October 13, 2020 Talking About Race and Justice With Children Are you interested in using children’s books to engage young children in critical conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice? Join EmbraceRace on October 22 for “Using Books to Engage Young Children in Talk about Race & Justice.” About During this online event, Aija Simmons, Sara Rizik-Baer, and Savitha Moorthy will describe Mirrors, Windows, and Glass Doors*, a community-focused effort from Tandem, Partners in Early Learning that uses children’s books as a departure point for expanding the capacity of families with children under five years old to engage in critical conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. Presenters will explain the factors that led to its creation, how it continues to evolve, the questions the working group is actively grappling with, and what they hope to accomplish. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and comment. Registration To register, visit the event webpage.
June 17, 2020 Pittsburgh Families Invited to Receive Free Children’s Books Since the City of Pittsburgh’s Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library launch in February 2019, the program has grown to include over 3,200 local children and recently sent its 30,000th book. Thanks to funding received from the Hillman Family Foundation and McCauley Ministries, the program will continue to sustain and grow services in Pittsburgh. About the Program The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is a free program for any child who lives in the City of Pittsburgh age zero to five to receive one book a month in the mail until their fifth birthday. When they turn five, they will have their own library of up to 60 books. The City of Pittsburgh’s program is affiliated with the national initiative started by music legend Dolly Parton. Participating children will begin receiving books through the U.S. Postal Services approximately eight weeks after the registration form has been received. Eligibility To be eligible for the program, preschoolers must: be a resident of the City of Pittsburgh, have a parent or guardian fill out an official registration form, and notify the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania of any address changes. Registration To sign up for this program, register your child(ren) online via the Imagination Library website! Interested in mailing in or submitting your registration in person? See their webpage for more details. More Information For any questions, please contact Tiffini Simoneaux at tiffini.simoneaux@pittsburghpa.gov or 412.255.2505. To view the booklist, visit the Imagination Library website.
April 3, 2020 Building Students’ Social-Emotional Strength Through Literacy Are you interested in learning about classroom-ready resources that support social-emotional learning? Join Dr. Nancy Boyles on April 7 for the webinar, “Building Students’ Social-Emotional Strength Through Literacy.” About During this webinar, participants will gain a better understanding of CASEL focus areas that impact personal strength: managing feelings, a positive view of self, developing self-confidence, controlling impulsive behaviors, setting goals, and skill in communicating. This will include a reflection on questions for professionals in each area, an introduction to noteworthy picture books aligned to the focus areas, and application of a student-friendly questioning strategy for starting SEL conversations. This webinar will be of interest to pre-k through high school teachers, librarians, and school leaders. Time for questions will be included. Registration To register and learn more, visit the event webpage!
January 21, 2020 Raising Readers Together Club | Ages 0-5 The Raising Readers Together Club runs weekly and explores the importance of acceptance, equality, and tolerance through reading. Thursday sessions are suitable for children ages five and younger. Raising Readers provides free books, discussion, food, songs, storytelling, and resources. Winter 2020 Books February 6: Thank You, Mr. Panda February 13: Funderpants! February 20: Knock Knock February 27: My First Elements March 5: Sulwe March 12: Dream Big March 19: The Too-Scary Story (Session Cancelled) March 26: Thinker: My Puppy Poet and Me (Session Cancelled) Questions For questions or more information, contact Cynthia Battle at 412.567.1304 or cynthia@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network.
January 3, 2020 Storytime: Terrific Tales for Toddlers Children ages 18 months – 36 months and their caregivers are invited join the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Oakland for “Storytime: Terrific Tales for Toddlers” to get up and moving with stories, songs, rhymes, and silly fun! During the event, children will develop language and listening skills, as well as a love of reading. Children who enjoy being read to are more likely to want to learn to read themselves! View the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh calendar to see alternate locations, dates, and times. More Information For more information, email children@carnegielibrary.org or call 412.622.3122.
Setting the Stage for Early Literacy “Setting the Stage for Early Literacy” is chock full of fun, just-right activities that build oral language and early reading and writing skills. Amy Mascott and Allison McDonald break down the hows and whys of early literacy into bite-size pieces to help busy teachers support their youngest learners’ individual development without pushing them too hard. Participants will leave with ideas for creating a literacy-rich environment; literacy activities for whole-class, small-group, and independent learning; strategies for building an effective home-school connection; and much more. This webinar is suitable for child care, pre-k, and kindergarten teachers. Time for questions will be provided. Registration To register for this webinar, visit the event webpage. *Information provided by edWeb.net
November 22, 2019 Kate’s Kid Book Bash Join Reading is Fundamental (RIF) Pittsburgh on December 8 at Ace Hotel Pittsburgh for Kate’s Kid Book Bash! About Join RIF Pittsburgh for a children’s book festival to celebrate the life of beloved Pittsburgh children’s author, Kate Dopirak. Activities will include a children’s book art auction, storytimes, and book sales/signing by other authors such as Jonathan Auxier, Sharon G. Flake, and Nick Courage! Admission is free. All proceeds benefit RIF Pittsburgh. Share this flyer with your network.
September 6, 2019 Raising Readers Together Club | Tweens & Teens The Raising Readers Together Club runs weekly and explores the importance of acceptance, equality, and tolerance through reading. Wednesday sessions are suitable for tweens and teens. Raising Readers provides free books, discussion, food, songs, storytelling, and resources. Featured Book September 18 – October 30: Ugly by Robert Hoge Poetry Party Event On November 6, Raising Readers Together participants ages six and older are invited to a poetry party at the Frick Environmental Center! The field trip will celebrate Heinz History Center’s “From Slavery to Freedom Film Series 2019,” featuring a screening of the documentary, “Paul Laurence Dunbar: Beyond the Mask.” Bring your favorite Paul Laurence Dunbar poem and learn more about the first African American to achieve national fame as a writer. Poetry Party November 6, 2019 5:30 – 8 p.m. Frick Environmental Center 2005 Beechwood Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Questions For questions or more information, contact Cynthia Battle at 412.567.1304 or cynthia@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network.
July 16, 2019 Pittsburgh Children Receive First Round of Free Books In July 2019, Pittsburgh preschoolers received their first round of free books from the City of Pittsburgh’s partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. About The free book program – in conjunction with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the Benter Foundation, and the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania – mails all eligible children an age-appropriate book every month up until their fifth birthday. In February, legislation was introduced to Pittsburgh City Council to accept $250,000 from the Benter Foundation to establish the Pittsburgh program. In early July, the first shipment of books was sent out to 1,402 children who were enrolled in the program at the beginning of June. Another 400 children have been added to the program since then and will receive their first books in coming weeks. All children receive “The Little Engine That Could” as their first book, as it is Dolly Parton’s favorite. Eligibility To be eligible for the program, preschoolers must: Be a resident of the City of Pittsburgh Have a parent or guardian fill out an official registration form Notify the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania of any address changes Sign Up To sign up for this program, visit the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library website. More Information For instructions, frequently asked questions, and more, visit the City of Pittsburgh’s website. *Information provided by the City of Pittsburgh
June 21, 2019 Raising Readers Together The Raising Readers Together Club runs weekly and explores the importance of acceptance, equality, and tolerance through reading. Thursday sessions are suitable for children ages five and younger. Raising Readers provides free books, discussion, food, songs, storytelling, and resources. Summer 2019 Books: June 27: Puppy Truck July 11: Baby Moon July 18: Uncle Peter’s Amazing Chinese Wedding July 25: If You Give A Mouse An iPhone August 1: The New Girl . . . and Me August 8: My Pen August 15: Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion August 22: My Daddy Rules the World Questions For questions or more information, contact Cynthia Battle at 412.421.3889 or cynthia@tryingtogether.org. Share this flyer with your network.
