Each week The Storehouse Foodbank is able to give out children’s books that are supplied to us by County Kids Read. The families love the books and have told us over and over how they have helped their children learn to read better. The books have also helped the adults read better too! We are so grateful to County Kids Read for helping our clients.
County Kids Read and Sophiasburgh Public School - New Beginnings
On Monday, January 15th County Kids Read and Sophiasburgh Public School launched a new partnership. Every student in the school received a free book to call his or her own. Classes came to the library to choose their books. Before choosing their books, the students were read a story and discussed how to choose a "just right book". When asked why reading was important, student answers included "to learn more information", "to have an adventure", and this from grade 4/5 student, "because reading is fun". And fun it was - a delightful morning!
Each month County Kids Read will visit the two or three classes to distribute free books and have fun.
Countykidsread.ca Website Launch
If you are reading this you have found our new website! We hope that you find it easy to navigate, pleasing to look at, and informative about County Kids Read. The website is an invaluable tool for us to communicate with you, but we also encourage you to use it to communicate with us. We are excited about the website, but it wouldn’t have come about without the infectious enthusiasm, artistic flare, and tech-savvy help of Sarah Selecky and Janna Smith, and the support of the PEC Arts Council. Kudos and thanks from County Kids Read!
A Gift from St. Andrew's Parish of Kente Endowment Fund
This summer County Kids Read applied for support from St. Andrew’s Anglican Parish in Wellington. Recently, we were very surprised and grateful to receive a generous gift from their Endowment Fund. Because of this gift we are able to obtain much needed board books for infants and toddlers as well as graphic novels for older children. Many thanks to St. Andrew’s Anglican Parish of Kente!
Generous Support from our Community
At The Maker's Hand, Arlene Wilkinson from Nightingales Spa approached Anne Preston to let her know that a group of women in Bloomfield (they called themselves B-6) had for many years put together funds to create Christmas baskets for Alternatives for Women. As the years progressed, many members of the group moved away from Bloomfield, but Arlene and Caroline Shuttle carried on with the tradition. This year, they decided to donate some money to the Alternatives Christmas dinner and some money to County Kids Read - to our great delight! Many thanks Arlene and Caroline.
Also a big thank you to Carolynn Whiteley and the Milford Tai Chi group for their donation to County Kids Read.
The Maker's Hand 2017
County Kids Read was the featured charity at this year’s The Maker’s Hand, an annual show and sale in Picton featuring artisans from eastern Ontario and Quebec, organized by the Prince Edward County Arts Council. Being part of such an established show was both an honour and an opportunity to spread the word about our program. The draw for a basket of children's books was won by Sandra Clark. Congratulations Sandra!
We will be able to purchase books with the money donated by people who visited our table. We are particularly in need of board books for very young children, early reader books, chapter books and non-fiction books.
Thanks to everyone for their continued support of our program.
ANNE PRESTON PRESENTS DRAW WINNER, SANDRA CLARK, HER BASKET OF BOOKS
Canada 150th Grant
Giving children access to authors and books may be the most effective and overlooked solution to ensure that children attend school with the tools they need to succeed. County Kids Read was pleased to receive a grant from the Prince Edward County Community Foundation Community Fund for Canada’s 150th.
The grant enabled the students from Queen Elizabeth Public School to experience 2 live presentations from Canadian authors. The experience of a live author presentation broadens the horizons of students, and encourages a love of reading and creative writing.
In May, Cary Fagan spoke to grades one, two and three students at Queen Elizabeth School and read from his latest book, Little Blue Chair. After the presentation, each child was given a signed copy of the book. Cary has written award-winning books for both adults and children. His picture books are Gogol’s Coat, The Market Wedding, Ten Old Men and a Mouse, and My New Shirt. His novels for children include Daughter of the Great Zandini, The Fortress of Kaspar Snit (Silver Birch Honor Book), and Directed by Kaspar Snit (Silver Birch nominee).
Wesley King, who visited Queen Elizabeth School in October, is the author of the Edgar Award–winning OCDaniel, which Booklist praised, “This perceptive first-person narrative is sometimes painful, sometimes amusing, and always rewarding,” in a starred review. His first middle grade novel, The Incredible Space Raiders from Space!, was called “a well-drafted coming-of-age story” that “will keep [readers] turning pages” by Publishers Weekly. King is also the author of The Vindico and its sequel, The Feros, which were both Junior Library Guild selections.
Wesley spoke with the students about ideas, creative writing and reading. Each student received a signed copy of his latest book OC Daniel at the conclusion of his visit.
Wesley King speaks to students at Queen Elizabeth School in Picton, October 2017
Cary Fagan reads his book Little Blue Chair to a rapt audience at Queen Elizabeth School, May 2017