Families

Check out this out of this galaxy must read list! This list is sure to inspire children to explore the wonders of the universe. Parents and caregivers we recommend reading these books with your elementary age children. Little Kids' First Big Book of Space By Catherine Hughes and David Aguilar, ...

By: AuntieCam, Guest Blogger  As March gets underway, many communities will celebrate Fat Tuesday, the last day before the Christian season of Lent.  Those in Texas may be most familiar with Mardi Gras, an event most often associated with New Orleans, but the same day is referred to as Carnival ...

By: Ashley Hawes, JLA Volunteer As the world grows increasingly smaller due to connectivity through the internet and global travel, children’s books should represent the myriad of cultures and faces that exist within a quick search on the internet or a walk through the street in any metropolitan area. Children, ...

By: Nicky and Sam Ellis - Guest Bloggers of Horse Foals Man and horse have shared a strong bond for thousands of years. Horses are very friendly and one of the gentlest animals. Despite their size and height, most horses have an inherently kind temperament. Many specialists from the equestrian discipline and ...

GO programs engaging caregivers and children through motivational activities in read alouds and book giveaways.  This holiday season curl up with the family and some good books. Take turns reading pages aloud and pause to ask questions and discuss among one another characters, plot, and more. Books serve as a ...

By Emily Ball Cicchini, Executive Director The tradition of book gifting has been studied scientifically by researchers in education and healthcare for many years.  Practices include bookmobiles, little free libraries, and other early literacy interventions and social programs at the regional, national, and global levels. We at BookSpring look to ...

By: Rebecca Shah In our house there are about 15 minutes after supper and before we start the bedtime routine that are often challenging for our five-year-old and two-year-old (and, frankly, for us). The kids are tired and grumpy. It feels impossible to share and absolutely necessary to burst into ...

Over Half of Austin Children Reading on Mobile Devices A wide body of research consistently shows that reading is one of the most important indicators of personal and professional success, and yet, historically we have known very little about why children and families choose to read. Now, a new reading ...

Manor Independent School District (MISD) has been celebrating literacy all summer long! Children and families can explore reading aboard the "Reading on the Go" Manor book bus. The traveling book bus has been making stops around Manor helping families build their book collection one book at a time. Through a ...

Greater Austin Area My Brother’s Keeper (GAAMBK) is an offshoot of the national movement My Brother’s Keeper. The initiative, created by former President Barack Obama, addresses the challenges that young men of color face. The GAAMBK initiative kicked off on March 8, 2015 at SXSWedu. This initiative is a collaboration among city, county, ...

by Mateo Ibranji 54% of parents do not read aloud A new survey shows how far we have to go to encourage parents to read aloud to their children. Conducted by Read Aloud 15 Minutes, a national campaign to increase reading aloud at home, the report shows that fewer than half (46%) ...

Submitted by Kaye and Randy Patterson, Champions of BookSpring Being a Grandparent is great!! For many years as a parent, there was always the worry that decisions on raising your children wouldn't prove to be right. The arrival of grandchildren (and recently a great-grand daughter) tends to ratify the choices ...

From NPR: "Talk, Sing, Read, Write, Play: How Libraries Reach Kids Before They Can Read" From Zero to Three: "Behavior and Development: The First Three Years" From Get Ready to Read: "Early Literacy" From Reading Rockets: "Early Literacy Development" From The National Association for the Education of Young Children: "The ...