Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive Benefiting R2S Nov. 1 - Dec. 17, 2022 Barnes & Noble Biltmore Town Square (33 Town Square Blvd #100, Asheville, NC 28803) Now through December 17, 2022, visit Barnes & Noble (Biltmore Town Square) and purchase *new* culturally-responsive children's books to be donated to R2S.
It's easy! When you check out, the staff member working at the register will ask you if you would like to purchase a book(s) to be donated to R2S - you let them know how many books, and they take care of the rest! R2S distributes thousands of children's books every year in seasonal book bundles for students, at family reading and community events, with school and after-school partners, and much more. Thank you to Barnes & Noble for their incredible partnership and dedication to students in Asheville and Buncombe County!
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Embrace all things reading and writing this November and celebrate National Family Literacy Month. Check out these seven super ideas for families of all shapes and sizes:
1. Fill a Little Free Library Does your family have gently used books you no longer read? Help those literary gems find a new home by donating them to a Little Free Library in your neighborhood or town. Little Free Libraries are community-constructed mini-libraries posted in different neighborhoods or communities where residents are welcome to take a book and leave a book (or many!). Use the interactive Map feature on littlefreelibrary.org or download the Little Free Library app to locate Little Free Libraries near you. 2. Volunteer as a Reading Tutor Do you live in Asheville or Buncombe County? Interested in supporting a local elementary student in learning to read on grade level? Volunteer as an R2S Reading Tutor for the 2022-2023 school year! New tutor training begins Thurs. December 1, 2022 on Zoom. Learn more and fill out a volunteer application today - click here. 3. Read-ify Screen Time Whether it’s a long road trip to the family Thanksgiving or simply down-time on the weekends, there are plenty of screen time opportunities for children to practice foundational reading skills while having a blast. Don’t miss this essential list of Free Reading Apps and Online Reading Resources to get started. 4. Learn More About the Science of Reading Interested in how science shows us children learn to read? Curious about falling reading proficiency rates in our community and nation and how the history of reading instruction has impacted them? Don’t miss the latest podcast from Emily Hanford of American Public Media called “Sold a Story.” This six-episode series is a *must-listen* for anyone interested in supporting students and moving literacy forward in their communities. Check out this free comprehensive resource list to learn more about the science of reading too. 5. Write Away Grocery lists, Thanksgiving menus, holiday cards, thank you notes, gift tags . . . the options are endless for writing together as a family. Encourage your kids to practice their reading and writing skills while pitching in with holiday prep and explore new vocabulary words together, i.e., words like gratitude, harvest, and feast. BONUS: Enjoy this free printable Thanksgiving word search from Read to Succeed! 6. Read and Watch the Movies Experience reading together as a family by diving into a good book and then watching the movie adaptation. Children’s books like Hair Love, Home, Shrek, Where the Wild Things Are, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas can all be read and watched in the same night! Discuss similarities and differences in the book and movie after you read and watch it, and plan for another “Book to Movie” night in the future! 7. Sign up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Did you know children 0 - 5 can receive a new free age-appropriate book every month through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library? It’s super easy to sign up and kickstart your collection - plus, books ship directly to your home! Visit Buncombe Partnership for Children to get started - click here. Related articles: Fall-Themed Literacy Activities for Kids Children's Books About Fall With Black Main Characters 10 Ways to Celebrate National Family Literacy Month 15 Ways to Weave Reading Into Family Time As the leaves finish falling from the trees and temperatures keep dropping, why not help your child “fall” in love with a new book? Celebrate autumn this year with a bunch of good books guaranteed to make your mouth water for apples, pumpkins, and perhaps even inspire you to enjoy a mooncake! “Apple Picking Day” written by Candice Ransom and illustrated by Erika Meza A good book for early readers who are just beginning to recognize letters and sound out words, this charming little tale about a pair of siblings visiting an apple orchard is a great starter. Sure to captivate many, the rhyme and rhythm of this book is fun to follow and light read! Watch a free read aloud here. “In the Leaves” written by Huy Voun Lee Have you ever been excited to learn new things alongside a new season? Well how about new words as well! Xiao Ming takes his friends (and the readers) to the farm to show off some new Chinese characters he’s learned and explain some of the thought that went into making them! “Monster Trouble!” written by Lane Fredrickson and illustrated by Michael Robertson Our heroine is armed with wits and courage but just can’t seem to get rid of these monsters that show up at night! Winifred Schnitzel’s adventures with figuring out just what might make those monsters go away for once and for all are written in rhythmic rhymes that’ll have everyone engaged in what she’ll do next! Watch a free read-aloud here. “Fall Leaves: Colorful and Crunchy” written by Martha E.H. Rustad and illustrated by Amanda Enright Explore science and seasons in this engaging children's book that teaches readers all about the life cycle of leaves. Identify leaf colors, parts of the leaf, and the different natural processes that contribute to the changing of the seasons and the colorful crunchy leaves that greet you in fall. Watch a free read-aloud here. “The Shadow in the Moon” written by Christina Matula and illustrated by Pearl Law Featuring a classic Chinese folk story about the Mid-Autumn Festival, two sisters and their grandmother enjoy the story behind a Chinese holiday. At the end of the day, the sisters not only learn about the story, but learn how the mooncakes they enjoy so much came to be! Watch a free read-aloud here. “Apple Countdown” written by Joan Holub and illustrated by Jan Smith Number-based and full of fun apple orchard-related tidbits, our next book is engineered to challenge kids to count and do some math as they learn about a trip to a farm! Also packed with apple facts, take a child on a ride through an apple-themed field trip as all of the class in the book enjoy their day! Watch a free read-aloud here. “Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn” written and illustrated by Kenard Pak "Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn" highlights the way the seasons shift ever so slightly in all sorts of colorful ways, though it's not just limited to leaves! Kenard Pak makes sure to look at all the ways you can tell fall is here, through the temperature, the flowers, and the creatures alike! Beautifully illustrated, the accompanying pictures do a great job of visualizing these changes. Watch a free read-aloud here. Related articles:
10 Back to School Books Featuring Black Characters 5 Ice Cream Inspired Reading Tips & Ideas 11 Children's Books About LOVE Featuring Black Characters 6 Children's Books Celebrating Creativity and Imagination 10 Books About Moving to a New Place Featuring Black Protagonists 10 STEM-inspire Children's books With Black Protagonists Celebrate the autumn season and nature's colorful array of leaves! Don't forget to put on your sleeves! Fall is here. Its extraordinary effects, are near . . . check out these 5 fun fall-inspired reading activities for PreK and elementary-aged children. ACTIVITY 1: Flashlight Fun*Visual Sensory* Ages: Infant and up We love the Flashlight Fun activity we found on whattoexpect.com - check out the original here. Watch the amazement in your child's eyes, as the lights dash, beam, and dance, from one surface to the next.. Supplies: Flashlight Tissue paper or scarf Rubber band or masking tape Colored Pencils or Pens Directions:
Support young learners in recognizing letters by creating alphabet stencils to go with the tissue paper or scarf filters. Parent can write words on tissue paper - sound out the word, spell it out, say the word and have your child repeat it, and even use it in a sentence together! ACTIVITY 2: Fall Scavenger Hunt Ages: 6 and up We hope you enjoy this activity we found, with free printables here. Let’s help a scavenger find its list of treats with a fun-filled fall scavenger hunt for kids! Not only is this a great way to explore nature, but it puts our mini detectives on the case for discovering, problem solving, Supplies:
Directions:
BONUS LITERACY IDEA: Reading lists together can be a fun activity for young learners - shopping lists, packing lists, ToDo lists, you name it. Create a list together and practice sounding out the words on the list and/or spell each item out loud and on paper with your child. See if they can remember at least one word on the list and share a special treat with them when they do! ACTIVITY 3: Fall Themed T-Shirts Ages: 3 and up Get creative, with a young learner, and help them make something they can learn from and wear at the same time. Find some “HOW TO” videos, and more examples of ABC SHIRTS here. Supplies:
Directions:
BONUS LITERACY ACTIVITY/IDEA: Parents can work with their early reader by having the child point to a picture on the back of the shirt together and practice the sounds of the beginning, middle, or ending letters. For example, parent points to the "A" in "APPLE" and says, "a /a/ apple," and the child repeats. You can also practice spelling the word–[arent: “A-P-P-L-E”. Child: “A-P-P-L-E. "Or, parent can say “Repeat after me” a…A…p…P…p…P…l…L…e…E.” ACTIVITY 4: Fall Bingo Ages 4 and up Reminisce one of your favorite childhood games, with a twist. A fall-themed activity to spark curiosity and learn about fall. Adults can find some free fall-themed BINGO printables here. You can also create you own, online, or in the comfort of your home. Supplies:
This fun activity is great one=to-one, in small groups, or with an entire class! BONUS LITERACY IDEA: Practice beginning and ending sounds of the words children are covering on their bingo board. For example, if the word called out is "Turkey," say "Turkey! What's the first sound in turkey? /t/ That's right! What letter makes the sound /t/? T!" ACTIVITY 5: Edible Pumpkin Play Dough *Texture Sensory*
Ages: 2 and up You may have some things at home that can make a fun and doughy treat! Introduce a different style of reading enrichment with your child/children with edible pumpkin play dough. Making the dough together can bring a sense of warmth and coziness to the atmosphere. Children will practice reading and following directions and creating something they can play with and eat.. Supplies:
Directions: For full recipe, click here. BONUS LITERACY IDEA: You can use this experience as an opportunity to work on recognizing letters in the alphabet and building decodable words together. Using the dought, the parent/child can roll out pieces and shape them into the letters of a word such as CAT, TOP, or DIG. Once the word is built, have your child use their hands to smash each letter while saying it's name–C. . .A. . .T! Make more letters, words, and even shapes with the dough and then . . . EAT THAT DOUGH! As you are wrapping up with the play dough experience, allow the child to enjoy a treat, with their lesson. Use this fall as an opportunity to learn more fun-filled and engaging fall reading activities to do with our children. HAPPY FALL TO YOU ALL!!!!! The Read to Succeed is growing! Our brand new role of Early Literacy Director allows us to dedicate more energy, time, and resources to our early childhood partners supporting children 0-5 with early literacy and kindergarten-readiness skills. We are thrilled to welcome Maggie Fox to the team – learn a little more about her in the fun Q&A below!
Head back to school this year with inspiration and encouragement from fabulous children's books! Whether you're reading them with your kids in the days leading up to school or spending time exploring stories during nightly read alouds after the school year begins, you are sure to love and appreciate this top 10 list of back-to-school children's books with Black main characters. Lola Goes to School written by Anna McQuinn and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw Lola Goes to School follows one of our favorite series characters going to school for the first time. This sweetly-crafted book with beautiful drawings is a must for rising kindergartners going to school for the first time. Check out this free read aloud on YouTube. The King of Kindergarten written by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton This empowering story will give new kindergartners the confidence and enthusiasm to kick start the new school journey with pride. "The King of Kindergarten" follows a little boy taking on his first day at school, taking in new experiences, and sharing his achievements with his family. Check out a free read aloud here. The Queen of Kindergarten is an outstanding companion to the award-winning book "The King of Kindergarten". This colorful lyrical children's book features a little girl named MJ and all the special qualities she takes with her to kindergarten, including her friendliness and kindness. Check out a free read aloud here. Nana Akua Goes to School written by Tricia Elam Walker and illustrated by April Harrison Nana Akua Goes to School is a moving story that celebrates cultural diversity. This story follows a shy girl who brings her West African grandmother, whose face bears traditional tribal markings, to meet her classmates. This is a perfect back to school book for students of all ages. Check out a free read aloud here! The Day You Begin written by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by Rafael López The Day You Begin is a poignant and heartening book about finding the courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone. Woodson's warm narration reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes, and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway. Check out a free read aloud on YouTube here! I Got the School Spirit written by Connie Schofield-Morrison and illustrated by Frank Morrison Every child will be excited for the start of school after watching this joyful celebration of the first day! The young protagonist in "I Got the School Spirit" is ready for school now that summer has ended! She can hear the school spirit in the bell ringing in the hallways and the bus heading up the street! She and her friends sing the school song in class! Check out a free read aloud here! Henry's going to an HBCU written by Kyle McMurtry and illustrated by Jewel Ham This engaging and relevant children's book for elementary students highlights and celebrates historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to inspire future scholars. Check out a free read aloud here. Layla, the Last Black Unicorn written by Tiffany Haddish and illustrated by Jessica Gibson Layla, the Last Black Unicorn is about an adventurous Unicorn who is sad that summer is coming to an end. She starts school and meets all the challenges of fitting in. Until her class goes on a trip and she saves the day. Check out a free read aloud here! Fresh Princess written by Denene Millner and illustrated by Gladys Jose This exuberant story based off of Will Smith’s The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is a confidence-boosting story for elementary students. "Fresh Princess" is about a strong-willed girl who approaches everyday with her own kind of style. Until she moves and has to figure out this new neighborhood that isn’t like her own. Check out a free read aloud here! The Noisy Classroom written by Angela Shanté illustrated by Alison Hawkins A young 3rd grader is about to start school again and she is worried about going into Ms. Johnson’s class, as it has been considered the “noisy class.” This wonderful book helps to calm the nerves to reevaluate what you think might be a scary situation and see how fun it could be.
Check out a free read aloud here! ![]() By: Alyssa Freeman, Read to Succeed Summer Program Intern Looking for fun, creative, and artistic activities to do as a family? Why not give pottery a try? Creating ceramics not only teaches important lessons about history and culture, but it's a seriously fun activity with a beautiful end result that can be put on display, shared as a gift, donated, used at home, you name it! Check out these five wonderful children's books all about creating with clay followed by five pottery-inspired family activities to go with them. 5 Pottery Themed Books"Many Shapes of Clay: A Story of Healing" written and illustrated by Kenesha Sneed This book is filled with social-emotional lessons and dives into the idea of finding yourself through creativity. "Many Shapes of Clay" addresses the topic of grief and how to find beautiful things through it. The main character discovers that healing can be a creative process. Check out this free read aloud of "Many Shapes of Clay" here! "When Clay Sings" written by Byrd Baylor and illustrated by Tom Bahti A beautiful poetic book that highlights Native American pottery design, "When Clay Sings" shows how you can find inspiration in anything. This book features wonderful illustrations and is an amazing book to read to your kids. Check out this free read aloud of "When Clay Sings" here! "The Magic of Clay" written and illustrated by Adalucía "The Magic of Clay" is a stunning non-fiction book with tons of facts about clay–from clay's chemical makeup to the process of making it into pottery pieces. A lovely book for any future ceramic artists in the making! "The Pot That Juan Built" by Nancy Andrews-Goebel "The Pot That Juan Built" is an ingeniously crafted story about premier Mexican potter, Juan Quezada. Using rhyme and rich illustrations, the author tells the story of the materials and methods Juan used to build and paint his beautiful pot. Check out this free read aloud of "The Pot That Juan Built" here! "Shaped By Her Hands: Potter Maria Martinez" by Anna Harber Freeman & Barbara Gonzales and illustrated by Aphelandra A compelling story about renowned Native American potter Maria Martinez, "Shaped By Her Hands" embraces themes of family, creativity, and persistence. Maria developed a brand new firing technique that transformed the field for clay artists. Check out this free read aloud of "Shaped By Her Hands" here! 5 Pottery-Inspired Family Activities Looking for a fun way to start creating with your family? Check out these five fun ideas, and leave a comment with any other ceramics-inspired family activities you love! 1. Visit your local pottery place! Hands-on pottery studios are a fun, hands-on way to spend time together as a family! Swing by Asheville arts staple “Fired Up!” to paint your own pottery to go or swing by “Claying Around LLC” or “Batton Clayworks” for art-infused clay sculpting activities. 2. Make your own clay at home Visit familyeducation.com to learn how to make clay at home with your kiddos! Family Education offers recipes for several varieties of clay and walks you through the process step by step. You can also find several YouTube videos on how to make clay from dirt. 3. Visit a local craft fair Enjoy a day out in your community with your family exploring pottery and ceramics products made by local creatives and makers. Some great craft fairs around Asheville and Buncombe County include Come to Leicester, Big Crafty, and Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands. 4. Bring a clay set home Discover fun easy-to-use clay sets for kids at big box vendors like Walmart or Amazon. Not only is modeling clay great for using imagination and fine motor skills, but kids can also practice reading and math with clay. For example, you can encourage kids to create letters of the alphabet with clay, say their sounds, and blend them together into a word. 5. Take a pottery class Discover how to make pottery and ceramics on your own or with your kids via local classes. Check out Village Potters for classes, workshops, and advanced studies, Batton Clayworks, or Odyssey ClayWorks to get started in Western North Carolina. A very special thanks to Read to Succeed sponsor, Table for Two Pottery! This month we recognize Table for Two Pottery, a long-time supporter of the literacy mission of Read to Succeed.
On August 20-21, 2022 you can find Table for Two among other artists at the Come to Leicester Artist Studio Tour. For more information, visit www.cometoleicester.org The heat of summer is here, and that means equally cool treats are in order to combat it! July 17th marks National Ice Cream Day, so check out these books to help cool off after a long day out in the sun. Ranging from history to fantasy, you'll find a great read about everything related to ice cream! “Ice Cream Face” written and illustrated by Heidi Woodward Sheffield This charming book brings you through all of the emotions that accompany waiting for, getting, and eating ice cream! For the main character, a kit who loves ice cream, his day can be a roller coaster of emotions when it comes to his favorite food. He can get impatient, annoyed, and even sad, but ultimately, he ends up deliciously happy! "Ice Cream Everywhere" by Marjorie Blain Parker and illustrated by Stephanie Roth. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice scream! Discover all the fun and exciting ways and places you can eat ice cream with this early reader favorite. From cones to cups to sloshing and slurping, you'll enjoy a wild ride of ice cream fun with friends in this cool treat of story! Watch a free read aloud here. “Ice Cream Summer” written by Megan Atwood and illustrated by Natalie Andrewson As the first book in the series Orchard Novel, Sarah, the 11-year-old protagonist, is tasked with spending the summer minding an ice cream stand on her friend’s family orchard. Happy to spend the summer with her friend Lizzie, Sarah runs into a roadblock when Lizzie invites twins Peter and Olive to help them. Sarah was also hoping to get closer to Lizzie over the summer, so the sudden arrival of two other people sparks all sorts of conflict about making friends and keeping old ones. “Ice Cream: The Full Scoop” written and illustrated by Gail Gibbons Well known for its kid-friendly dive into the history of ice cream, Gail Gibbons gives the perfect insider’s look into how ice cream is made. This book makes for a great way for kids to get into researching the things they love, and can also serve up a good introduction to a classic treat! Watch a live read aloud here. “7 Days Till Ice Cream” written by Bernardo Feliciano and illustrated by Rayanne Vieira For those older kids who are showing an interest in being a maker, this book ties in problem-solving and computer coding to an already sugary concept! The book follows three friends as they try to figure out how to track the path the ice cream truck takes, and ultimately score some ice cream. As an additional cool bonus, the book has a fun coding-related activity for kids to try. “The Nice Dream Truck” written by Beth Ferry and illustrated by Brigette Barrager
Imagination and dreams abound, this book is a delightful little bedtime story all about the Nice Dream Truck! The Nice Dream Truck drives around night after night, delivering tasty dreams with as many flavors to choose from as there are dreams to be had! Be sure to curl up with this book if you want a sweet and cozy way to end the day. Watch a free read-aloud here. Related blog posts: 5 Ice Cream Inspired Reading Tips & Ideas 11 Children's Books About LOVE Featuring Black Characters 6 Children's Books Celebrating Creativity and Imagination We are thrilled to welcome Jacquelyn Hall as Read to Succeed's new Co-Executive Director! Check out a fun Q&A with Jacque below all about reading! What is your favorite children’s book?
As a child, I liked Amelia Bedelia. Right now my favorite children's book is "Ada Twist, Scientist." Where is your favorite place to read? Outside in the shade at the beach. If I can’t get there, I’ll settle for my bed. What’s the last thing you read, book or otherwise? "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brené Brown. If you could have one author, dead or alive, over for dinner, who would it be? Brené Brown – she is funny, authentic and awe-inspiring. Who inspired your love of reading? My mother. She used to read to my sister and I all the time when we were little. What’s your favorite book-to-movie adaptation? "The Notebook." When is the last time you read to someone else? Last week at the Arthur R. Edington Center summer camp. If you wrote an autobiography, what would it be titled? "Totally Fierce Through Imperfect Faith" What is your favorite genre to read? Self-improvement. What is one of your favorite things to do in Asheville/favorite aspect of Asheville? I love the mountains. I look forward to warm weather to explore nature and visit our mountain waterfalls. Calling all creative, artistic, and imaginative readers–this book list is for you! We are celebrating creativity in these children's book titles featuring all forms of imaginative art and play. From painting, dancing, sculpting, and even trash picking, these books showcase the power of art in all forms and help us think about how art can be used as a means of connection. "Sky Color" written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds Marisol is excited to be painting a mural for her school library until she realizes there is no blue paint to paint the sky with. What will she do now? Using her imagination and creativity, Marisol envisions endless possibilities of “Sky Color”. Discover "Sky Color" with a free read aloud. "Many Shapes of Clay; A Story of Healing" written and illustrated by Kenesha Sneed Nadia joins her mother in her creative studio, shadowing her movements and admiring her work. Creativity brings them together to process the joys and challenges of life. Watch a read aloud here. "What If..." written by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Mike Curato "What if…" What if I can’t draw, paint, or sculpt the world as I wish I could? Then I’ll dance, sing, and imagine everything I want to. This lyrical story celebrates self-expression and all the forms it takes. Watch a read aloud here. "Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art" written by J. H. Shapiro, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton This biography inspires us to think beyond the conventional avenues of creativity by taking inspiration from what lives with us, is all around us, and needs immediate attention - trash! Tyree Guyton creates magical works of art with the found materials all around him. Watch a read aloud here. "Hey, Wall; A Story About Art and Community" written by Susan Verde, illustrated by John Parra One small idea sparks a movement as a blank wall brings inspiration to a community. One after another, people make a wall more beautiful by adding their own touches. We’re reminded that walls are not simply dividers or barriers, but a blank canvas ripe with opportunity. Watch a read aloud here. "Just Like Me" written and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton “Just Like Me” is an ode to those with paint on their hands, dirt on their feet, joyous laughter, and everyone in between. It brings joy to our everyday selves by applauding what makes who we are. Read aloud here. |
About R2S
Read to Succeed Asheville/Buncombe (R2S) is a local, independent nonprofit on a mission to help close the Archives
March 2023
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