The Bluebird Patch

Video shows the impact of how adults talk with children The Atlanta Speech School, one of the nation’s most comprehensive centers for language and literacy, is calling for a change in the ecosystems of schools to encourage brain development and literacy. As part of this call to action, it has launched a compelling new video titled “Every opportunity,” which demonstrates how changes in adult behavior, both inside and outside of the classroom, can enhance a child's approach and her ability to learn. “Everyone a child meets throughout the day can make a difference – all the difference,” said Comer Yates, Executive Director of the Atlanta Speech School. “Every time a child is ignored, or yelled at or silenced, a teacher takes away what is possible. As the video exemplifies, each of these moments can be missed opportunities to empower a child and develop their vocabulary.”

Circus-themed pep rally recognizes third graders who excelled in reading achievements over past two weeks ATLANTA –  Feb. 22, 2016  – In celebration of a two-week Reading with Ringling competition that took place at Peachtree Elementary School, the entire third grade class will receive a special visit from  Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey ® ’s  famous clowns for a circus-themed pep rally on  Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016 . Most notably, the pep rally will feature Sandra Deal, First Lady of Georgia, who will attend to congratulate the students on their reading accomplishments. Mrs. Deal will read University of Georgia football star Malcolm Mitchell’s popular children’s book, “The Magician’s Hat,” to students during her visit. Faculty is tallying up the total number of pages read over the past two weeks in order to determine the winning classes. As an incentive, the top three performing third grade classrooms to be announced at the pep rally will ...

Page Turners, in partnership with PNG presents #URit Summer Read-A-Thon Series Page Turners Make Great Learners & PNC Bank is hosting a summer read-a-thon series during the month of June. #URit! Who's getting caught with a book this summer? They will host free reading events at various locations in Atlanta. All events are open to the public and all kids who participate will receive a FREE book to keep! Featured authors include, Christy Ziglar, Carmen Agra Deedy and The Learning Groove's Michael Levine.

pow●er●ful (pou(ә)rfәl/) “ You cannot write for children. They're much too complicated. You can only write books that are of interest to them. ” - Maurice Sendak Date:     March 24 Time:    7 PM At:          The Breman Museum // 1440 Spring Street (across from Puppetry Arts) Click Here for more information :  http://thebreman.org/Events/Powerful-The-Responsibility-of-Childrens-Literature Storytelling has been used to share experiences and life lessons since the beginning of time. Children’s literature in its many forms has powerfully affected generation after generation, shaping not only how we act as children but the adults we become.  Ø  If children’s books influence the way we live as adults, do today’s authors carry a social responsibility? Ø  Has the digital age changed the way children read and how we read with our children? Ø  What should we be read...

“ Tuesday Tucks Me In” on Friday, September 19  Families invited to hear the remarkable story of unconditional love between a soldier and his service dog  The Children’s Museum of Atlanta is proud to welcome nationally acclaimed speaker and author Luis Carlos Montalván and his beloved service dog, “Tuesday” for a special reading of “Tuesday Tucks Me In” on Friday, September 19, at 11 a.m.   Captain Montalván, a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Army, is the New York Times bestselling author of “Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him," a true story about the love between a man and dog, and how together they healed each other's souls. “Tuesday Tucks Me In” is Montalván’s recently released first children’s book about day in the life of Tuesday, the service dog extraordinaire and four-legged ambassador for all things positive and uplifting in the world. Families and dog lovers of all ages are invited to hear this heartwarming s...

  As summer quickly approaches, many parents and teachers worry about the potential of learning loss, or a "summer slump."  Reading at least five books over the summer can help prevent this loss and keep young people engaged as learners. However, finding a book that a kid is excited to read can be a major challenge, whether your child is a bookworm or a reluctant reader. Introducing Bookopolis .com, a new, free tool to get kids excited about reading this summer. Bookopolis is a safe and fun online community made especially for young readers (ages 7-12) where they can connect with friends to share their favorite books and discover new ones.  In Bookopolis , kids earn points and badges for reading, rating, and reviewing books. They can easily see what books their friends recommend and are motivated to read more through healthy competition with friends.   Nine out of ten kids are more likely to finish a book they choose for themselves (Kids & Famil...

Families invited to join Mayor Kasim Reed and other guests for “Let’s Read, Let’s Move” Kickoff event In support of  First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Read, Let’s Move” initiative,  The Children’s Museum of Atlanta  is joining forces with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed  to combat summer reading loss and childhood obesity.  On  Saturday, June 7  from  10 a.m. – 5 p.m. , families are invited to experience fun with reading and movement at a special kickoff event for the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club,  which hosts  a series of events across the city that cater to the community’s young readers. During the event, children will enjoy  read-aloud sessions from Mayor Kasim Reed  and other special guests . Jump Start volunteers and  The Museum’s  Imaginators  will also lead guests in a variety of fun activities, including paper lantern crafts, cooking exercises, scavenger hunts and more! Children will even receive their ...

Award-Winning Sci-Fi Author launches teen summer reading program   (Atlanta, GA) As students are counting down the days in anticipation to summer break, teen sci-fi author Stone Erickson and Barnes & Noble Southlake announce Fantasy Book Bowl, a pre-teen and teen summer reading program. The Fantasy Book Bowl orientation kicks off on Saturday May 31, 2014 at Barnes & Noble Southlake with free snacks, prizes, activities and more. Pre-teens and teens will receive a list of top-rated fantasy books to read throughout the summer and meet bi-weekly for discussion. Stone Erickson was awarded 2013 AALAS Sci-Fi Author of the Year to his surprise, which inspired him to launch the summer reading program to encourage his peers to read during the summer months. Stone Erickson a typical teen himself advocates kids to find books combining their interests. Pre-teens and teens participating in Fantasy Book Bowl will read a total of 6 fantasy novels during the program fro...

KIPP STRIVE Academy and Better World Books co-host free book giveaway ATLANTA (April 11, 2014) – To celebrate World Book Day and thank the community for its support, Better World Books will give away 50,000 children’s books to kids in Atlanta and the surrounding areas. The assets for this giveaway come from Better World Books’ Book for Book™ program, a philanthropic initiative that identifies communities in need and provides them with gently used, pre-loved books. Better World Books’ co-host, KIPP STRIVE Academy, is opening its doors to book lovers and beginning readers alike in the Atlanta area on April 19, encouraging families to come together to celebrate the importance of reading. Better World Books tapped a student group from Emory’s Goizueta Business School to determine a location for this giveaway with the greatest impact potential – targeting areas with reading and literacy needs, as well as lower-income families with school-aged children. The group cho...

  Sunday, March 2, 2014, Dr. Seuss’ 109th birthday, will mark the 16th year of the National Education Association’s (NEA) Read Across America , an event that focuses on the critical need to instill a love of reading in our children. The event’s state sponsor, the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE), in conjunction with The Children’s Museum of Atlanta , have once again planned an exciting kick-off for the week’s activities, which will be taking place in schools, libraries and businesses throughout Georgia. The official kick-off event will take place on Monday, March 3 from 11:00 a.m. – 3 p.m. at The Children’s Museum and will include a Read-A-Thon, where boys and girls (up to age 8) will listen to guest readers. Confirmed readers include State Superintendent John D. Barge. Activities will include bookmark making stations, a special “Meow Mix” featuring the Imaginators, The Museum’s troupe of actors and educators, and a Cat Nap Story Time. Parents should visit www...

  "I'll be famous one day, but for now I'm stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons." Greg Heffley Last Sunday we took our kids to AMC at Discover Mills to watch Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I have to admit that I have been very curious about the content of this film. Diary of a Wimpy kid chronicles the adventures of wisecracking junior high student Greg Heffley over the academic year through his diary and hand-drawn cartoons. Diary of a Wimpy Kid has been the only book my 8 y/o have voluntarily read from start to finish (twice). Actually, this has been the only book he has "literally" beg on his knees for me to buy. Just like my son, kids all over the world just seemed to can’t get enough of the of the book series, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney. With more than 28 millions copies sold I wasn't surprised when the movie came out. According to Dr. Lawrence Rosen, “The power of the book is about the wimpy kid, a regular kid with regular prob...