World Read Aloud Day Signature Event at Books of Wonder in New York City
18 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
(212) 989-3270
We are thrilled to announce LitWorld's signature World Read Aloud Day event, to be held at Books of Wonder, New York City's oldest and largest independent children's bookstore, as well as the city's leading specialist in children's literature both new and old.
World Read Aloud Day Schedule-at-a-Glance:
10:00 - 11:30 AM: Children's Read Aloud Session, Author Book Signing and Q&A
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Visit with Clifford the Big Red Dog!
12:00 - 1:30 PM: Children's Workshops
1:30 - 3:30 PM: All Ages Read Aloud Session, Author Book Signing and Q&A
3:30 - 5:00 PM: Middle School / Young Adult Workshops
5:00 - 7:00 PM: Young Adult Read Aloud Session, Author Book Signing and Q&A
Detailed Schedule with Special Guest Profiles:
10:00 - 11:30 AM: Children’s Books Read Aloud Session
Pam Allyn is the Executive Director of LitLife and LitWorld, renowned organizations working to promote literacy. She is the author of many acclaimed books for educators and families, including "Pam Allyn's Best Books for Boys" (Scholastic 2011) and "Your Child's Writing Life" (Penguin/Avery 2011). She is considered a leading advocate and expert on childhood literacy development and quality education as a human right that belongs to all children. Her campaign Books for Boys has won many awards for its success, and she has been featured on television and the blogosphere, including The Today Show, Good Morning America and the Huffington Post. She is the founder of World Read Aloud Day, now in its third year and reaching hundreds of thousands of children. Pam is the Global Ambassador for Scholastic's "Read Every Day, Lead a Better Life" Campaign. Follow Pam Allyn on Facebook and on Twitter @pamallyn.
Robert L. Forbes, reading from his book Let's Have a Bite! A Banquet of Beastly Rhymes
Robert L. Forbes is Vice President of Forbes, and President of ForbesLife magazine. Mr. Forbes is the author of Beastly Feasts! A Mischievous Menagerie in Rhyme (Overlook Press, September 2007). It is an original book of rhymed poetry for children and readers of all ages, with illustrations by master caricaturist Ronald Searle. He also did the photography for his wife Lydia Raurell's book, A Year of Dancing Dangerously, published by Overlook Press in November 2008. His new book of children's poetry, Let's Have a Bite!, A Beastly Banquet in Rhyme, was published by Overlook Press in September 2010. He has authored numerous articles on food and travel, produced a number of documentary films for Forbes, and co-authored Toy Boats 1870-1955: A Pictorial History, published by Scribner's in 1979. Mr. Forbes has served on the boards for St. Mark's School, Southborough, Massachusetts, the American School of Tangier in Morocco, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York. With his wife, Lydia, Mr. Forbes is a member of the Rockefeller University Council in New York City and The Four Arts Society of Palm Beach, Florida. Follow Robert L. Forbes on Facebook and Twitter @Robertlforbes, and visit his website robertlforbes.com.
Steven Savage is the illustrator of the award-winning and New York Times bestselling picture book Polar Bear Night, written by Lauren Thompson, which was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book and an ALA notable book, and received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus Reviews. He creates illustrations for a wide range of publications, including the New Yorker, the New York Times, and Newsweek. Stephen lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and their daughter. Visit his website stevensavage.net and find Steven Savage on Facebook.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM: Visit with Clifford the Big Red Dog!
We are so excited to have Clifford joining us for World Read Aloud Day! Make sure to stop by and get your photo and hug!
12:00 - 1:30 PM: Children’s Workshops
Sam Ita, Learn to Create a Pop-Up Book!
Born in 1978, Sam Ita grew up in a small town near the Canadian border. He studied graphic design at Pratt Institute. After working as a petticab driver and luggage salesman, Sam eventually answered a classified ad in the Village Voice, which led to his first job as a "paper engineer." He has since applied his unique abilities to such fields as publishing, advertising, and toy design. His first book, a comic/pop-up book adaptation of Moby Dick was officially selected for Illinois First Lady, Patricia Blagojevich's Reading Club. His latest book, "The Odyssey: A Pop-Up Book," received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and The Kirkus Review. He currently lives and works in Queens. Visit his website at www.samita.us.
During Sam's workship, you will learn basic paper engineering techniques and use them to create your own pop up books!
Ryan Sias, Creating Silly Stories Workshop
Ryan Sias is the author and illustrator of "Zoe and Robot - Let's Pretend!", one of Kirkus best graphic books for kids. He illustrated "Are You Eating Something Red?" and a book of placemats "Are You Eating Something Green?" His comics have also been featured in Mad & Nickelodeon magazine. Ryan was a story boarder for the movie, Robots, Noggin show "Pink Dinky Doo" and worked with Sesame Workshop. Ryan lives in New York City with his brother. Make sure to check out Ryan’s website, ryansias.com and follow Ryan on Twitter @ryansias.
During the Silly Stories workshop Ryan will share his book “Zoe and Robot – Let’s Pretend!” to begin an interactive workshop about character and story development. Collectively the children will create a silly character with Ryan’s help. They will put that character in a story written by the group. This workshop stimulates creative thinking and introduces kids to concepts of structure, character, setting, and other basics of story-telling and cartooning.
Hands in Motion
Hands in Motion Professional Sign Language Interpreters was established in 2006 by Janice B. Rimler. Hands in Motion provides communication services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in their daily interactions. To give back to a community that has been welcoming since she began studying ASL in 1981, Janice created the Learning Center with low cost classes for Deaf participants of all ages. Hands in Motion will join LitWorld and sign during the morning read aloud session and will conduct a fun workshop exploring the possibility of telling your story through sign language. Learn more at allhandsinmotion.com.
Ralph Lee, Bookworm Puppet-Making
Ralph Lee grew up in Middlebury, Vermont. He was in his first play at the age of 7, playing a cat who entered on a scooter and said, “I have nnneeewwwsss!” He started making masks and puppets when he was 12 years old. After more than 60 years, he is still working in the theatre, directing shows and celebratory events that incorporate his masks and puppets of all sizes. He started the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade in 1974 and directed it for 12 years. Since 1976 he has been Artistic Director of the Mettawee River Theatre Company, which gives outdoor performances of plays based on myths and legends from around the world. He has been honored with many awards, including the NY State Governor’s Arts Award, two Village Voice Obie Awards and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Find out more about Ralph's work at mettawee.org.
1:30 - 3:30 PM: All Ages Read Aloud Session
Debbie Dadey, reading from Mermaids Don’t Run Track
Debbie Dadey is the author and co-author of ten children's series, including the Adventures of the Bailey School Kids series, a Publisher's Weekly bestseller and one of Scholastic's top three best-selling series of all time. This former librarian and teacher strives to write stories that touch every young reader. With 151 books and 48 million copies of titles like Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots and The Worst Name in Third Grade, Debbie reaches even the most reluctant readers. Watch for her new series coming in May, Mermaid Tales form Simon and Schuster. The first book is Trouble at Trident Academy. Find out more at www.debbiedadey.com or Facebook at Debbie Dadey.
Caroline Leavitt, reading from Charlotte’s Web
Caroline Leavitt is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Pictures of You and eight other novels. Pictures of You made the Best Books of 2011 List from the San Francisco Chronicle, Providence Journal, Bookmarks Magazine and Kirkus named it one of the Top 5 Books of 2011 on Family and Love. It was also a San Francisco Chronicle Lit Pick and a Costco Pennie's Pick. She teaches novel writing at UCLA Writers Program online and she is a book critic for the Boston Globe, People Magazine, Shoptopia and Dame Magazine. She lives in Hoboken, NJ with her husband and writer, Jeff Tamarkin, and their son Max. She can be reached through carolineleavitt.com, found on Facebook at Caroline Leavitt and on Twitter @leavittnovelist. Check out Caroline’s blog at carolineleavittville.blogspot.com/
Walter Dean Myers, reading from his book We Are America: A Tribute from the Heart (illustrated by Christopher A. Myers)
Walter Dean Myers, the new National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature—a post that raises national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature, is a critically acclaimed author of books for young people. His award-winning body of work includes “Sunrise Over Fallujah,” “Fallen Angels,” “Monster,” “Somewhere in the Darkness” and “Harlem.” Myers has received two Newbery Honor Awards and five Coretta Scott King Awards. He is the winner of the first Michael L. Printz Award (for excellence in young adult literature, given by the American Library Association) as well as the first recipient of Kent State University's Virginia Hamilton Literary Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2008, he won the May Hill Arbuthnot Lecture Award. He is considered one of the preeminent writers for young people. In 2010, Myers received the Rutgers University Award for Literature for Young Adults, from the New Jersey Center for the Book and the Rutgers School of Communications. Walter Dean Myers lives with his wife in Jersey City, N.J. He was born in Martinsburg, W.Va., and grew up in Harlem. Find Walter on Facebook at Walter Dean Myers.
Katherine Paterson, reading from The Flint Heart, Bridge to Terabithia, and Come Sing, Jimmy Jo
Katherine Paterson served as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature 2010-2011. Her international fame rests not only on her widely acclaimed novels but also on her efforts to promote literacy in the United States and abroad. She is a two-time winner of the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award, and she has received many other accolades for her works, including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, and the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, given by her home state of Vermont. Katherine Paterson was also named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2000. She lives in Barre, Vermont, with her husband, John Paterson. Find Katherine Paterson on Facebook.
3:30 - 5:00 PM: Workshops for Middle Schoolers through Young Adults
Figment
Figment is an online community for teens and young adults to create, discover, and share new reading and writing. Whatever you’re into, from sonnets to mysteries, from sci-fi stories to cell phone novels, you can find it on Figment. During this workshop participants will come together in groups and use the Figment platform to write and share their own stories. LitWorld and Figment will provide writing prompts and tips to get you started! Check out Figment on Facebook at Figment and Twitter @figmentfiction.
The Peace Poets
The Peace Poets are a community based arts collective from New York City committed to teaching with a focus on collective liberation and the creation of fresh art that reflects love, loss and life. Their mission is to create safe space for inner-city youth to express themselves artistically and discover their true potential as community members and leaders. The Peace Poets will conduct a workshop exploring the power or poetry and spoken words as a vehicle for telling your story. Find The Peace Poets on Facebook and on Twitter @ThePeacePoets.
Deaf Jam
In Deaf Jam, an independent documentary, Aneta Brodski seizes the day. She is a deaf teen introduced to American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry, who then boldly enters the spoken word slam scene. In a wondrous twist, Aneta, an Israeli immigrant living in the Queens section of New York City, eventually meets Tahani, a hearing Palestinian slam poet. The two women embark on a collaboration/performance duet - creating a new form of slam poetry that speaks to both the hearing and the Deaf. Meet Aneta and Tahani in this exciting workshop! Visit their website at deafjam.org and follow them on Twitter @DeafJamDoc.
Teen Blogger Power Hour
This workshop will feature teen bloggers from the New York City area. The bloggers will answer questions about the blogging platform as a medium to share stories worldwide and will teach those new to blogging some tips and tricks to get started! During this workshop participants will live blog about all of the exciting happenings on World Read Aloud Day.
5:00 - 7:00 PM: Young Adult Read Aloud Session
Peter Lerangis, reading from his book "The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Book #3: The Dead of Night"
Peter Lerangis is a New York Times bestselling author who has penned three books in the worldwide bestselling multi-platform adventure series The 39 Clues: Book 3: The Sword Thief, Book 7: The Viper’s Nest, and with Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, and Jude Watson, he co-authored Book 11: Vespers Rising. Lerangis has written The Dead of Night, the newest installment in The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers, a brand new story arc of the widely popular series set to publish in March 2012. This groundbreaking series has more than 11 million books in print worldwide and 1.7 million registered online game users to date. Lerangis is also the author of numerous books for young readers in many different genres including mystery (the Spy X series), historical fiction (Smiler’s Bones) and science fiction (the Watchers series). Peter has an extensive social media following and can be reached via Twitter @peterlerangis and through his official website peterlerangis.com.
Libba Bray, reading from "Bread and Jam for Frances" by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Lillian Hoban
Libba Bray is the New York Times bestselling author of the Gemma Doyle trilogy (A Great and Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels, and The Sweet Far Thing), the Printz Award-winning Going Bovine, and Beauty Queens, a BFYA 2012 selection. She has also contributed to several short story anthologies, including Geektastic, Zombies Vs. Unicorns, and Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories. When Libba is not scribbling words or trying to make her cats wear odd things for her own amusement, she is one-quarter of the all-YA author rock band, Tiger Beat, along with Daniel Ehrenhaft, Natalie Standiford, and Barnabas Miller. You can find Libba at libbabray.com, @libbabray on Twitter, and as Libba Bray on Facebook.
C. Alexander London is an author of books for children and adults, including One Day The Soldiers Came: Voices of Children in War (HarperPerennial), and Far From Zion: In Search of a Global Jewish Community (Wm. Morrow). As C. Alexander London he writes the Accidental Adventures series for middle grade readers (Philomel), and the forthcoming Dog Tags series (Scholastic). With Pam Allyn and LitWorld, he helped create New Day, New Friends, a story to foster resilience and community. When he is not wandering through ancient ruins or trekking through distant jungles, he can be found in Brooklyn, NY, taking dictation from his dog, the real brains of the operation. Learn more about the author at calexanderlondon.com, and find him on Facebook as C. Alexander London and on Twitter @ca_london.
Introducing the WRAffle!
During our full day event at Books of Wonder we will be hosting an ongoing WRAffle filled with special prizes! Each child will receive one free raffle ticket and adults may purchase additional tickets for $1.
Check out our exciting prizes:
$40 Books of Wonder Gift Certificate
Win a Family Pack of 4 Tickets to The New Victory Theater!
One lucky winner will receive four orchestra seats to a Spring 2012 performance of their choice.
Framed Print of the World Read Aloud Day illustration by artist Lindsey Manwell
50th Anniversary edition of The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
Copy of LitWorld's picture book, New Day, New Friends, by C. Alexander London, illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu (advance copy, not yet in print!)