CELEBRATE CHILDREN’S BOOK WEEK!
November 4-10, 2024
Children’s Book Week is the nation’s oldest and most celebrated literacy initiative. Celebrate with us! While registration for hosting guest readers has closed, below we feature resources and ideas to make the Children’s Book Week celebration extra special for your program.
DISCOVER HELPFUL RESOURCES
Delaware-based resources
The Delaware Division of Libraries published a web page of valuable resources specifically for Children’s Book Week, designed for use in your early childhood education programs. These materials support both educators and families, offering tools to enhance learning and engagement. We encourage you to explore these resources and share them with your families to foster growth and connection beyond the classroom. Visit the page or click on the buttons below to explore each section on their resource page.
The Delaware Literacy Alliance has provided a quick reference guide to community-based organizations in Delaware that offer early literacy tools and support.
Read Aloud Delaware’s flyer emphasizes the importance of 1:1 reading time with children during the preschool years. (Note: Some of Read Aloud Delaware’s services may carry a small fee.)
Read aloud resources for different age groups
Reading aloud to children builds language skills, sparks the imagination, and strengthens the bond between the reader and the child. It’s a powerful way to nurture a lifelong love of learning. Check out the following resources that provide tips for reading aloud to groups of children and to different age groups, and be sure to bookmark them for future use!
- Hints on How to Read Aloud to a Group – Reading Rockets
- Reading Aloud to Children of All Ages, published by Reading Is Fundamental, is absolutely packed with tips on choosing books and reading to groups of babies, toddlers, preschoolers and older children.
Although these tip sheets are labeled for “parents,” they offer valuable guidance for anyone who reads with children.
Recursos en español
Consejos para leer en voz alta a niños (Reading Rockets) Ya sea que estés leyendo a niños pequeños o a niños mayores, tenemos consejos para hacer que tus sesiones de lectura en voz alta sean memorable.
Microlearning video “How to Read a Book to Young Children”
Reading to children from a very early age frequently develops language, reading skills, vocabulary, and comprehension. It also increases their knowledge of the world. Check out this microlearning video created by DIEEC for additional tips! Check out this microlearning video created by DIEEC for additional tips!
Leer a los niños desde una edad muy temprana fomenta el desarrollo del lenguaje, las habilidades de lectura, el vocabulario y la comprensión. También aumenta su conocimiento del mundo. ¡Mira este video de microaprendizaje creado por DIEEC para obtener consejos adicionales! DIEEC para obtener consejos adicionales!
DIVERSE BOOK COLLECTION
This year’s book collection curated by DIEEC
DIEEC has curated a selection of books for this year’s Children’s Book Week celebration. Programs that host DIEEC guest readers will receive selected books tailored to their program’s age group(s).
If you weren’t able to sign up this year, no worries! Most of our books are available through your local library. The Delaware Division of Libraries has provided information for each book, making it easy for you to locate them in their catalog. We invite you to check them out and read along with us!
Scroll through the images to see all of DIEEC’s book selections for this year.
Michelle Meadows, author of Flying High, The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles
As stated in DIEEC’s Touchstones, we believe in the power of inclusion. When we select books for our Children’s Book Week celebration, we strive to ensure that every child can find stories that resonate with them. For example, this year’s book selection includes Flying High by local author Michelle Meadows. Flying High tells the story of Olympic gymnast Simone Biles- not just her triumphs, but the adversity she has overcome along the way. Watch Michelle Meadows as she describes her inspiration for writing Flying High, and her hopes for young readers who hear the story.
Resources to help programs pick high-quality diverse books
Here are resources that will help ALL programs select high-quality diverse books.
- Rudine Sims Bishop explains why diverse books are so important for children in this Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors video.
- To see an example of a quality diverse book, enjoy this award winning film version of the children’s book Hair Love.
- For more information on selecting quality diverse children’s books, try using this Children’s Books Checklist.
For further exploration of books for various ages, the We Need Diverse Books site has many features which lead to discovering children’s books on many aspects of culture, identity, and life experience. You can also go directly to their Where to Find Diverse Books page to view their suggestions in multiple categories.
GUEST READERS AND BOOK DONATIONS
DIEEC is excited to have guest readers visiting early childhood education programs across the state during this week. They read a book with the children and donate books to their libraries. This is a meaningful way to make reading a fun and engaging experience for young readers.
Image: A moment captured from last year’s Children’s Book Week, where a guest reader engages a toddler with one of the books donated to the program.
