just 1 book feature (and book pack giveaway!)

I'm so excited to be partnering with my friends at Scholastic to launch a new feature on teach mama: just 1 book.

In honor of International Literacy Day and inspired by the many books that have moved our family to try new activities, new recipes, new ideas, and reach new heights, I'm starting a new party here at teach mama. And the great people at Scholastic have offered to put together a special, catered-just-for-your-family book pack to kick off this launch!

Here's the skinny:

• 'just 1 book': Starting out as a feature 2-3 times a month, 'just 1 book' will give everyone--every reader, friend, teacher, student, author, anyone!--a chance to share a book that started something for him or her.

'all it took was just 1 book'. . . to get you thinking, get you moving, get you arts-and-crafting, get you talking, get you writing, get you counting, get you traveling, get you thinking, get you cookin', dancin' or dreamin'. You tell us.

This feature will allow guest writers to see their name in lights (well, kind of . . . ) while giving a shout-out to one special book. Really, anything goes here, and the sky's the limit.

I know that we're not the only family inspired by books--old ones and new ones alike--and that I'd love for everyone to have an opportunity to share a little bit about the book that holds a special spot for them. In doing so, hopefully our own worlds and communities may open up a bit as we'll all be made aware of new titles and new subjects, new ideas and new characters, new authors and new illustrators. Everyone loves new books for our families or classrooms.

Here are some questions to ponder if you're interested in guest posting for the 'just 1 book' feature:

• Does your family love one particular series or author? Why?
  
• Have your children or students asked you to read one particular book over and over and over?
• Can you remember one book that moved you as a child? As a teen? As a teacher or parent?
• Has one book inspired your family to try something new, go somewhere new, or think something new?
• Have you written--or illustrated--a book that you love so much you want to share with the world?
• Has one book shaped the way you parent or the way you teach?
  
• Are you continually awe-struck with the power that one book holds?
  

Want to share your book? Everyone's invited! Email me at teachmama@verizon.net if you want to share yours here.

Yes, Magic School Bus fans--I met the real Ms. Frizzle!

I had the awesome opportunity to spend one glorious morning at a brunch at the Scholastic headquarters during the BlogHer conference weekend. At the brunch, we learned about so many of Scholastic's great programs--their Book Clubs, their new releases, and so many other great things that I'll soon share.

Scholastic, for 90 years now, has celebrated books and learning, and their latest global literacy campaign, Read Every Day, Lead a Better Life, makes me want to dance. Read Every Day, Lead a Better Life "underscores the importance of reading to better prepare children who will need strong literacy skills to survive and succeed in the 21st century".

To do this, Scholastic wants every single person possible to "work together to bring reading and deeper understanding to all children around the globe". Awesome. A campaign celebrating literacy is a campaign worth supporting.

In order to support Read Every Day, Lead a Better Life, check out the Scholastic site:

Parents and Teachers can:

• read it--read Scholastic's Reading Bill of Rights
• watch it--watch the chairman of Scholastic reading of the Reading Bill of Rights
  
• live it--find out what you can do to ensure that children 'Read Every Day and Live a Better Life'
  

Classrooms can:

• register to participate in a live webcast with Taylor Swift on October 27, 2010
• enter the Read Every Day essay contest (deadline 9/20/10)
  

Everyone can:

• share which 5 books shaped their lives (more info coming in October--and until then, why not get started by sharing one of them over here?
  

Many, many thanks to Scholastic who has offered to kick off 'just 1 book' with a customized book pack for one lucky reader's family. The winner will send Scholastic the ages and interests of the children in your family, and they'll put together something especially for you! HOW cool? What a way to celebrate literacy--

Do you want to win a specially customized just-for-your-family book pack from Scholastic? Here's how:

• Leave a comment here (along with your email address) with the name of one book that has inspired you or your family;
  

OR:

• Visit the Scholastic Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life site and leave a comment explaining one Reading Action Step that you plan to take in order to "ensure that children 'Read Every Day and Live a Better Life'".

For extra entries, you can do both. Just let me know! And please leave your email so I can contact you if you win.

Contest closes next Friday, 09/16/10 at midnight, and the winner will be chosen by random.org.

I've got a handful of friends and authors (yes!) who are willing to guest post for 'just 1 book' and I hope that you'll consider writing one, too. I'm really looking forward to it, and I know others are as well.



fyi: Scholastic has kindly offered to provide the book pack for the winner's family, and they also provided the brunch and books for attendees back in August. They even wrangled Ms. Frizzle and Word Girl for the brunch and that's no joke. This is an un-sponsored post, and the opinions are all my own.