Why Summer Reading is a Must!

Posted on by Kristy Jo Volchko

Summer is finally heeeyar! And no doubt that after the (insanely) long winter, kids want to play in the dirt, dance in the rain, and bask in the sun. (So do we!) Although I couldn’t agree more with lots of outside play and imaginations gone wild, they must be reading. Everyday.

Summer reading not only helps them retain what they’ve learned during the school year, it further develops and prepares them for the next. Some benefits include improved literacy and comprehension skills, stress reduction, sharpened focus, and increased knowledge and imagination. Besides being a super-fun way to exercise that brain, reading stimulates, entertains, and motivates! 

A local library or online summer reading program is a great way to get excited and can be a solid motivator in achieving their summer reading goals. They can participate anywhere, see other children reading for fun, choose from an endless variety of topics and adventures, win prizes, and grow confident in their reading abilities. Libraries rock!

Have many books/kid-friendly magazines in sight, read yourself (they learn by example), make story time a priority, go with them to the library, or take advantage of flea market/garage sale season, just fill those arms with BOOOOOKS!

Summer Reading Kickoff Event 2023

Carnegie Library Pittsburgh  

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Happy World Read Aloud Day 2023!

Posted on by Kristy Jo Volchko

Happy World Read Aloud Day, book lovers!

What better way to celebrate books and reading than to spend an entire day reading out loud? We can all agree that not only is it super-fun to read aloud with your favorite bunch (teachers, pals, little brother, cat, goldfish), but here are a few ways it’s great for ya!

* Bonding time! (Aww.)

* Reading aloud builds vocabulary.

* Bedtime stories = cozier sleep. (Am I right?)

* Reading aloud also exercises that brain!

* Develops deeper empathy and emotional awareness. (That’s nice.)

* Improves memory and brain agility.

* Stress reduction. (Yes!)

* Sharpens creativity.

* Builds an even stronger love for books and literature.


So, remember to grab a book, grab a pal, read aloud, and read it PROUD! Happy Reading!

KRISTY JO VOLCHKO is an award-winning, multi-genre author, poet, blogger, book reviewer, and human rights activist.

Kristy Jo Volchko Books : Amazon 

April is National Frog Month!

Posted on by Kristy Jo Volchko

April is National Frog Month and Cackleberry Creek is celebrating! Come join Lulu & Mama Frog, Bill-the-wise-old-bullfrog, and the rest of the gang as they honor their fab-amphibian friends! #FrogsRock 

Did you know?

Frogs are (mostly) carnivorous amphibians.

A person who studies frogs (and other kinds of amphibians) is called a Herpetologist.

There are over 5,800 different species of frogs wearing a multitude of colors. Fabulous!

Some frogs have lived up to a whopping 30 years!

Some frogs camouflage their color, blending into the environment to avoid predators.

Frogs have been around so long they’ve hung out with dinosaurs.

Frogs can hop more than 20 times their body length.

The teeniest frog is the world is the Paedophryne amauensis from New Guinea, measuring only .27 inches long.

The largest living frog in the world is the Goliath Frog, which can grow more than 14 inches long and weight over 6.8 pounds.     

Frogs can hold their breath for 5-7 hours at a time. Wow!

Frogs cannot survive in Antarctica.    

A croaking Bullfrog can be heard a whole mile away.

More affectionate frogs like to embrace in a cuddly hug known as amplexus.

Frogs are completely without ribs or diaphragm.

Frogs are cold-blooded critters.

A group of frogs is called an ‘army.’

Once a week the frog will completely shed its skin and then eat it for the nutrients.

Frogs’ favorite snacks are (apparently its own skin) aquatic plants, algae, mosquito larvae, crickets, mealworms, and fruit flies but some larger frogs will eat mollusks, fish, mice, birds, and reptiles.

There are roughly 1000 frogs on the endangered list today.    

How you can help

PBS Endangered Frogs List  

 

Love a great frog story?

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Check out these #FrogFilled #MustReads!  

Frogs Can Fly

There Are No Monsters…

The Clubhouse Cabobble

Operation Scrub-A-Dub Skunk

The ABCs of Cackleberry Creek 

Nurturing Your Future Bookworm-Inspiring Kids to Love Reading

Posted on by Kristy Jo Volchko

Getting children to be enthusiastic about reading can sometimes be a challenge. Compared to the television, with all of its stimulating jingles, colors, and characters, reading may seem quite boring. That’s why the earlier they begin their lifelong love of books, the better. Books with vibrant art, rhyming, and lively characters is a great place to start. Soon they’ll be hungry for new words, worlds, and of course, special time with you.   

*Make sure to read with them daily. Although schedules get hectic, carving out 15 minutes for a story goes a long way.  

* Take turns reading aloud, alternating pages.

*Use funny voices or accents sometimes just for fun.

*Get them a library card and show them how to use it. Spend time there together and allow them to choose subjects of interest. You may also want to participate in some of the activities/programs that your branch has to offer.     

*Bring them to the used bookstore for new reads and encourage them to donate or share books they’ve outgrown.

*Make story time your uninterrupted one on one time together.

*Laugh! Reading should be enjoyable and fun.

*Discuss the story and characters- always encourage questions. Rouse their imagination by asking how they would’ve chosen the story to end or what happens afterward.        

*Have lots of literature at home and available to them. Make it a fun project to build and decorate a bookcase for their bedroom filled with favorite books.

*Prompt them to bring books along for trips, car time, waiting areas, picnics, etc. 

*Teach them to respect books, their pages, and to take good care of them. Allow them to develop a bond with reading in general.  

*Create decorative book markers together for every season for some craft time fun.

*Be an example. If kids see that reading is your norm, it’ll be theirs.

*Most of all, inspire them to make books and reading a part of their everyday life. Read signs, menus, games, flash cards, magazines, comic books, etc. Take them to libraries, bookstores, annual book sales, and flea market tables. Sound things out together, teach alternative meanings, challenge, and praise them often.

“What is another word for mommy?” Bibliophile. Bibliophagist. Logophile. Bibliomaniac. Bookworm. Happy.           

Summer Reading 2018

Posted on by Kristy Jo Volchko

Summer vacation is almost here and that means lots of sunshine, campfires, baseball games, road trips, roller coasters, fireworks, barbecues, cannonballs into the pool, and Summer Reading 2018! Encouraging your child to stay on top of their reading maintains literacy, strengthens critical thinking skills, keeps them from falling behind, supports their reading development, builds vocabulary, and nurtures a lifelong love of books. All great stuff, right?

VISIT THE LIBRARY

Getting kids involved in their local library is important for many reasons. In addition to the various Summer Reading Programs, access to free books, magazines, audio books, music, and internet, there are opportunities to volunteer, find a reading buddy or tutor, and be in an environment where other kids are reading for fun. Most libraries have some sort of Summer Reading Program so stop on in and let the fun begin!

“A library card is the start of a lifelong adventure.” Lilian Jackson Braun

“I have found that the most valuable thing in my wallet is my library card.” Laura Bush

“The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.” Albert Einstein

“Getting my library card was like citizenship: it was like American citizenship.” Oprah Winfrey

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SUMMER READING GOALS

Whether kids are getting their books from libraries, bookstores, or online apps, setting aside 20 minutes or more for reading should be an essential part of their daily routine. Create a snazzy chart, graph, or poster to record daily, weekly, or monthly reading goals, use incentives, and reward progress. A promised shopping spree at Barnes&Noble or Half Price Books goes a long way!

INCENTIVES

Reward them with the key to a locked treasure chest filled with surprise goodies. The wonder and anticipation of what’s inside is a huge motivator. Fill it with stickers, baseball cards, bookmarks, ear buds, sidewalk chalk, crayons, markers, UNO, Crazy Eights, Old Maid, or Go Fish cards, Jacks, a journal, shiny marbles, colored stones, beads…the possibilities are endless!

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  • A magazine subscription for Highlights, National Geographic Kids, Story Monsters Ink, or any subject of particular interest (dance, science, sports, fashion, cars).
  • Tickets to an upcoming sporting event, concert, or movie they’ve been wanting to see.
  • A gift certificate to Amazon, Barnes&Noble, Half Price Books, or Record Exchange.
  • Something specific they’ve had their eye on (video game, skateboard, jewelry box).

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SUMMER READING PROGRAMS

*  Your public library 
* Carnegie Library Summer Reading Extravaganza
* Barnes&Noble Summer Reading
* Half Price Books Summer Reading Program
* Scholastic Summer Challenge
* Sylvan Learning’s Book Adventure

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FREE BOOKS/STORIES

Let’s face it, reading lots of books can get pretty pricey. Luckily, there are a ton of places to score some free ones. School, online apps, and the public library are always great places to start.

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International Digital Children’s Library 

Oxford Owl

The Library of Congress

Freechildrenstories.com

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Free Kindle Unlimited Amazon

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REMEMBER:

  • Get them a library card.
  • Take them book shopping.
  • Take turns reading aloud, alternating pages.
  • Encourage them to donate/share used books.
  • Laugh! Reading should be fun.
  • Discuss the story and characters; encourage questions.
  • Prompt them to bring stories/books along for trips, car rides, waiting areas, and picnics.
  • Create decorative bookmarks together for every season.
  • Be an example! They need to see you reading too.
  • Do a Summer Reading Challenge with them.

HAPPY READING, HAPPY SUMMER!

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FREE for Kindle Unlimited! 

Operation Scrub-A-Dub Skunk
The Clubhouse Cabobble
Frogs Can Fly

KRISTY JO VOLCHKO is a multi-genre author and blogger. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she continues to share her love of storytelling. 
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