Free Book Vending Machines Bring Reading To Kids In Need

JetBlue Airways is taking off for a special mission this summer.
As part of a program to promote summer reading in underserved communities, the airline has installed free book vending machines in a Washington, D.C., neighborhood, that has limited access to reading resources, according to a press release.
The initiative, which is a joint effort with Random House Children's Books, launched on Wednesday, with vending machines installed in a church, a grocery store and a branch of the Salvation Army in Southeast D.C., the Kojo Nnamdi Show blog reported.

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III reads to children

at the ‘Soar with Reading’ kick-off in Southeast, D.C.

ABOUT JETBLUE:  JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline™, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles (Long Beach), Orlando, and San Juan. JetBlue carries more than 32 million customers a year to 90 cities in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America with an average of 875 daily flights. For more information please visit JetBlue.com.

ABOUT RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN'S BOOKS:  Random House Children's Books is the world's largest English-language children's trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, ebooks, and apps, the imprints of Random House Children's Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. The company's website, Kids @ Random (www.randomhousekids.com), offers an array of activities, games, and resources for children, teens, parents, and educators. Random House Children's Books is a division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company.

Read full article: Huff Post Community Kindness


       

12 creative little libraries from around the world.

Our cities are full of large libraries that are amazing and free, but here we have chosen to share the little tiny libraries that are springing up everywhere. These libraries can be created by anyone, anywhere and each one has a story to tell about the love of books, the love of sharing, and a sense of community.

Hundreds of little libraries have been created but not all of them have been photographed and shared. That’s why we set out to find as many little libraries as we could. We love how they add uniqueness to the areas of the cities and suburbs where they are found. We really enjoy the creativity that has gone into making these libraries and have included what we feel are the most creative from around the world.

We hope you enjoy this list of the most creative little libraries from around the world.

We would love to add more. Did we miss any from your neighborhood? Feel free to submit pictures at our Facebook or Twitter feeds to be added here or let us know in the comments below.

Tree stump library



Robot library Monica Thompson

Tardis in Kenmore Washington, USA. Jennifer Brozek

Wizard of Oz Tornado library Pomeroy Street MASSACHUSETTS, USA

Space age library

 

Winchester, Texas USA. 'We decided to build a library that reflected our small community.
A chicken coop theme fit us perfectly!' - Margaret Atkins.



Created by Stereotank, a public installation project providing New Yorkers
with a spontaneous opportunity to read a book.

Tree trunk library in Jackson Street Seattle, USA

Library in a phone booth

Public Bookshelf created in a bus stop in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil

Book house in Maleny, Queensland, Australia.

 

Houston, Texas USA. A boat-shaped Library at the church for Clear Lake Community.
Diane Jones.

 

If after seeing these cute and worthwhile structures you may feel inspired to build your own out of an old cupboard or some other creative design in your head. There are people who can help you with the considerations that you may yet have not thought apart like "how do I keep my little library protected from the rain? " or "how wide should the shelves be to house most books?"

Little Free Libraries & Tiny Sheds: 12 Miniature Structures You Can Build is highly recommended, as the book you need, by The Little Free Library organization. Yes, there is an organization! They are a nonprofit organization based in Hudson, Wisconsin, USA. Little Free Library (LFL) is an award-winning nonprofit organization at the center of a global literacy movement. Find out more about it here.

This book is produced in cooperation with Little Free Library, and is a builder's complete source of inspiration and how-to knowledge. Illustrated throughout with colorful step-by-step photography and a gallery of tiny structures for further inspiration, Little Free Libraries and Tiny Sheds covers every step: planning and design, tools and building techniques, best materials, and 12 complete plans for structures of varying size and aesthetics. In addition, author and professional carpenter Phil Schmidt includes information on proper installation of small structures and common repairs and maintenance for down the road. You can check it out or purchase it here. 

Little Free Libraries and Tiny Sheds book cover

If you liked this article you may also like History of the Little Free Library which includes the benefits of running a little library.

History of the Little Free Library

IMAGE: Little Free Library

 

In its most basic form, a Little Free Library is a box full of books where anyone may stop by and pick up a book and bring back another book to share. It's a  neighbourhood book exchange. It’s a place where neighbours share their favourite books.

In 2009, Tod Bol decided to build a model schoolhouse as a tribute to his mother, a former school teacher who loved to read. He built it from recycled materials, filled it with books and placed it in his front garden in Wisconsin, USA with a sign that read ‘Little Free Library.’


Tod Bol's 1st little library

He made more little houses and gave them to family and friends and the idea for a global network of Little Free Libraries was born.

The most often quoted benefits of Little Free Libraries

• People meet more neighbours and passers-by than they have in years.
• They often spend time getting to know people as well as books.
• They value the free-wheeling exchange of books, especially because they are often surprised by the variety and quality of the collections.
• They like giving as much as –or perhaps even more than—taking books.
•  Little Free Libraries are likely to have a positive influence on community quality of life and social capital.
• Small, local business owners report that Little Free Libraries help them attract and keep customers.
• Children, youth and adults of all ages and backgrounds can share in the give and take. People of widely diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds participate in this grassroots effort.

You can find out more about the Little Free Library here .

This is linked up at Read With Me

Have you heard of Zinio?

"To see magazines done correctly, look at Zinio" ~ Huffington Post

 

Zinio is all about digital magazines - thousands of them. There are magazines on news, politics, sport, technology, art, style, travel, history and so much more.

They are publishing magazines in the digital domain that you can download to mobile devices, tablets and desktops.

So besides being environmentally friendly they are definitely convenient and have some really cool features too like the Bookmark where you easily save your spot in the magazine you are reading at any time. There are over 5000 publications available in 33 languages and also some magazine articles are available free through the website or smartphone or tablet apps.

Try Zinio Now! Experience digital with a free magazine. Choose from BusinessWeek, Men's Health and more.

More than 3,000 articles are available free at any given time which is wonderful for reading when travelling or anytime. Go to Zinio website to have a look for yourself.

Oh by the way... I am an affiliate for Zinio

Book Giveaway For Nature Recycles

Nature Recycles: How about You? 
Written by Michelle Lord, Illustrations by Cathy Morrison

From sea urchins in the Atlantic Ocean to bandicoots on the Australian savanna, animals all over the world recycle. Explore how different animals in different habitats use recycled material to build homes, protect themselves and get food. 

Giveaway dates: Mar 29 - Apr 12, 2013

5 copies available

Countries available: USA

To enter go to goodreads

To find more environmentally friendly books go to earth sky sea child.

Why Good Things Happen to Good People

Why Good Things Happen to Good People: How to Live a Longer, Healthier, Happier Life by the Simple Act of Givingwritten by Stephen Post and Jill Neimark.

Dr. Stephen Post has been making headlines by funding studies at the nation’s top universities to prove once and for all the life-enhancing benefits of caring, kindness, and compassion. The exciting new research shows that when we give of ourselves, especially if we start young, everything from life-satisfaction to self-realization and physical health is significantly affected. Mortality is delayed. Depression is reduced. Well-being and good fortune are increased. In their life-changing new book, Why Good Things Happen to Good People, Dr. Post and journalist Jill Neimark weave the growing new science of love and giving with profoundly moving real-life stories to show exactly how giving unlocks the doors to health, happiness, and a longer life. 

The authors outline ten ways of Giving: Celebration,  Compassion, Courage, Creativity, Generativity, Forgiveness, Humor, Respect, Loyalty and Listening. 

Buy this book from Amazon: used $2.12 and new $6.89

Elbert Hubbard

Elbert Green Hubbard (June 19, 1856 – May 7, 1915) 

Hubbard was an American  writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher.  His legacy,besides his many interesting books such as Jesus Was An Anarchist, is that he founded the Roycroft artisan community in East Aurora New York, USA in 1895. He was an exponent of the Arts and Crafts Movement an international design movement that flourished between 1860 and 1910 and stood for traditional craftsmanship using simple forms.


His books include:
 A Message to Garcia
 Little Journeys to the Homes of Good Men and Great
 Health and Wealth

National Year of Reading

Did you know that this was Australia's National Year of Reading? Discover and rediscover the joy of reading is what it is all about.

A highlight of the campaign will be the launch of The Reading Hour, like Earth Hour, encouraging families not only to join together for a simultaneous reading session around Australia, but also to continue the idea of reading together for an hour or so a week – whether that’s 20 minutes three times a week or 10 minutes nearly every day.

Another major national initiative will be a One Country Reading program, based on Alison Lester’s much-loved book Are We There Yet? Alison has said, “I am absolutely stoked that Are We There Yet? has been chosen. It is a book that celebrates Australia and hopefully it will help get the country reading.”

The theme of travel, exploring the Australian landscape and making connections with people from diverse backgrounds, will be extended through competitions for children, teenagers and young adults.

There’s more information on the love 2 read 2012 website.

Here are just a few thoughts about what you could do over the year:

• Read more Australian Books to your children. There is a list of just some of the great books available by Australian writers and illustrators here.
• Volunteer at your local library
• Join your local library and get membership for your children.
• Join a book club or start a book club.
• Read out loud to someone you love.
• Find out what books to read to babies.
• Become a fan of the National Year of Reading on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Love2read/122105507810855?ref=sgm
  and stay in touch with what’s happening.
• Join in the conversation on Twitter http://twitter.com/love2read2012.

That Deadman Dance

Kim Scott won the 2011 Miles Franklin Award for his novel - That Deadman Dance - which explores the fascination felt between Noongar and the white men when they first come into contact in the early years of the 19th century. The Miles Franklin is a prestigious annual award with a $50,000 prize.

Kim Scott is an indigenous Australian writer who was born in 1957, to a white mother and an Aboriginal father, a descendant of the Noongar people of West Australian. Scott has written three novels and a children's book, poetry and short stories.

This is his second Miles Franklin win. The second novel he published, Benang, won the Miles Franklin Award in 2000 when he tied with writer Thea Astley.
Benang, which means from the heart, explores the self-identity issues faced by light-skinned Aboriginal people.

"As an Indigenous writer I think there is such enormous potential and promise in front of us... there's a lot happening around the country and there are enormous things to move forward towards," Scott said.

See anther photograph and more of the ABC's post on the 22nd June, 2011.

Above Photo: Wolter Peeters, Sydney Morning Herald.

Books for babies

Great Australian author, Mem Fox, is passionate about reading to babies from birth and the magic it creates. She believes reading with your child, or any child, has wonderful effects on the babies development. Of course many studies confirm the value of reading aloud to very young children especially in the cognitive area. Mem says"I'd like to deemphasize the brain for a while by focusing yet again on the heart and the role that emotional factors play in the development of literacy...on intangible, affective influences on reading because I believe it's time someone stood up and told those miserable, measurable, cognitive factors they've had more then their fair share of our time for years, with precious little to show for it other than an appalling level of illiteracy and a high level of cultural ignorance." Mem Fox in “Radical Reflections”, 1993.
So what books are good to read to babies? Basically any picture books you enjoy reading.

I like:

I Went Walking by Sue Machin

Moo Baa La La La by Sandra Boynton

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown

Spring is Here by Taro Gomi

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? by Bill Martin Jr

Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell

Baby Faces by DK Publishing

and of course books by Mem Fox like:

Where is the Green Sheep and

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

- Lots more book suggestions at Early Childhood.

- EARLY CHILDHOOD BOOKSTORE which contains most books suggested on this site.

- For more information on Why you should be reading to children get Reading Magic by Mem Fox