Once upon a time, I was a library outreach specialist for early childhood literacy, who won a state library association service award, for the program I managed.
I provided storytimes at shelters and organizations helping families in our community, and workshops for caregivers, teachers, and parents. The mission was to help equip adults to read to the children in their lives.
The workshops overflowed with books and special literacy kits our library loaned. Adults learned about child brain development, types of picture books, and what to expect when reading to children of different ages. We made and learned how to use sock puppets. I can’t imagine how many sock puppets I’ve made or helped to make. They’re magic you know!
Most importantly, I read to people! I read to preschoolers, babies, elementary kids. I read to parents and/or caregivers. I read to teachers and watched their shoulders relax. I read to middle school and high school students. I read to teenage parents. I read to men and women with dementia in adult daycare. I read to children that didn’t know how to pretend. I read to people from all over the world, learning English. I read to families of all kinds, with all kinds of needs. I read in shelters, apartment complexes, daycare centers, and schools. I read books that made kids worry, wonder, question, and laugh so hard.
My read aloud story began back in elementary school, with shaky knees and severe stage fright! (I got better.)
I read in theater competitions. I read to college friends and as a student teacher. I read to coworkers at lunch, when I worked at a defense company. I started a storytime and book club at our ice rink. I read to my father, who suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease. And when someone comes to my house, they usually get read to. (Picture books are on the coffee table.) I am a read-alouder.
So here I am building a website, hoping to help motivate Reading Aloud for Life. For your life and my life — and the lives of those around us.
This is “notta” The End And Man! I look forward to the day I get to read aloud my own published picture book!