Posts filed under 'RIF Multicultural Literacy Campaign'
Only One Year by Andrea Cheng and illustrations by Nicole Wong. 2010. Lee and Low Books Inc. Grades 2-5 (But a book with a clear message for both youth and adults).
It’s International Literacy Day! Check out this statement about the beginnings of the special day through UNESCO 45 years ago as well as the special focus this year on women’s literacy. Today is therefore a good day for all of us to think about our own attitudes, reading habits, messages given related to international literacy.
For some time I have been carrying with me the small book pictured here: Only One Year. I first saw this book on a colleague’s desk and was drawn to the cover art and the small size of the book; I borrowed it thinking it might be a good one for a Monday COVER STORY*. But then I read the jacket flap and was so puzzled I had to read the book right then which disqualified the book from COVER STORY; I don’t read a text before it appears as a COVER STORY.
DiDi, the two-year-old in Mother’s arms will be sent to China for a year to live with the children’s grandparents as it is a transition year during which Mother will return to full-time work outside the home. Sisters Sharon and Mary are very upset over this development and just want to know why in the world DiDi can’t go to a sitter like other children do! Mother and Father patiently and lovingly explain why they feel it is best to have DiDi with family, learning the family’s native language, being with loving grandparents while so very young.
Why was I puzzled, bothered even more after reading the book? More than anything I was put out with myself that I was bothered! It was quite foreign to my system to consider sending a child so young away for a year, so very far away! But then, as I read further and thought about it long and hard, I realized this is a “window” book for me, a window on a value system, a window on beliefs different from mine as a result of the culture in which I was raised. When posting a WEDNESDAY WINDOW I have stated “Wednesday Window features books and/or information which illustrate the ‘Windows’ portion of the paper Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors, a paper stating a critical component of RIF’s multicultural literacy campaign. Reading the Lee and Low BookTalk with author Cheng was very helpful to me in sorting through my feelings on the topic.
So now this small book is seldom out of my sightline when I am sitting at my desk; it is there to remind me I, too, must remember to be open to windows on the world showing differences from my world as I know it.
Small book, big meaning.
Carol
Twitter: @RascoFromRIF
*(Cover Story is a feature every Monday on Rasco From RIF where I share with you the “face” of a book that has caught my eye or that readers have submitted. Cover Story does not discuss the content of the book.)
September 8th, 2010
The word “read” in Native Languages courtesy of Debbie Reese who wrote: Tulsa City-County Library has given permission for people to use this graphic for educational, non-commercial purposes. If you have questions please contact Sue Anderson at sanders@tulsalibrary.org. Thank you, Debbie!
August 26th, 2010
BAXTER, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher by Laurel Snyder and illustrated by David Goldin. 2010. Tricycle Press.
The RIF staff has awaited this book with great anticipation as Laurel gave us a few sneak peak thoughts about Baxter when she visited RIF in October 2009. Baxter did not disappoint us yesterday once the delivery man arrived with the book!
For someone like me who grew up in a small southern town with no synagogue nor Jewish community presence, Baxter was a great educator as I read and re-read his story last evening as well as the note from Laurel at the end of the book followed by the glossary. And other definitions and “feelings” came across clearly in Baxter’s story. Baxter is waiting at the bus stop one day and learns from an older individual waiting for the bus as well that the man is excited about dinner that evening, a dinner to celebrate what the man called the “beginning of Shabbat.” Baxter thought all week about his favorite part of the man’s description of dinner “The candles gleam and glow and dance while our sweetest voices lift in song!” Baxter had never seen dancing candles and the whole event sounded so neat. The following week the man did not show up at the bus stop but another man whom Baxter approached scoffed that Baxter wanted to be part of a Shabbat dinner as he told Baxter he could not do such, that “You’re not kosher.” And with that the gentleman boarded his bus and was gone. The adventures begin for Baxter and are laugh out loud funny. And the education of Ms. Rasco here began as well.
PEOPLE /CHARACTERS
Baxter is my favorite character followed by Rabbi Rosen who rescued Baxter in his confusion.
WORDS
Like Baxter, I like that phrase about the dancing candles as it gave me the family feel I experience with my own extended family during special meals.
SEQUENCES
Baxter’s attempts to become “kosher” are a stitch…eating pickles until he smelled pickled, eating raisin challah until he decided after five loaves he surely must be kosher if not “too kosher” and finally his attempt to become bovine after being told “cows are kosher.” OH, me, children are going to squeal with laughter!
ART
Goldin’s just right mix of photos and drawings make the whimsy of Baxter come alive without detracting from the message.
AND I TAKE WITH ME…
New understandings about Jewish customs, a delighted discovery there can be laughter surrounding terms like “kosher” and a way to share some of the Jewish traditions and beliefs with young children I know who like me aren’t growing up in a community where they will naturally hear of them, learn about them. Thank you, Laurel!
Happy Reading!
Carol
Twitter: @RascoFromRIF
The format for my book discussions is outlined in an earlier posting. Please scroll down into the post for the explanation.
Wednesday Window features books and/or information which illustrate the “Windows” portion of the paper “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors.”
August 25th, 2010
Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) congratulates publisher Lee and Low on your 11th year of the New Voices Writers Award! This award addresses a key issue on which RIF is seeking to advocate in our Multicultural Literacy Campaign. Books are powerful mirrors and windows for all of us; children need more selections in both the “mirrors” and the “windows” categories, especially books sharing the populations for which you seek authors in this competition. RIF also commends you for seeking manuscripts in not only fiction but also poetry and non-fiction.
Thank you Lee and Low for recognizing this need in children’s literature; we look forward to learning about the 2010 results!
Happy Reading!
Carol
August 17th, 2010
What a special morning at Books of Wonder in New York City as children from St. Aloysius Education Clinic heard Susan Sarandon read Wild About Books and talked with her about books, movies, and more as RIF and Macy’s launched the fifth year of Book A Brighter Future. Wild animal masks for each child, a multicultural book distribution with Susan helping each child place her/his name in the chosen books, cupcakes, and wild animal bingo were all part of the experience for the children who left with yellow backpacks stuffed with books and literacy goodies! A special morning for a special cause – now it’s time for some serious shopping at Macy’s!
June 30th, 2010
In late spring several RIF national staff travelled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to attend a Jean Dean RIF distribution and the National Latino Children’s Literature Conference at the University of Alabama. Both events were a tremendous success and indicative of the commitment of community leaders found across the nation to improve upon literacy in our communities.
RIF national would like to send a special thanks to Cathy Gafford for her tireless efforts to ensure so many children across the state of Alabama are able to receive books. Jean Dean RIF and the West Alabama Kiwanians celebrated their 20th year of service and RIF national was glad to be a part of this commemorative celebration at the Tuscaloosa Head Start. The students were excited to have their third and final book distribution for the school year and wished to read every book they received simultaneously during the read-a-loud.
The National Latino Children’s Literature Conference, themed “Connecting Cultures and Celebrating Cuentos (Stories/Tales),” was quite electrifying with keynote addresses from the co-founder of the Pura Belpré Award, Oralia Garza de Cortes, award-winning children’s author and widely published scholar, Monica Brown and Pura Belpré Award-winning illustrator, Rafael Lopez,. In addition to these exciting addresses RIF staff was able to connect with numerous librarians, community activists, and grassroots volunteers from around the country.
These two events represented the hard work and dedication of many individuals, collectively working to improve literacy within our communities. By opening internal and external worlds through books we are able to build interest and a love for reading.
Happy Reading!
Carol
June 22nd, 2010
A Capitol Hill staffer shows off the book he selected!
Hi! This is Krista Heckler, Manager of Government Relations at RIF. Recently RIF held an exciting event on Capitol Hill, our 5th annual “See What’s Brewing with RIF” in the Gold Room of the Rayburn House Office Building. Members of Congress, schedulers, and education legislative assistants dropped by and were treated to specialty coffees, fresh fruit smoothies, and the opportunity to frost their own delicious cupcakes. Visitors also met Riffington, the RIF mascot, and had a picture made with him as well as chose from an array of multicultural children’s books a book to keep just as children do at RIF book distributions across the country.
RIF appreciates the support of Macy’s in sponsoring this year’s event which gave members of Congress and their staff the opportunity not only for some “child-like fun” but also to visit with RIF staff to learn more about new and exciting programming by RIF for children and families in their districts and states.
Happy Reading!
Krista
June 8th, 2010
WHO BELONGS HERE? by Margy Burns Knight and illustrated by Anne Sibley O’Brien caught my eye first by title…a timely question today as it was in 1993 when published by Tilbury House. The illustrations by O’Brien are inviting and for me show a group, not individuals standing together solely as individuals; I particularly like the highlighted faces of the children.
Happy Reading!
Carol
Twitter: @RascoFromRIF
Cover Story is a feature every Monday on Rasco From RIF where I share with you the “face” of a book that has caught my eye or that readers have submitted. Cover Story does not discuss the content of the book. I hope you will share your favorite “cover story” with me now and then!
May 17th, 2010
Ooops, I meant to post this yesterday but found the wi-fi site I frequent on the mountain closed “early” and therefore, no posting Saturday afternoon.
Week two in the new office finds RIF settling in and working full steam ahead on upcoming activities: “See What’s Brewing” on the Hill this week and the week of May 24 our spring Board meeting, Gala, visits by our national Volunteers of the Year and both our Literature Advisory Board and Multicultural Advisory Committee. Is this best called “piling it on” ourselves? It will be fun!
COTY: Looking in the rear view mirror, last week was kicked off by a delightful train trip to Stamford, Connecticut where RIF Board member Juanita James of Pitney Bowes was honored by the City of Stamford and the Jewish War Veterans Fred Robbins post 142 as the 65th Stamford Citizen of the Year (COTY). A room at the Italian Center the native Stamford citizens told me is regularly limited to 350-400 guests was packed with 550 individuals present to honor Juanita; quite a tribute, eh? And these folks know how to run a tribute program….an hour of great visiting in advance, dinner, scholarship presentations, and a fun Larry King Live production featuring Juanita followed by a formal presentation of her through remarks of her husband and son, Juanita’s acceptance and voila, it was only 9:15 p.m….plenty of time for more visiting by those who wished to do so! Without question the highlight of the evening was Juanita’s son Dudley N. Williams III presenting his mother – no dry eyes in the room and the most genuine mother/son love you could hope to find in a presentation. Congratulations, Juanita and family, we are so proud to work alongside you!
Pictures below: (1) Squint and you will see it is truly Larry King Live with Juanita as the guest! (2) Dudley III presents his mom. (3) Juanita accepts the award.
DCI: A few years ago as a 40th RIF anniversary gift to the children of DC, RIF national took on the task of directly coordinating the RIF Books for Ownership program within the DC Public Schools; we call it the DC Initiative or DCI. Working in cooperation with a designated lead at each school, RIF closes its office doors three days a year to spend time “walking the walk” in more than 40 schools. It is a time of learning for us and for renewing our dedication to RIF’s mission. This year we have used as the theme for the three distributions the particular culturally designated celebration in the month of the distribution…last week’s distribution was in honor of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month. DC’s Martin Luther King Jr. elementary school has been paired this year for each distribution with students at Tyson William Elementary School in Anchorage, Alaska for a Skype experience each distribution; read more about the Dragon dance and these great students!
BookSpring of Austin: I learned through Twitter this week Supt. Carstarphen of Austin visited a RIF site at Barrington Elementary overseen by BookSpring in recent days. She found upon entering the library that it was camping time! What a great way to lead into summer reading – reminding our students in fun ways how important it is for them to continue their reading, expand their reading horizons!
HALF THE SKY: Finally, early in the week I completed this book by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn; it is a tough book to read…tough emotionally, tough intellectually to genuinely absorb “yes, this is all really happening to women and girls around the world.” I’ll write more later, but you need to put HALF THE SKY: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide on your reading list, the “must” read side of the list!
Wishing you all best wishes as you start the new week, Happy Reading!
Carol
Twitter: @RascofromRIF
May 16th, 2010
(l to r) Guido Stoye (Leipzig), Rasco, Backus, Roswitha Kopp (Frankfurt), Ulrike Wiesner (State Dept.)
The RIF office is currently a maze of containers large and small full of things to be moved to the new office, bins full of old, old files to be shredded, trash barrels, furniture marked to go or to stay….so what a delightful respite to this swirl of activity and dust for Cammie Backus of RIF and myself to be able to visit this morning with librarians from Germany visiting America through the U. S. Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program. As so often happens we did not have near enough time together and in particular, we at RIF selfishly did not get to learn as much about their programs as we would have liked. Our visitors were eager to hear about literacy and libraries and RIF’s role here in the USA. We quickly realized many commonalities….motivating parents to read to their young children, how to assure more literacy training among children in child care at the earliest ages, what to do about boys and reading given the “gap” problem, how to have more affordable books for more children with books that indeed reflect the many cultures present in communities, creating excitement about reading for children struggling to learn to read.
Thank you Roswitha, Guido, and Ulrike for sharing your morning with us!
Happy Reading!
Carol
Twitter: @RascofromRIF
April 16th, 2010
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