Raising Readers
As a busy Mom of three small children, I am always looking for new ways to give books a special place in my children's lives. That's why, with over 40 authors and illustrators, the Rochester Children's Book Festival is always on our family calendar for November. This free family festival started 19 years ago and highlights authors and illustrators, some of whom are native to the Rochester area and others who travel to Rochester from around the country.
How to Raise Readers
- Read to your children daily. Have a set time and stick to it. Just like brushing teeth or bath time, making reading a daily habit is an important gift you can give your children. And you can make it fun by reading in silly voices!
- Ask your children to read to you daily. Even before you think they really can, there are so many pre-reading strategies they are working on. Pre-readers can 'read' from memory and create their own stories based on illustrations. This exposure also develops reader directionality from left to right.
- Make a date to visit your local library for story time. Put it on the calendar each week and let your kids look forward to it. Try out new libraries!
- Stop and ask questions about the book you are reading together. Discuss the books your child is reading on his own or in school.
- Make books accessible. Keep a book basket in the car and another in the garage to set out during outdoor play. Keep books in your purse or diaper bag to pull out at restaurants, doctor visits, etc.
- Set the example. Let your children see you read for pleasure, even for a few minutes every day. Bonus points if it's a book with real pages!
- At the grocery store, ask for help reading labels. Pre-readers can help too. “I need to find the milk. What does milk start with? M? Oh, good. Let's look for the M together!”
- Help your children make fun book reports using craft materials or film them reporting on camera.
- Many elementary teachers have some form of DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) time. You can incorporate this into your day by choosing a time when everyone – adults included – grabs a book and finds a comfy spot. For that half hour, no noise, no phones, no tv – just the quiet hush of turning pages. This would be a perfect way to wind down before bedtime or after a hectic day at school.
- Make a list of your favorite childhood books. Find them in the library or bookstore and share them with your children. They will love them even more knowing that they were an important part of Mom or Dad's childhood.
Visiting the Rochester Children's Book Festival
After making the short drive over to Monroe Community College, we follow the signs around campus to the R. Thomas Flynn Campus Center building. My kids love to start out downstairs at Busy Bookworm Place. This room is filled with free crafts for children to make and take home. The best part is, each craft is inspired by a book from one of the invited authors or illustrators. When we're done, we head upstairs to the Author Mall to meet the authors and illustrators who created the books on which our crafts are based. Last year we couldn't wait to find James Howe and show him our Bunnicula ears and face paint! This year we'll be sure to find Alyssa Capucilli and congratulate her on the 20th anniversary of her popular Biscuit series.
SAVE THE DATE Rochester Children's Book Festival, November 7th (10am-pm) Visit www.RCBFest.com for schedule of events and see who will be presenting and reading at the Festival this year.
Each child in our family picks out a new book and has it signed! The kids love to ask questions, and the authors and illustrators are always so kind and enjoy taking the time to tell stories about their work. Presenting Sponsor, Liftbridge Book Shop, is an independent book store located in Brockport, New York. After we browse all of the author tables, we head over to Read-to-me Corner. We have heard firefighters, police officers, Curious George, and even Amelia Bedelia herself make guest appearances there. It is so exciting to sit and listen as our favorite authors and celebrity readers read to us. We can't wait to see who will be there this year! (Hint: He's a furry, red monster and my one year old is going to flip when she meets him!)
Another outstanding aspect of the Festival is the Author and Illustrator Presentations on the craft of writing and illustrating. There are so many to choose from throughout the day. We love to listen to an author talk about where her idea came from or about his childhood in the Rochester area. Watching illustrators draw our favorite characters is the best! Sponsors of the Festival host tables of information about various agencies in the Rochester community and are full of fun freebies. There is a special corner where Literature Loving Dogs and their handlers sit patiently and listen as children read to them. There is just so much for children and adults to enjoy at this free family festival.
Festival Directors, Kathleen Blasi and Elizabeth Falk, who have raised readers of their own, are committed to raising readers in our community. As directors and authors, they work all year with a committee of volunteers, to provide one memorable day for readers of all ages to come and celebrate books. Kathleen and Elizabeth are the 2015 recipients of the New York State Reading Association's Literacy Award. The Rochester Area Literacy Council nominated the festival directors for this prestigious award and continue to be sponsors of the Festival. See you in November!
Sarah Mead is a coordinator for the Rochester Children's Book Festival.
