August 7, 2023 Imagination Library Restarted by Foundations, City of Pittsburgh Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a free book access program, is restarting in the City of Pittsburgh thanks to funding from the City and local foundations, including The Benter Foundation and the Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation. The free program sends one book per month in the mail to enrolled children ages birth to five at no cost to families. How to Enroll Families who reside in the City of Pittsburgh can enroll in the program by visiting the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library website. Families who were previously enrolled in the program will not need to re-enroll and should start receiving books again automatically. About the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Restart The program halted at the end of April 2023 for most city children after funding had run out. (A small group of children in three zip codes were still eligible to participate.) Reading Ready Pittsburgh, a local nonprofit that supports access to books and encourages family engagement through reading, will administer the program at the beginning of the restart period. Related Content & Resources Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Summer Reading Extravaganza 2023 2023 Summer Reading Programs for Young Readers Hill District Conducting Survey on Parent Engagement in Child Literacy Restaurants Add Books to the Menu with Summer Reading Programs Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Releases 2023 Best Books for Babies List 2023 Virtual Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip LDA of PA Offering Free Reading Tutoring to Children in Hill District Toolkit: Families and Schools Partnering for Children’s Literacy Success
July 5, 2023 2023 Summer Reading Programs for Young Readers Summer reading season is here! This is a great time for young readers to explore new words and books with their parent, caregiver, and other loved ones in different settings. Summer reading for early learners can look like acting out scenes from a picture book in the park with your child, or visiting a local library or family center for a story time. There are plenty of local and national summer reading programs, resources, and activities to allow early readers the opportunity to expand their vocabulary with their parent or caregiver. Find Your Voice! Summer Reading 2023, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh For the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP), summer reading is all about the celebration of self expression. Sign-up for Find Your Voice! summer reading through August 6 at any CLP branch or in the library app. On Sunday, August 13, CLP – Main in Oakland will host its end-of-summer Extravaganza!, a family-friendly outdoor festival features music, crafts, games, prizes, storytelling, and food trucks. Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip, PA’s Promise for Children Join the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) on their virtual Summer Learning and Literacy Road Trip. Parents, caregivers, teachers, and early childhood education professionals can follow along with OCDEL as they travel to various Pennsylvania libraries and state parks while providing fun resources, activities, and book recommendations to support early literacy and language. All activities align with the PA Early Learning Standards and can be done anywhere. Summer Reading Field Trips, Reading is Fundamental Reading is Fundamental (RIF) has provided various reading logs, coloring sheets, and summer-themed book recommendations to keep learning fun and fresh. Parents and caregivers that take the RIF summer reading pledge will receive a copy of the book, A Sofia Special, one of the books featured in RIF’s summer collection. Summer Reading Camp, Half-Priced Books Young readers can join Summer Reading Camp by visiting a local Half Price Books through July 31 to pick up interactive reading logs, sticker sheets and more, while supplies last. Families that register for the camp will have access to reading recommendations, crafts, and other literacy activities. Scholastic Summer Reading Program, Scholastic The Scholastic Summer Reading program offers children an exciting, free, and safe summer reading experience, while helping to provide books to kids with limited or no access over the summer. Through Thursday, September 7, children can visit the summer zone in Scholastic Home Base, a completely free digital destination which offers stories, characters, games, and a community of readers. Home Base is moderated for safety 24/7. Bookworm Wednesdays, Showcase Cinemas Bookworm Wednesdays entitles children to free admission to a select children’s film when they present a book report at a participating Cinema de Lux, Showcase, or Multiplex Cinemas box office. Accompanying parents or caregivers and children younger than age six receive free admission and do not need to submit a book report. More Programs Check out other summer reading programs from Mille’s Ice Cream and Pizza Hut. Alternatively, parents and caregivers can also visit their local library, family center, or community resource space to learn more about local summer reading programs.
May 10, 2023 Buzzword Five SENSES Family Night Join Buzzword as we visit the Greater Hazelwood Family Center for an evening of family fun and activities featuring science, art, music and early literacy! During this event, children ages birth to five and their caregivers will have the opportunity to come together and explore elements of our newest BUZZ Box, featuring our latest Buzzword: SENSES. Together, we will explore our five SENSES through interactive activity stations, each focusing on one of the SENSES: sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch. Each family will also get to take a BUZZ Box home with them! Dinner will be provided. Registration prior to the event is strongly encouraged. When: Wednesday, June 14 | 5 – 6:30 p.m. Where: Greater Hazelwood Family Center (inside), 5006 Second Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15207 Register Here For more information or questions on the event, contact Buzzword directly at buzzword@tryingtogether.org. Come check out what all the BUZZ is about, and explore new words with us! Share the flyer with your networks. Buzzword is made possible by PNC Grow Up Great® and The Allegheny County Department of Human Services.
January 31, 2023 Buzz, Buzz, Buzz at The Hub! – SHARE BUZZ Box Series Join Buzzword for a series of family fun events at The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center in March! The focus of these events is to give children from birth to age five, and their caregivers, the opportunity to explore elements of our newest BUZZ Box, featuring our latest Buzzword: SHARE. Together, we will SHARE stories of our friends, families, communities, and cultures through art, dance, singing, science, and reading. Each family will also get to take a BUZZ Box home with them! Dinner will be provided. Registration prior to the event is strongly encouraged. Register: March 15, 2023 For more information or questions on the event, contact Buzzword directly at buzzword@tryingtogether.org. Come check out what all the buzz is about, and explore new words with us! Buzzword is made possible by PNC Grow Up Great® and The Allegheny County Department of Human Services.
Buzz, Buzz, Buzz at The Hub! – SHARE BUZZ Box Series Join Buzzword for a series of family fun events at The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center in March! The focus of these events is to give children from birth to age five, and their caregivers, the opportunity to explore elements of our newest BUZZ Box, featuring our latest Buzzword: SHARE. Together, we will SHARE stories of our friends, families, communities, and cultures through art, dance, singing, science, and reading. Each family will also get to take a BUZZ Box home with them! Dinner will be provided. Registration prior to the event is strongly encouraged. Register: March 15, 2023 For more information or questions on the event, contact Buzzword directly at buzzword@tryingtogether.org. Come check out what all the buzz is about, and explore new words with us! Buzzword is made possible by PNC Grow Up Great® and The Allegheny County Department of Human Services.
Buzz, Buzz, Buzz at The Hub! – SHARE BUZZ Box Series Join Buzzword for a series of family fun events at The Homewood Early Learning Hub & Family Center in March! The focus of these events is to give children from birth to age five, and their caregivers, the opportunity to explore elements of our newest BUZZ Box, featuring our latest Buzzword: SHARE. Together, we will SHARE stories of our friends, families, communities, and cultures through art, dance, singing, science, and reading. Each family will also get to take a BUZZ Box home with them! Dinner will be provided. Registration prior to the event is strongly encouraged. Register: March 15, 2023 For more information or questions on the event, contact Buzzword directly at buzzword@tryingtogether.org. Come check out what all the buzz is about, and explore new words with us! Buzzword is made possible by PNC Grow Up Great® and The Allegheny County Department of Human Services.
October 5, 2022 October is Dyslexia Awareness Month Dyslexia Awareness Month in October aims to support those with this learning difficulty. Dyslexia is not a disorder of any kind; but it is a learning impairment that causes problems with writing, reading, and spelling. About The intelligence of dyslexic people is unaffected. This misunderstanding of the condition leads to stigmas, which Dyslexia Awareness Month aims to eradicate. The International Dyslexia Association defines dyslexia as the following: “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.” Resources In support of Dyslexia Awareness Month, Trying Together, as well as our Buzzword program, have provided resources on dyslexia, and other learning impairments: “Dyslexia” Isn’t a Dirty Word: Let’s End the Stigma and Get Students the Training They Need (Pittsburgh Business Journals) How to Teach Kids With Dyslexia to Read (Child Mind Institute) Understanding Dyslexia (Child Mind Institute) International Dyslexia Association Fact Sheets (International Dyslexia Association) Free Early Literacy Materials for PA Early Learning Programs (Trying Together) Buzzword List of children’s books surrounding dyslexia: Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty Brilliant Bea by Shaina Rudolph A Walk in the Words by Hudson Talbott Back to Front and Upside Down! by Claire Alexander Just Ask! by Sonia Sotomayor You can also check out the latest video from Buzzword regarding a great, amazing read for children called “Aaron Slater, Illustrator” by Andrea Beaty.
February 25, 2022 March is National Reading Month March is National Reading Month. The month kicks off with National Read Across America Day on March 2, where children, teachers, parents/caregivers, and community members around the nation come together to read books and celebrate the joy of reading. About National Reading Month The National Education Association (NEA) has been leading the Read Across America initiative since 1998. Read Across America Day calls upon everyone to read and engage with children to make reading a more fun and interactive experience. Libraries, schools, book clubs, and communities organize events to celebrate and promote reading. Reading Activity Ideas Review the NEA’s recommended book titles on the Read Across America calendar. Choose from ideas for sharing books and all kinds of ways to celebrate with stories in classrooms. Join Literacy Pittsburgh on March 2 for virtual story times throughout the day on Facebook Live to celebrate Read Across America Day. View the full schedule. Join Reading Is Fundamental on March 2 starting at 9 a.m. (and available on demand until March 31, 2022) for their celebration webcast “Reading Inspires!” A downloadable viewing kit includes an activity for each of the three read-aloud books that will be featured during the event. Attend one of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s events throughout the region for children and adults. Visit their events page for details. Donate a book to the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s book drive. You and your family can help put exciting and diverse books into the hands of young readers and promote literacy in our region. This year’s books have been hand-selected to focus on social diversity, including but not limited to various ethnicities, classes, genders, physical abilities/qualities, race, and work statuses. Fill out this form to register and receive the list of books they are accepting.
