One of the initiatives of the ALA’s Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is Kids! @ your library. As part of this campaign ALSC provides free, downloadable artwork for libraries to use in promoting their programs and services to kids and families. ALSC Program Officer, Laura Schulte-Cooper tells me that parents and care-givers are also invited to print off this material to use in their own homes as long as it is for non-commercial uses.

Check out the the original artwork that award-winning children’s book illustrator David Diaz has created for this campaign. The full colour mini-posters and bookmarks are lovely! You can also download clip art adapted from Michael P. White’s illustrations in the book The Library Dragon written by Carmen Agra Deedy. With the winter rain and snow just around the corner, we are always looking for indoor activities to keep us busy and these downloadable craft projects like door hangers and coloring pages should help do the trick.

To keep up to date with all the ALSC happenings check out their blog.

Calling all poetry fans in the Chicago area! The ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) sends out an invitation to join in their Poetry Blast on Monday, July 13, 2009 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Co-hosted by librarian Barbara Genco and poet/writer Marilyn Singer, this unique program will celebrate the wonder and excitement of contemporary North American poetry for children. Ten to twelve poets, some new, some well-established, will read from their works. Information about current and forthcoming books of poetry will be available.

This event is designed to be a ‘drop-in’ reading at the close of the ALA Annual Conference and attendees are guaranteed to find the time spent in these readings both enlightening and energizing. Poets include: Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, David Harrison, Bobbi Katz, Laura Purdie Salas, Jon Scieszka, Joyce Sidman, Marilyn Singer, Hope Anita Smith, Susan Marie Swanson, Joyce Carol Thomas. Publishers will also offer a display of books and promotional materials featuring the participants.

Lee & Low Books, an independent children’s book publisher focused on diversity, will be taking part in the upcoming American Library Association Annual Conference, July 9 – 15 in Chicago, IL. Attendees are invited to Lee & Low’s Booth 2260 for book signings by authors Christine Taylor-Butler, Lulu Delacre, W. Nikola-Lisa, Janet Halfmann, Eloise Greenfield, R. Gregory Christie, and Shadra Strickland. Lee & Low will also be giving away bookmarks, posters, and more! See the complete signing schedule here.

(Click on event name for more information)

Golden Feather Literature Festival~ ongoing until Jan 31, Mongolia

5th Tales in the Park Festival~ ongoing until Feb 7, Bangkok, Thailand

Discovering Ethnic Minorities – Storytelling Workshops for Children~ ongoing until May 31, Hong Kong

2008 Cybils (the Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards) Finalists Announced~ Jan 1

Costa Book Awards Winners Announced~ Jan 6, London, United Kingdom

7th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities~ Jan 9 – 12, Honolulu, HI, USA

Mitali Perkin’s Secret Keeper Book Launch Party and Writing Workshop~ Jan 15, Palo Alto, CA, USA

CISA World Symposium and Storytelling Festival: Indigenous Voices, Ancient Trade Routes~ Jan 15 – 17, San Leandro, CA, USA

Storytelling by Winners of the First Time Writers & Illustrators Publishing Initiative 2008~ Jan 17, Singapore

Newberry Library Lecture – Babes in the Wood: The Death of Childhood and the Birth of Modern Children’s Literature~ Jan 17, Chicago, IL, USA

Presentation Ceremony for the Marsh Award for Children’s Literature in Translation~ Jan 20, London, United Kingdom

20th Annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts and Humanities~ Jan 20 – 25, Eatonville, FL, USA

Presentation by Award Winning Author and Literacy Advocate David Bouchard~ Jan 21, Port Moody, BC, Canada

Jaipur Literature Festival~ Jan 21 – 25, Jaipur, India

SCBWI Tokyo Presents Alison Lester: From Arnhem Land to Antarctica as a Children’s Author and Illustrator~ Jan 23, Tokyo, Japan

Deb Ellis and Groundwood Books Partnership with USBBY in a Fundraiser for IBBY’s Fund for Children in Crisis~ Jan 23, Denver, CO, USA

2nd Children’s & Young Adults’ Book Fair~ Jan 23 – 26, Marousi, Greece

American Library Association (ALA) 2009 Midwinter Meeting~ Jan 23 – 29, Denver, CO, USA

ALA Youth Media Awards Announcement~ Jan 26, Denver, CO, USA

Yabun 2009: Celebrating Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Cultures~ Jan 26, Sydney, Australia

No Name-Calling Week~ Jan 26 – 30, USA

Family Literacy Week~ Jan 26 – 31, Province of British Columbia, Canada

Family Literacy Day~ Jan 27, Canada

SCBWI South Africa – Cape Town Presents What’s Happening in the SA Educational Book World~ Jan 28 , Cape Town, South Africa

3rd International Galle Literary Festival~ Jan 28 – Feb 1, Galle, Sri Lanka

Kolkata Book Fair~ Jan 28 – Feb 8, Kolkata, India

Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices Children’s Book Award Entry Deadline~ Jan 30, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom

SCBWI Annual Winter Meeting~ Jan 30 – Feb 1, New York, NY, USA

(Click on event name for more information)

Announcement of the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature~ Jan 3, USA

SCBWI Speaker Event: Lara Saguisag on “The Filipino Child and Filipino Children’s Literature”~ Jan 7, Makati, Philippines

Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities~ Jan 11 – 14, Honolulu, HI, USA

American Library Association Midwinter Meeting~ Jan 11 – 16, Philadelphia, PA, USA

American Library Association Literary Awards Announced~ Jan 14, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Mumbai International Book Fair~ Jan 16 – 20, Mumbai, India

Cooperative Learning in Multicultural Societies: Critical Reflections Conference~ Jan 19 – 22, Turin, Italy

Costa Book Awards Winners Announced (formerly the Whitbread Literary Awards)~ Jan 22, London, England

Hay Festival Cartagena de Indias~ Jan 24 – 27, Cartagena, Columbia

SCBWI Tokyo Author and Illustrator Showcase~ Jan 26, Tokyo, Japan

Family Literacy Day~ Jan 27, Canada

Kolkata Book Fair~ Jan 30 – Feb 10, Kolkata, India

There are lots of great literary events for kids happening throughout the summer but one of the closest (and according to my kids the best) events may be found at your local library. At this time of the year as schools let out for summer holidays, libraries unveil and promote their summer reading programs.

Summer reading programs began in the late 1800’s as a way to encourage children to read during their summer vacation, use the library and develop the habit of reading. Numerous studies show summer reading programs help ensure children retain reading and learning skills throughout the summer. As the American Library Association says “Summer reading programs are geared for reading for the fun of it. If you can read, thank a teacher. If you love to read, thank a librarian. Libraries are in the business of creating a new generation of readers – people who are curious and love to read. Summer library programs take advantage of children’s natural curiosity to introduce new subjects and different genres – things kids might not study in school but are interested in.”

Summer reading programs may vary but there is usually some incentive for the kids to read. At our local library kids that read for 15 minutes or more, 50 days throughout the summer receive a medal. Stickers are given out for every seven days of reading and special events for children and teenagers are held at the library throughout the summer. (I think almost every library is hosting a Harry Potter party on July 21st when the 7th and final book is released).

In our household it is a tradition that as soon as school is done we head to the library, sign up for the summer reading program and load ourselves up with a great selection of books. I hope you will make it a tradition in your home as well.