A Word From LeVar: Helping Your Child Cope With Why Bad Things Happen to Good People

The tornado in Oklahoma, the Boston Marathon bombing, the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School… This has been a sad and difficult year for all of us, but especially so for our children, who may have seen (or overheard grownups talking about) more tragedy in one year than anyone should have to see over a lifetime. It is natural for our kids to be confused at this time, and even wondering “Why do these bad things happen to good people?”

In this video LeVar Burton talks about how to help your child cope with tragedy; how to answer their questions and let them express their feelings in a safe and attentive environment. We here at Reading Rainbow don’t have the words to say how sorry we are that a message like this is even necessary, but we hope that LeVar’s words will help us all–old and young–know how to cope with these terrible tragedies.

 

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Reading Rainbow’s mission is to inspire a love of reading in children and connect them to the world they live in through quality literature so they believe that they, “can go anywhere, be anything.”

Try our FREE iPad app in the App Store, download any of our Classic Reading Rainbow episodes on iTunes or learn more about Reading Rainbow and all our digital products at www.readingrainbow.com.

Every Child An Artist: How and Why to Teach Art in the Home

• Art promotes self-esteem.
• Art stimulates both sides of the brain.
• Art crosses cultural boundaries and provides common ground.
• Art develops hand-eye coordination…

There are many reasons why art is important for children, and if you’re curious, there are many websites out there listing all the various reasons why children need art. Unfortunately, schools all over the country are being forced to drop their art programs because they simply don’t have the funding to continue.

The question parents are asking is, “How can we continue to expose our children to a wide variety of fine art, and provide opportunities to create their own art in the wake of this loss?”

Fortunately, we as parents can still develop and encourage the artistic education of our children… even if (like myself) you don’t feel you have much of an artistic side! All it takes is three simple steps:

1. SEE: The first step to getting kids interested in art is to show them fantastic works! Show them all sorts of art– fine art at the museum, funny art in comic books, exciting art in graphic novels, and tactile art on the walls, drapes, or quilts in your own home. Expose your kids to as many different kinds of art as you can find!

2. STORY: Kids will be inspired by hearing the personal stories of famous or local artists. After you’ve gone to the museum, look up biographical information about the artists your kids were most interested in. But don’t stop there, take them to local art shows where they can meet local artists. Let your kids see that artists are real people they can look up to.

3. PLAY: And of course, let your kids play with their own artistic styles! Crayons, paints, canvas, fabric, glue… These are the staples of a young artist’s studio, but art can also be created from recyclable materials, old magazines, flowers and leaves, ANYTHING! In fact, many artists have gotten by with nothing more than a pencil and paper. So supply your child with whatever you have around the house, then step back and let them explore. Or better yet, sit down with them and create your own art as a family!

Reading Rainbow is proud to support the arts, and to support artists of all ages! In our app you will find many wonderful books and videos about famous artists, budding young artists, different artistic mediums, the process of creation, and much more. Here are a few of my personal favorites:

 Magic Trash, A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art – Heidelberg Street was in trouble: it was full of trash, vacant lots, and abandoned houses. Paintbrush in hand, Tyree Guyton transforms the decaying, crime-ridden neighborhood where he grew up into the Heidelberg Project, an interactive sculpture park!

 

 

Diego Rivera, His World and Ours – This charming book tells the story of Diego Rivera as a young, mischievous boy who demonstrated a clear passion for art and then went on to become one of the most famous painters in the world! The author also prompts readers to think about what Diego Rivera might paint if he were alive today.

 

 

Colors of Me – Intriguing collage illustrations frame this timeless story of a young child who questions the significance of color. The child wonders if the natural world believes any particular color to be more important than another, and comes to see the importance of a world filled with (and accepting of) all colors.

 

 

So what are we waiting for? Let’s get out there and make some art!

Happy Reading… and Happy Creating!

Jenni Buchanan
Reading Rainbow Mom

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Reading Rainbow’s mission is to inspire a love of reading in children and connect them to the world they live in through quality literature so they believe that they, “can go anywhere, be anything.”

Try our FREE iPad app in the App Store, download any of our Classic Reading Rainbow episodes on iTunes or learn more about Reading Rainbow and all our digital products at www.readingrainbow.com.

Art Appreciation! How the Picture Books We Love Mold the People We Become

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” ― Thomas Merton

Our theme this week is ART! The quote above is true not only of art, but of books, and of the art we find IN books. How many of our favorite books as children are the ones that have the most beautiful or evocative artwork? Our favorite stories–and our favorite works of art–are often the ones that whisk us away into far-off worlds.

My favorite picture-book as a kid was Pet of the Met by Lydia and Don Freeman. I loved Maestro Petrini and his sweeping gestures. I loved his little mouse family and their tiny backstage home.

Having children and picking out picture books for them allowed me to appreciate illustrators in a completely new and grown-up way. All too often I chose books for my kids based on the covers and the artwork inside. (I know you’re not supposed to do this, but with some of the visual feasts contemporary children’s books lay before us, how can we refuse?!)

Together my daughters and I have been whisked away by the bright colors of Lynn Plourde and Greg Couch’s Wild Child, we’ve been lulled to sleep by the ever-dimming nighttime images of Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd’s Goodnight Moon, and we’ve laughed and giggled over the crazy antics and vivacious illustrations of Jane O’Conner and Robin Preiss Glasser’s Fancy Nancy.

Reading picture books with beautiful illustrations does more than just entrance children when they’re young; the evocative art of picture books encourages attention to and appreciation of the world around them, and beyond that, emotional intelligence and self-reflection–qualities that stick with children for the rest of their lives.

The next time you or your child are tempted to choose a book based on its cover, consider giving in to the impulse. It doesn’t matter how young or old your children are, it’s never too early or too late to add some beauty to your library! And before you go, please share with us the names of YOUR favorite illustrators or beautifully illustrated children’s books!

Happy Reading!

Jenni Buchanan
Reading Rainbow Mom

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Reading Rainbow’s mission is to inspire a love of reading in children and connect them to the world they live in through quality literature so they believe that they, “can go anywhere, be anything.”

Try our FREE iPad app in the App Store, download any of our Classic Reading Rainbow episodes on iTunes or learn more about Reading Rainbow and all our digital products at www.readingrainbow.com.

Simply Irresistible–Quotes that Inspire Us to Read

It’s been so much fun exploring FAMILY READING this week! And thank you all especially for sharing your favorite inspiring quotes about reading–whether it be alone OR as a family! Here are some of our favorites of the quotes you shared with us. I hope you are as inspired by them as I am!

From Lin on Facebook: “See, this is my opinion: we all start out knowing magic. We are born with whirlwinds, forest fires, and comets inside us. We are born able to sing to birds and read the clouds and see our destiny in grains of sand. But then we get the magic educated right out of our souls. We get it churched out, spanked out, washed out, and combed out. We get put on the straight and narrow and told to be responsible. Told to act our age. Told to grow up, for God’s sake. And you know why we were told that? Because the people doing the telling were afraid of our wildness and youth, and because the magic we knew made them ashamed and sad of what they’d allowed to wither in themselves.”  -Robert McCammon, Boy’s Life

From Ariel on Facebook: “A book is the most effective weapon against intolerance and ignorance.” – Lyndon Baines Johnson

From @ehouserbroomeSC on Twitter: “Well a stump is a good place to rest. So the boy sat on the stump & the tree was happy.” -Shel Silverstein, The Giving Tree

From @DeaconEM540 on Twitter: “I cannot live without books; but fewer will suffice where amusement, and not use, is the only future object.”  -Thomas Jefferson

From @Tators_World on Twitter: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference” -Robert Frost

 
Happy Reading!

Jenni Buchanan
Reading Rainbow Mom

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Reading Rainbow’s mission is to inspire a love of reading in children and connect them to the world they live in through quality literature so they believe that they, “can go anywhere, be anything.”

Try our FREE iPad app in the App Store, download any of our Classic Reading Rainbow episodes on iTunes or learn more about Reading Rainbow and all our digital products at www.readingrainbow.com.

It’s Children’s Book Week–Let’s Celebrate!

By Nicole Deming of the Children’s Book Council

“There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.” ― Frank Serafini

Fact: The best week of the year is currently underway. May 13-19, 2013 marks the 94th annual Children’s Book Week, the coast-to-coast celebration of children’s books and the joy of reading. At this very moment across the country, teachers, parents and caregivers, publishers, booksellers, and kid lit and literacy advocates of all stripes are hosting read-alouds, open-mic story sessions, book-themed parties, author and illustrator events, and kid-on-lap storytelling at home – united by their shared commitment to making every child a reader. In fact, an unprecedented number of Children’s Book Week events are being held this year, from official events in 50+ cities to innumerable local celebrations. Take a look at the listings at bookweekonline.com for children’s book fun happening in your area.

Founded in 1919 by the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, Children’s Book Week is now sponsored by the Children’s Book Council (the national non-profit trade association for children’s book publishers), and administered by Every Child a Reader (a literacy foundation dedicated to instilling a life-long love of reading in children). Children’s Book Week is all about giving kids agency in their reading choices; we’ve seen that empowerment leads to engagement, which contributes to a life-long love of reading.

An annual highlight of the week is the announcement of the winners of the Children’s and Teen Choice Book Awards, a program that sprang from the idea that children should have a say in their reading choices. In its 6th year, the program – which is the only child-and-teen-chosen book awards of its kind – garnered over 1,000,000 votes from young readers across the country, who cast their ballots in classrooms, libraries, bookstores, and online. Winners were announced live at a gala celebration – truly the Academy Awards of children’s literature – on Monday. You can see which books kids voted to the top this year by clicking here.

How will you be celebrating Children’s Book Week with your young ones? We have some ideas!

• Visit www.bookweekonline.com for events, activities, freebies, and more!
• Check out the official CBW events and find local children’s book events happening in your area.
• Watch Monday’s Children’s Choice Book Awards ceremony — Sage advice from Henry Winkler, a rap by Meg Cabot, and a passing of the tiara from Brian Selznick to Robin Preiss Glasser all await you!
• Peruse our Book Week Celebration Ideas board on Pinterest for DIY Hobbit feet, Very Hungry Caterpillar balloon decorations, puppets, print-outs, and more book-related activities
• Watch author read-alouds featuring Oliver Jeffers, Eric Carle, Patrick Ness and more on our YouTube channel.
• Take a walk down memory lane with our Favorite Vintage Kids Books Pinterest board. Pick up some of your childhood faves from the library and share them with your children.

Have your best Children’s Book Week yet!

Nicole Deming is the Communications Manager, for The Children’s Book Council and Every Child A Reader

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Reading Rainbow thanks Nicole Deming and the Children’s Book Council for contributing this week’s guest blog post, and for the work they do all year round (but especially during Children’s Book Week) to inspire a love of reading in children so they believe that they, “can go anywhere, be anything.”

Try our FREE iPad app in the App Store, download any of our Classic Reading Rainbow episodes on iTunes or learn more about Reading Rainbow and all our digital products at www.readingrainbow.com.

A Reading Family Can Go Anywhere!

“Show me a family of readers, and I will show you the people who move the world.” ―Napoleon Bonaparte

Imagine taking your family on a trip to the beautiful beaches of Hawaii; or maybe to the mountains of New Zealand or the ancient castles of Europe. Imagine the memories you would make!

Now imagine that you could go somewhere even MORE amazing– To an underwater science station, around the world in a hot air balloon, or even to the surface of Mars!! What wild and wonderful memories a trip like that would give your family!

The magic of reading is that with books you can go to any of these places! Reading as a family allows you to visit different worlds together, and helps create memories that can never be forgotten. Reading as a family is fun!

According to a recent study by Scholastic and The Harrison Group, “Having reading role-model parents or a large book collection at home has more of an impact on kids’ reading frequency than does  household income.” No need for exotic vacations or expensive travel… all you need is to have books and fellow readers around you and, as Dr. Seuss says, “Oh the places you’ll go!”

The number of books a family might have lying around the home for kids to pick up has always been somewhat dependent on how much room a family has to store those books; but now, with the advent of ebooks, surrounding your family with books has never been easier! Interestingly, according to the study mentioned above, “half of children age 9–17 say they would read more books for fun if they had greater access to ebooks.“

The Reading Rainbow App provides kids and families with a HUGE library of ebooks AND video field trips, with new books and videos added every week! We have books on every topic–even books about family reading! These books are so much fun you will definitely want to read them as a family!

 Mooshka, A Quilt Story: A delightful, inter-generational bedtime story featuring a remarkable quilt and a reluctant new big sister.

 Say Daddy!: Mother shares a book about love, brother about friendship… Everyone in the family is eager to share books & have the newest member’s affection & attention. This fun family shows the bond that is created when you read aloud with someone you love.

 Flying!: A series of simple questions triggers a playful, imaginative exchange between a child and his father.

Reading together is the best gift you can give your family; but more than that, as the quote above points out, a reading family can move the world. So get out there– Get reading and get moving!

Happy Reading!

Jenni Buchanan
Reading Rainbow Mom

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Reading Rainbow’s mission is to inspire a love of reading in children and connect them to the world they live in through quality literature so they believe that they, “can go anywhere, be anything.”

Try our FREE iPad app in the App Store, download any of our Classic Reading Rainbow episodes on iTunes or learn more about Reading Rainbow and all our digital products at www.readingrainbow.com.

Raising Readers: Ten Tips for Fun Family Reading!

When my kids were very young I always worried (and still do, to be honest) that somehow I, an avid and passionate reader, would end up with kids who hated books. I wanted desperately to inspire them love reading–but how?

My kids are now 8 and 13, and both of them love to read. What I discovered as they were growing up was that raising readers wasn’t as hard as I had feared. After all, reading is fun, and reading as a family is even better! When you start out reading together, kids are more likely to continue on their own as they get older. And when kids see you reading and enjoying it, they’re more likely to pick up a book as well.

Today, in honor of our FAMILY READING theme of the week, I’ve put together a few ideas for things you can do as a family to encourage a joy of books:

1. Read to your kids at bedtime (or at mealtime, or after school, or whenever is convenient, but try to do it every day). This has been said many times before this, but it bears repeating. Kids never get too old to be read to.

2. Talk about the characters in the books you’re reading as if they were real people. For example: “If the Weasleys were our next door neighbors do you think we would be friends with them?” Or “Which of the bugs in James and the Giant Peach would make the best teacher?”

3. Act out scenes or stories that you’ve just read. Be Geppetto to your child’s Pinocchio, or Rumplestiltskin opposite the Miller’s Daughter. Bringing stories to life through role-play makes them memorable and fun.

4. Read a lot of different kinds of books. Don’t just focus on the classics, or just on the current fads; read many genres so your kids see the wide variety available to them.

5. Go to the library regularly, and let your kids be in charge while you’re there. Go once a week, once a month, whatever fits your schedule, but go regularly. The library gives your kids choices, freedom, and exposure; three things that are GREAT when it comes to raising readers.

6. Give books as gifts at times when kids traditionally get candy: In stockings, spring baskets, or when they lose a tooth… this makes books exciting and a treat. And it’s much better for their teeth!

7. Make books a part of your dinnertime conversation. Talk about what books you’re reading, what you think about them, what you want to read next. Show your kids that reading can be a social activity as well as a solitary one

8. Share fun and interesting trivia about your child’s favorite books or authors. Even just reading the dedication at the front, and the “About the Author” on the back flap of the book can be fascinating and illuminating to a young reader.

9. Have books in your home, in as many corners of your home as possible. The more books you have lying around to more likely it is your child will pick one up. This doesn’t mean you have to buy an entire bookstore; you can trade books with friends, borrow from the library, or find inexpensive books at garage sales or used book stores. Put books in places that will be impossible to resist.

10. Read in interesting and unusual places. Take Winnie the Pooh with you to the woods, bring Hansel and Gretel on your next hike. Or better yet, have the Reading Rainbow App Library with you wherever you go, ready to pull out the perfect book at the park, the beach, or even while waiting for your dinner in a restaurant!

It turns out there’s no trick or secret to raising kids who love books. All you have to do is make reading a natural part of your life, and they will incorporate it naturally into theirs.

Happy Reading!

Jenni Buchanan
Reading Rainbow Mom

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Reading Rainbow’s mission is to inspire a love of reading in children and connect them to the world they live in through quality literature so they believe that they, “can go anywhere, be anything.”

Try our FREE iPad app in the App Store, download any of our Classic Reading Rainbow episodes on iTunes or learn more about Reading Rainbow and all our digital products at www.readingrainbow.com.

LeVar Burton, Stephen Colbert, The Great Gatsby, And Other Beloved Books On The Big Screen

Earlier this week we had a delightful surprise when our own LeVar Burton showed up on The Colbert Report to “explain” The Great Gatsby to Stephen Colbert and Carey Mulligan… Reading Rainbow style! If you haven’t seen it you’re missing out! Click below and be prepared to laugh!

According to the Internet Movie Database, The Great Gatsby has been translated to film five times, which tells you something about how much we love having our favorite books made into movies. There’s something irresistible about taking characters we love out of the pages of a book and making them larger than life on the big screen. Here are some other beloved characters and stories that we believe have made successful transitions to film:

1. Alice in Wonderland. Alice has been taken out of the pages of Lewis Carroll’s quirky novel and put onto film no less than seven times! It seems that Alice, the Cheshire Cat, and the Mad Hatter are just too vivacious to be contained!

2. The Harry Potter Series. The World of Harry Potter was as full of magic and wonder on the big screen as it was in the pages of J.K. Rowling’s books. Definitely a successful transition.

3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Who wouldn’t love a world of chocolate and sweets, Oompa-Loompas and the triumph of generosity over selfishness? Charlie, Willy Wonka, and Grandpa Joe live with equal brilliance on the page or the screen. The only hard part is deciding which version made us drool the most!

4. Mathilda. Roald Dahl’s brilliant heroine captured our imaginations in the book, but she captured our hearts in the film.

5. Anne of Green Gables. The appeal of Anne is mostly in her delightful outlook and her internal dialogue, two things that would be very difficult to portray on screen, but Kevin Sullivan and Megan Follows succeeded brilliantly!

We know there are hundreds more movies out there based on beloved books, so please comment and tell us what we missed. What are some of YOUR favorite page-to-screen adaptions?

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Reading Rainbow’s mission is to inspire a love of reading in children and connect them to the world they live in through quality literature so they believe that they, “can go anywhere, be anything.”

Try our FREE iPad app in the App Store, download any of our Classic Reading Rainbow episodes on iTunes or learn more about Reading Rainbow and all our digital products at www.readingrainbow.com.

Families Give Thanks to Outstanding Educators this Teacher Appreciation Week

By Betsy Landers, National PTA President

In elementary school, students find little ways to say “thank you” every day: they pick flowers for their teachers at recess, they tell their teachers how great they are, and how much they love them. Classmates get together to make books or they bring in gifts for their teachers – “special” rocks from the playground, apples, and trinkets from vacation.

As children grow older, these random acts of kindness become less frequent—even as students become more aware of the enormous impact teachers have. Families recognize their hard work and dedication as they spend hours grading papers and creating lessons plans that engage students and meet them at their places of understanding. We know that teachers support entire families—not just their students—and help cultivate family-school partnerships that allow learning to thrive at home and in the classroom. We know how magnificent our teachers are; sometimes, we just need a reminder to say it out loud!

That is what PTA Teacher Appreciation Week is all about. This May 6-10, families have a chance to thank the educators who shape young minds every day and help prepare students long term for college and career. And even though we will never have enough ways to say “thank you”, we want to express our admiration and respect for teachers around the country. We have dedicated the latest issue of Our Children magazine to outstanding educators, and the dedication they show day in and day out. On our National PTA Pinterest boards, we have shared ideas that families can use to tell a teacher who special he or she is. We also have resources available on PTA.org, including certificates of appreciation and social media avatars that everyone can use to show they care.

During PTA Teacher Appreciation Week, let us make sure that teachers know that their efforts are noticed and valued. Sometimes a simple “thank you” can make all the difference! What will you do to say “thank you”? Tell us via social media using hashtag #ThankaTeacher.

Betsy Landers is the National PTA President. Landers and her husband Ben G. Landers have three children and live in Tennessee.

 

 

 

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Reading Rainbow thanks Betsy Landers and the National PTA for contributing this week’s guest blog post, and for their ongoing support of teachers who are often the first to inspire a love of reading in children so they believe that they, “can go anywhere, be anything.”

Try our FREE iPad app in the App Store, download any of our Classic Reading Rainbow episodes on iTunes or learn more about Reading Rainbow and all our digital products at www.readingrainbow.com.

Finding Teachers in Unexpected Places

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” -Henry Brooks Adams

Where would we be without teachers? Teachers are the people who answer our questions, and who open our eyes to new worlds and opportunities. Great teachers are the ones who inspire us to ask more questions, to never stop being curious and learning new things. And the best teachers become that voice in our head, constantly encouraging us to do and be more than the sum of our parts.

When we think of teachers we generally think of the traditional educator in front of a classroom of students, but the beautiful truth is that teachers can be found just about everywhere: In classrooms, in books, in parents, in friends or public figures… even our children teach us valuable lessons.

With this in mind, we’d like to spotlight this week a few books in our app that highlight the important work teachers do… whether they be those exceptional teachers we come across in school, or the influential people in our lives outside of school:

 

Carmen Learns English – It is the first day of school, and Carmen is nervous because no one in her class speaks Spanish except her teacher, whose Spanish is muy terrible!

 

 

 

First Grade Stinks! – Haley is excited to be starting first grade, until she finds out there is no share time, only one recess, and writing is hard. Now she thinks first grade stinks! But then her teacher tells her something that changes her mind…

 

 

The Music in Derrick’s Heart – Derrick’s uncle teaches him how to play the harmonica from his heart.

 

 

Who are the important teachers in YOUR life? Are they people you see every day? Authors or public figures who inspire you? Or perhaps your important teachers have been characters in books that capture your imagination? Whoever your influential teachers have been, take a moment during Teacher Appreciation Week to reach out and let them know what an impact they’ve had on your life.

Happy Reading!

Jenni Buchanan
Reading Rainbow Mom

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Reading Rainbow’s mission is to inspire a love of reading in children and connect them to the world they live in through quality literature so they believe that they, “can go anywhere, be anything.”

Try our FREE iPad app in the App Store, download any of our Classic Reading Rainbow episodes on iTunes or learn more about Reading Rainbow and all our digital products at www.readingrainbow.com.