Children's Literacy Round-Up: February 21

Here is the children's literacy news that caught my eye this week:

• According to an article on the Literacy News website, "The Literacy for Life(TM) program launche(d) with a $40,000 library makeover contest and a new web site, http://www.literacyforlife.com, a reading and wellness resource that provides tools for parents and educators to help inspire children to become lifelong readers and to teach them how to stay healthy at home and at school." It seems like a great program, sponsored by the makers of Children's Benadryl and PediaCare, Reading is Fundamental, and Scholastic.
• A recent article on icWales.co.uk says that "Young children should be banned from watching television as it can damage their mental and physical health to an even greater level than previously thought, according to a shocking new report." Detailed results from the report, by Psychologist Dr Aric Sigman, are included.
• The "child literacy campaign Get Glasgow Reading has been hailed a blockbuster", at least according program sponsor the Glasgow Evening Times. Book borrowing and library membership are up in Glasgow, with a significant increase in borrowing of certain program-recommended read-aloud titles. "The titles were recommended in Great Books To Read Aloud, a book by Jacqueline Wilson given away free in our special Get Glasgow Reading packs. To date, more than 14,095 of these packs have been distributed through libraries and participating branches of Black and Lizars and Waterstone's, sponsors of the campaign."
• There is a nice article about the Raising a Reader program in the Stockton (CA) Record. This article is written by reporter Dana M. Nichols, and includes enthusiastic quotations from teachers, Raising a Reader organizers, and parents. This non-profit organization has a mission "to foster healthy brain development, parent-child bonding and early literacy skills critical for school success by engaging parents in a routine of daily “book cuddling” with their children from birth to age five."

Here's hoping that you'll find this literacy news as inspiring and intriguing as I do. Happy reading!