Twin City Reads

Books are food for the brain.

Together, community partners provide children with the support they need to be successful with learning to read so that they will be ready to read to learn in third grade.

The current steering committee for Twin City Reads consists of representatives from the United Way of Bristol TN & VA, Bristol Public Library, Bristol's Promise, Reading Buddies TN/VA, and several community leaders.

Books mold the minds of everyone! From earnest kindergarteners to ambitious world leaders, they entice the imagination, expand knowledge, and push the limits of empathy and understanding across time and space. Books are so influential that even the presidents of the United States have been known to be significant bookworms.

Do you know which American president read a book a day?

Answer - Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt was perhaps the most well-read president. On an average day, he’d read a book before breakfast with another two later in the day (allegedly).

Check out this list of kid's books about black history month.
February is a celebration of Black History! Take time to learn in your home and school about the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout our history.

https://www.familyeducation.com/black-history-month/25-must-read-childrens-books-for-black-history-month

Happy Valentine's Day!
❤ Check out these stories about friendship, kindness, and love! ❤

https://www.weareteachers.com/childrens-books-to-celebrate-valentines-day/

We're all aware of the importance of spending 20 minutes per day reading with your child. But, your child benefits in so many other ways during the time together.

Our time is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children.

When you make quality time a priority:

• It builds children's self-esteem
• It strengthens family bonds
• It develops positive behaviors
• It encourages communication
• It can help your child's academic performance
• It can help your children be good friends

This week, let's work extra hard to take care of each other and show our children the beauty of being kind.

Try a few of these Random Acts of Kindness. Have a good example - share it with us!

Lighten someone's load.

Help a fellow grocery shopper to the car with their bags.

Let someone with fewer items go ahead of you in line at the supermarket.

Cheer up a stranger (or a friend).

Is someone sad? Would they be okay with a hug? Teach your kids to notice how their friends, neighbors, classmates are doing and foster empathy.

Do something that's above and beyond the call of duty.

If your neighbors have lost a pet, call and ask whether they've found their furry friend. If they haven't, you and your child can offer to hang up more signs and keep an eye out for their pal.

Give thanks.

Compliment a stranger, classmate, neighbor.

Say "good morning" to those you pass by.

Thank the delivery driver!

Sometimes a simple expression of appreciation is all the boost someone needs to get through the day.

At the end of the day, remember - simply being KIND can turn someones day around!

February is Black History Month, a time for celebration and recognition of the accomplishments of our Black pioneers and trailblazers. Storytime is one of many ways to teach young children about Black history. Check out the linked books to celebrate Black History this month and those to follow.

https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/childrens-books-to-celebrate-black-history-month

It's Bristol Baby! the board book is provided, at no charge, to all babies born at The Bristol Regional Medical Center. That way, all parents can read to their children from when they are born. Reading to a child from birth is one of the best ways to ensure they will be able to read later on in life.

So, if you'd like to purchase an, It's Bristol Baby! Book, you can buy them at:

Bristol Chamber of Commerce
Birthplace of Country Music Museum Store
Believe in Bristol
Bristol Motor Speedway Gift Shop
Bristol Public Library Gift Shop
United Way of Bristol TN & VA

Children who start kindergarten with grade-level skills (the skills of a typical 5-year-old) or higher are ready for a successful and satisfying education.

A child's learning from birth to age 5 determines where they will start upon entering kindergarten. The readiness gap is created in the child's first five years. When students score low on entering kindergarten assessments, it rarely reflects their intelligence but opportunities during their earliest learning years.

http://twincityreads.org/

It's Groundhog's Day! Are you looking for a fun storytime to share with your young one this week? From the Bristol Public Library, check out this fun read, "Groundhog Gets A Say," which will interest Kindergartners through 4th grade! You'll read about two groundhogs describing their various characteristics to a skeptical squirrel and crow. A fun story, and you and your little reader will discover some interesting facts about groundhogs.

Author: Pamela Curtis Swallow

The Bristol Public Library, and its Avoca Branch location, have so much fun planned throughout the month of February! Check out their event calendar and makes plans to get involved!

https://bristol-library.org/calendar/

This tongue-in-cheek tale helps teach young ones to treat their belongings with care--or else they might lose them!

Title: The Day the Crayons Quit
Author: Drew Daywalt

What's the only thing better than a book full of beautiful pictures? A book full of silly words to read out loud!

Help keep our local libraries alive and thriving by participating in all their fun upcoming events!

https://bristol-library.org/calendar/

Calendar | Bristol Public Library

What's the best way to counter a pouty face? With a smooch! This cute tale will teach your child that pouting isn't their only option when they're feeling down.

Title: The Pout-Pout fish
Personal Author: Deborah Diesen

Introduce your children to one of history's greatest role models by reading this inspiring biography about Martin Luther King, Jr. Written in simple, straightforward language to help even the youngest readers learn, it's an important and impactful addition to your child's library.

As veteran parents surely know, a child's first haircut can be a surprisingly harrowing experience! Teach your child there's nothing to fear with this sweet story about learning to trust and accept change.

Title: The Haircut
Personal Author: Heras, Theo, author

Ever wonder how an old dog feels when a new baby enters the picture? This encouraging tale shows how a dog goes from feeling ignored to making a new friend for life as the baby grows up.

A heartwarming collection of stories about Bartholomew Bear and big brother George that you and your toddler are sure to relate to!

While hearing about the effects of environmental disasters like oil spills can be devastating for young learners, the important thing for them to know is that there's always a hope of recovery. This sweet little story tells of how good people like "Big Boots" can help animals like these penguins recover and return to their habitats.

This is a great story to teach your little ones about following their passion!

New Year's Resolution for Bibliophiles (Book Lovers):

1. Visit the library more often.
2. Convince more people to visit the library.
3. Recommend more books to more people.
4. Encourage everyone I know to read more books.
5. Read more books!

Explore different cultures and their diverse holiday traditions by reading "Celebrations Around the World: The Fabulous Celebrations You Won't Want to Miss" with your children this year. Cleverly written and skillfully illustrated by Katy Halford, this nonfiction book teaches readers about all the exciting and exotic holiday celebrations that take place throughout the year in places all over the world. Not just a Christmas book, "Celebrations Around the World" is relevant and educational in any season!

https://tinyurl.com/y3ncnsu8

Can you name the book this quote is from?

Looking for a good children's book about Kwanzaa? We highly recommend "Together for Kwanzaa," by Juwanda G. Ford and Shelly Hehenberger. "Together for Kwanzaa" illustrates how Kwanzaa is celebrated by families across the country and how one particular family makes Kwanzaa meaningful. One Amazon reviewer called it "well-written and engaging," while others raved about its educational value and the fact that their children really enjoyed reading it. Plus, all the characters in the story have names that start with K, which makes it a fun introduction to alliteration!

What's your favorite quote from a children's book? Share in the comments below, and be sure to cite your source!

The magic of reading during childhood isn't enkindled solely by storybooks. Nonfiction books can enchant your child, too! Since nonfiction books relate facts or real-life events, they make excellent tools for making real-world connections and expanding on children's knowledge and personal experiences. Talk with your children about their interests and look for books at the library together that can help them learn more about the things they're curious about. Promoting an intrinsic motivation to learn will help make your child more successful in school and in life!

Having a strong vocabulary is a key predictor of your child's school readiness. You can help instill a love of reading and improve your child's vocabulary and other early literacy skills by speaking, singing, or reading to them often, by taking them to visit your local library, and by keeping books and other print materials around your home.

It goes without saying that an interest in STEM goes hand-in-hand with reading proficiency in predicting a child's academic success. Check out this link to find ways to turn everyday moments into STEM learning opportunities for your child.

https://tinyurl.com/2p9e6f76

You can make the world a kinder place by teaching your children to be kind. Your children learn from everything you say and do, so practice being kind yourself to set a good example. You can also help your children develop a deeper understanding of what it means to be kind by reading books about kindness with them. While you read together, ask them to point out ways the characters are showing kindness.

With breathtaking design and illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman, this edition of "A Child's Christmas in Wales" by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas provides a delight for the eyes as well as the soul. Thomas's heartwarming, nostalgic description of a traditional Christmas in his home country will bring to mind all the wonder and magic of the holiday season. It's a great book to read to your children on a cold, starlit night--and don't forget to show them the pictures!

https://tinyurl.com/55v8y8ze

Meaningful, nurturing "back-and-forth" interactions are vitally important to your child's well-being and academic readiness. Not only does listening to and talking with your child on a regular basis promote a stronger, healthier bond between the two of you, it also helps them build the types of communication and behavioral skills that contribute to academic success.

Children from low-income families fall behind their more affluent peers in literacy skills as early as age 2. These children are also more likely to lag behind their classmates in social-emotional development, which causes them to exhibit distress and disruptive behavior in a classroom setting. Between 9 and 14 percent of all young children display behavior difficulties, but that number rises to 30 percent among children from low-income families.

Frequently engaging in positive "back-and-forth" interactions with your child helps construct a healthy brain architecture that supports the critical development of social-emotional and executive function skills--key predictors of academic preparedness.

For more information about promoting school readiness, visit our website at http://twincityreads.org/.

One of the best things you can do to ensure that your child is reading proficiently by the end of third grade is to make sure they show up for school every day.

Research shows that students who are chronically absent from school in kindergarten through second grade have greater trouble reading well by third grade. Missing 10% (about 18 days) or more of the school year for any reason -- whether those absences are excused or unexcused, occur all at once or sporadically throughout the academic year -- can seriously hinder your child's progress with reading proficiency.

Parents are often unaware of how detrimental the effects of frequent absenteeism can be to a child's academic development. In particular, low-income families must contend with challenges that contribute to school absences, like insufficient housing, a lack of reliable transportation, and difficulty getting treatment for health issues.

Find out more about the effects of absenteeism and how you can help prevent them by visiting our website at http://twincityreads.org/.

New baby in the family this holiday season? Stop by one of these locations throughout Bristol to pick up our brand new book, "It's Bristol Baby!" It's the perfect way to start a tradition of reading with your children while also instilling in them a love of their community.

Books are available for purchase at:
Bristol Chamber of Commerce
Birthplace of Country Music Museum Gift Shop
Believe in Bristol
Bristol Motor Speedway Gift Shop
Bristol Public Library Gift Shop
United Way of Bristol TN & VA

For more information, visit http://bristolbaby.org/

We all want our little ones to be explorers, to step out into the world with wondrous eyes and open hearts. Books can help your child be bold and brave throughout his or her entire life.

This Thanksgiving, teach your children to be thankful for books!

A wonderful story to share with your young children to help encourage their love of reading and get them in the Thanksgiving spirit is ""Thanks for Thanksgiving,"" by Julie Markes. Told from a child's point of view, the book helps explain the concept of thankfulness and how it applies to things we may take for granted. Valuable lessons to teach as we move into the holiday season! Plus, your little ones will enjoy the lovely, relatable illustrations by Doris Barrette.

Study after study shows that experiencing and engaging in language-rich interactions, both oral and written, helps children develop critical communication skills such as patience, literacy, and even empathy.

Reading with your children has a lasting impact on the way they interact with others, the way they view their own education, and the way they learn for the rest of their lifetimes.