagination in setting up a Thanksgiving Café in which they play make-believe by seating guests, offering food, and reading menus out-loud. They can also have fun “labeling” guests by correctly spelling each guest’s name inside of a “Hi! My Name Is:_______” name-tag sticker

Reading is a critical component of children’s academic - and future life - success. Studies show that kids learn to read and comprehend stories in a multitude of ways, both inside and outside of the classroom. Kids are inherently inquisitive about the world around them so, naturally, they embrace learning new things.
 
Below are 15 fun, creative ideas that organically weave reading, comprehension, and vocabulary into family time activities! They are great for all kids, including those who love reading and those who aren't yet fond of it.

In addition to involving you in your child’s education in a fun and effective way, these family time activities may also foster a deeper relationship with your child, creating lasting memories for years to come.

1. Book Battles. Have everyone in the family make age-appropriate reading goals for the month (i.e., Preschoolers will have a much simpler goal than elementary kids). This includes parents, guardians, aunts, uncles, grandparents, you name it! Each person who finishes a book chapter or article gets one point and whoever has the most points at the end of the month is the winner.
   
   
2. Squeeze in reading. Even families with busy schedules can make time for teaching reading skills by playing read-out-loud videos. These videos help develop a better understanding of language by reading out loud to your kids, even when you yourself don’t have the time to do so. Read-out-loud videos can be played on a phone or tablet for your child while you’re driving, cooking, or running errands. We are big fans of the Sankofa Read Aloud channel on Youtube.
   
   
3. Vocabulary Jar. Each time your child learns a new vocabulary word that they love, ask them to write it down and put it in a word jar. Once the jar is filled up completely, reward them with new books or other goodies. This can also be made into a contest against friends or siblings: whoever fills up the word jar first wins.
   
   
4. Cook together. Ask your child to help you make a grocery list to buy ingredients for some of their favorite meals. Have him or her read the grocery list out loud while you’re grocery shopping together. While you’re cooking, ask your child to help by reading the recipe and instructions out loud to you.
   
   
5. Bake together. Make fun vocabulary-themed cookies with your child using alphabet-shaped cookie cutters. Don’t have alphabet cookie cutters? Make sugar cookies and ask your child to write letters or words on them using frosting.
   
   
6. Play board games. Play games together that involve reading like Pokemon, Monopoly, Scrabble, Exploding Kittens, Boggle, Apples to Apples, you name it! Family game night also helps kids develop fluid intelligence and problem-solving skills.
   
   
7. Play virtual games. There is a multitude of  free educational games and apps designed to teach kids reading skills. One of these is Teach Your Monster to Read, where kids design a pet monster that they teach to read using phonics and whole language learning. We also love Duo ABC by the makers of the language learning app, Duolingo.
   
   
8. Go on scavenger hunts. Create a scavenger hunt around your house or neighborhood and hide clues that your child has to read to you. Together you’ll use your child’s critical thinking and reading skills to successfully solve the scavenger hunt clues and find the treasure!
   
   
9. Create science experiments. Kids are natural scientists who are interested in how the world works around them. Print out the instructions for setting up a simple science experiment and have your child read the instructions out loud to you. They will enjoy “teaching” you how to set up the science experiment. You can find an entire at-home science experiment library at Steve Spangler Science, click here.
   
   
10. Coloring & draw together. Sit down one evening to create art projects with your child. Break out the crayons to draw and color some of your child’s favorite words and names together. Alternatively, download free word-based coloring pages - there are thousands of options online; all you have to do is Google them!
    
    
11. Enjoy a karaoke night. Stream free lyric videos on Youtube and take turns belting out your favorite kids’ songs with your child. This is a great activity for at home and short car rides, but for longer car rides, see activity #14.
    
    
12. Play story charades. Swap turns with your child acting out scenes from their favorite books. Take turns guessing which scene and character(s) are being depicted. If you’re not familiar with the books, have your child summarize the plot and characters or read important segments out loud to you.
    
    
13. Read on video calls. Do you Chat with family & friends over Zoom, Facetime, or Skype? Encourage your child to read a book on the video call to the folks on the other end.
    
    
14. Educational road trips. Is your family traveling together? Encourage your child to practice reading by playing the license plate game on road trips. Alternatively, ask them to help you read the map or spell out the letters of street, building, and city names they see on the GPS.
    
    
15. Chore charts. Instead of asking your child to do their chores, make a chore chart that they must read in order to determine what to do for that day. Older siblings can help the younger ones use phonics to sound out tasks on the chart. Kids who read & finish all of their daily chores can win fun prizes or other rewards.
    

Here at R2S, we are all about reading, so we thought we would ask our new Executive Director some fun reading-specific questions to learn a little bit more about her.

What is your favorite children’s book?
My favorite children’s book that I read to my son, especially around Halloween, was “My Monster Mama Loves Me So”. Beyond the many books my son got throughout the year, every Christmas, I would get him a special one that I would inscribe, and we would read on Christmas Day. My favorite one is “The Gift of Nothing." It totally sums up our relationship and how we view gifts/giving. You should definitely read it.

Where is your favorite place to read?
I love reading before I go to bed. It’s a time to unwind and escape the day-to-day. I often fall asleep with my glasses on and a book on my chest.

What’s the last thing you read, book or otherwise?
I’ve just picked up (again) “The Historian” by Elizabeth Kostova. I love how she weaves time and space so fluidly and how the pieces all come together in the end. Her words are so descriptive that you can feel, see, taste every moment and place.

If you could have one author, dead or alive, over for dinner, who would it be? Why?
Madeleine L'Engle. I loved the Wrinkle in Time series and still have all the books, which I often reread as an adult. As a young girl, it was the first book I read that incorporated modern science and a strong, smart female character. It inspired me to imagine a world beyond my reality and piqued my interest in science. An interest that led me to two post-graduate degrees that incorporated both education and science.

Who inspired your love of reading?
My mom, most definitely. Her mom, my grandma Jewell, was a librarian, and books were readily available to her growing up. Ever since I can remember, we would read together every day. And while we didn’t have much growing up, we always had books. After all these years and over 15 moves back and forth across the country, I still have many of my childhood books….including “Drummer Hoff” and “The Giving Tree."

What’s your favorite book-to-movie adaptation?
It’s a toss-up. I’ve loved the adaptations of Dr. Seuss’s “The Lorax” and “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”. I’ve watched those cartoon specials since I was young. More recently, I’d say the Harry Potter series. I love the books (have the full set in hardback) and have enjoyed the movies as well.

When is the last time you read to someone else?
My mother has late-stage Parkinson’s and is unable to read or really do much of anything for herself. I, and others, now read her the books she’s enjoyed since she was young. Mostly children’s books that she and I have collected over the years.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would it be titled?
"What’s Your Excuse?. . .What’s Your Inspiration?" I am thankful for my journey and all the people who have been and/or are a part of it. I’ve had many wonderful, magical experiences and, at the same time, some horrible ones as well. Storytelling has always been important to me, personally and professionally. I hope to share my story one day to bring humor, hope, and inspiration to others.

What is your favorite genre to read?
I enjoy children’s books and have a wonderful collection. I lean toward Mystery and Fiction, however, it usually depends on my mood or interest at the time.

What is one of your fondest memories of growing up in WNC?
Hiking and camping in the mountains. My love of nature and the outdoors was ignited in the Blue Ridge Mountains. My parents were hippies, and we would spend countless hours, days, and weeks exploring the creeks, mountains, and trails in this area.

Read more about the new Executive Director announcement in our press release - click here.