At all Books-a-Million stores in West Virginia on Oct. 27, tell the cashier you want to support Read Aloud West Virginia, and the store will donate 10 percent of the purchase amount to help Read Aloud put books on the minds and in the hands of West Virginia children.
Stores in Barboursville, Beckley, Bluefield, Bridgeport, Martinsburg, Morgantown, Charleston, Vienna and Wheeling are participating in Books-a-Million’s Bookfair Program with Read Aloud for the third time. In Charleston, both stores at Dudley Farms Plaza on Corridor G and in the Charleston Town Center mall are participating.
Read Aloud volunteers will be in stores on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018 to answer questions, share information and sign up volunteers.
Daily read aloud puts children almost a year ahead of children who are not read to every day, literacy specialist Christy Schwartz told a room full of Read Aloud West Virginia volunteers at their fifth annual conference in July.
Schwartz works for the state Department of Education’s Campaign for Grade Level Reading. She and her colleagues support county school systems and teachers to ensure children are reading on grade level by third grade. They focus on school readiness, attendance, learning opportunities outside of school and high-quality instruction.
“I’m really excited by all the connections and the way that our work corresponds with one another,” she told representatives from local Read Aloud chapters meeting at Stonewall Resort July 23 and 24.
Read Aloud leaders were there to connect and share ideas and inspiration for the coming school year. This annual summit has proven to be an invaluable gathering for the organization and its local groups.
Volunteer readers and school coordinators gathered for Read Aloud West Virginia’s annual conference in July to organize, learn about research, build programs and share enthusiasm.
Schwartz reminded volunteers of the need they fill.
West Virginia has high rates of poverty, and years of research confirm that poverty is a risk factor for many problems, including poor school readiness. Education researchers have zeroed in on oral language skills.
“It is the foundation for literacy,” Schwartz said.
Newbery winner Kwame Alexander will appear at the West Virginia Book Festival.
By Kaitlyn Guynn
The West Virginia Book Festival is returning to the Charleston Civic Center on October 26 and 27 with Newbery Award-winning children’s author Kwame Alexander.
His series The Crossover is about a boy and his brother who love basketball, but face challenges together much deeper than who wins a game of one-on-one.
Alexander and singer-songwriter Randy Preston will perform “A Literary Concert with Kwame Alexander and Randy Preston,” from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27 in Conference Rooms 202-205.
One of Alexander’s latest novels, Rebound, is a prequel to The Crossover, which is about brothers, loss of a father and becoming a man. Another novel, Solo, is a poetic verse novel about a 17-year old girl who learns that the life of a rockstar isn’t all the glamour it seemed.
Alexander has also published picture books and poetry books.
Leading up to the festival, Harvard history professor and New Yorker staff writer Jill Lepore will give the annual McCreight Lecture in the Humanities at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24 in Riggleman Hall at the University of Charleston.
Among her many books, Lepore wrote Book of Ages, a biography of Benjamin Franklin’s little-known sister, and The Secret History of Wonder Woman, which won the American History Book Prize. Her new book, These Truths: A History of the United States, was published in September.
Also appearing at this year’s Book Festival schedule are:
— Debbie Macomber, author of the popular Cedar Cove and Rose Harbor series.
— Dennis Lehane, staff writer of the HBO series “The Wire” and author of many bestsellers including Mystic River and Gone, Baby, Gone.
— John Scalzi, award-winning science fiction writer and blogger, author of Redshirts, among many others.
— David Grann, another New Yorker writer and author of The Lost City of Z, whose stories frequently make it to the screen.
The festival is free to the public. For more information about the schedule, writing workshops or other events visit wvbookfestival.org.
Kaitlyn Guynn is a senior at the University of Charleston.
PBS has launched an eight-part online and television series to find America’s favorite book! The special project, targeted to adult readers, began on May 22, 2018 and will continue through the summer and fall.
Viewers will vote on their favorite books throughout the series and the list of 100 diverse books will be narrowed down to one. Celebrities, athletes, experts, authors and everyday Americans will participate in the series, alongside host Meredith Vieira. The multi-platform campaign will encompass online and community engagement, including cooperation with local libraries in West Virginia.
The grand finale will air on October 23, 2018 at 8:00 pm. Viewers can follow the Great American Read Facebook page and use the hashtag #GreatReadPBS. This project offers an opportunity for families to discuss their own favorites and explore new titles.
Libraries Rock! is the theme of the Library Commission’s Summer Reading programs. Visit your local library this summer to experience free educational and cultural enrichment activities!
It was a red carpet night as Read Aloud West Virginia hosted Read-A-Palooza on March 19, 2018, at Paterno’s at the Park in Charleston. The annual event was attended by 220 friends of Read Aloud who enjoyed the event’s theme, “Books to the Big Screen”—a celebration of children’s books that have been adapted into movies.
The purpose of Read-A-Palooza is to raise vital funds for Read Aloud’s programs, as well as to raise awareness of the work Read Aloud does in 30 counties and 210 schools in West Virginia.
As they say in the movie biz, “The award goes to…” our two Signature Sponsors, BrickStreet Insurance and the Elliot Family Foundation, and to Paterno’s for giving us the perfect setting for the popular fundraiser. Many others helped make the event possible, as listed below.
Artwork, excursions, and other exciting items were part of a silent auction that raised funds to help spread the Read Aloud message throughout West Virginia. Many people contributed silent auction items, including gifts from our Berkeley, Boone, Greenbrier, Hampshire, Kanawha, Mingo, Morgan, Pocahontas, Preston, Randolph, Roane and Wood county Read Aloud chapters. We received auction items from friends in California, Massachusetts, New York, South Carolina and Virginia, as well. Monetary donations were received from Berkeley, Jackson, Jefferson, Kanawha, Marion, Monongalia, Nicholas, Preston, Randolph, Wood and Upshur counties as well as from Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina and West Virginia.
Thanks to all of our friends who contributed auction items and to those who purchased items! Another thanks goes to the Read-A-Palooza committee, led by Hayley Woodrum, who put in countless hours to make the evening a success.
Even though the event was held in Charleston, the movie-themed evening was a state-wide affair, enjoyed by Read Aloud supporters from Boone, Cabell, Greenbrier, Jackson, Kanawha, Logan, Mingo, Pocahontas, Putnam, Raleigh and Randolph counties.
Read Aloud is deeply indebted to Read-A-Palooza’s sponsors, silent auction and monetary donors and everyone who helped make the event a success. We hope you will join us next year!
Sara Busse is a long-time Charleston resident and community volunteer.
Special thanks to our Read-A-Palooza 2018 Sponsors!
Signature Sponsors: BrickStreet Insurance and The Elliot Family Foundation
Platinum Sponsor: Johnstone & Gabhart
Gold Sponsors: Moses Auto Group, TransCanada Corporation, United Bank
Silver Sponsors: Appalachian Power, Summit Community Bank
Bronze Sponsors: Advanced Eye Care, Assured Partners of WV, LLC, BB&T Wealth, Charleston Pediatric Dentistry
Read Aloud West Virginia Board member, Denise Davenport, surveys guests on their favorite book-to-movie pair as they enter Read-A-Palooza 2018. (Photo credit to Rafael Barker)
At all Books-a-Million stores in West Virginia on Oct. 27, tell the cashier you want to support Read Aloud West Virginia, and the store will donate 10 percent of the purchase amount to help Read Aloud put books on the minds and in the hands of West Virginia children.
