Three authors who participated in the NOVA RIF Authors in Our Schools program earlier in the year came back for round #2 -- with equal excitement from students and teachers alike. No doubt about it -- when students meet authors and illustrators, they are excited and inspired to see themselves as creators, too! Please click here to see more of the fun! Author David Baldacci and his wife Michelle Baldacci made a generous gift to support RIF of NOVA, which has been designated toward a multi-year plan to bring authors and illustrators and their books to several RIF of NOVA participating schools. | |
Pat Tanumihardja's author visits continued at John Adams Elementary School (Alexandria) on April 3 with a library full of first graders and on the school's "Literacy Night" on April 18 for parents and children who gathered in the school's cafetorium. While the evening began with a family pizza dinner, it ended with thoughts of noodles and reading as author Tanumihardja read her book Ramen for Everyone. One child captured the spirit of the event with an enthusiastic declaration, "I LOVE books!" -- and an ear-to-ear smile. Music to our ears, with thanks to librarian and NOVA RIF liaison Heidi Laplace. | |
The welcome mat was out for Amina Luqman-Dawson's visit to her second RIF of NOVA school: Randolph Elementary in Arlington. The 5th graders were prepared for the author's visit, thanks to librarian and NOVA RIF liaison Anita Van Harten Cater, and asked some insightful questions about her book Freewater. Each child got an autographed copy to continue reading and exploring this historical middle grade novel. To learn more about this author and her Newbery and Coretta Scott King accolades, please see her bio by clicking on our website feature, Celebrating Local Authors. | |
Hanh Bui read The Yellow Áo Dài -- her debut children's book celebrating her Vietnamese heritage -- during a second RIF of NOVA author appearance...this time at Hutchison Elementary (Fairfax County) on April 23. From the welcome sign outside the school to a final thank you card, the second-grade excitement was over the top, thanks to librarian and NOVA RIF liaison Marci Hoyt. At a lunch bunch small group session, the children were prepared with questions for the author: "How do you make the scene feel real with a lot of detail?" and "What do you write the words with?" And they all wanted to share in a hug! | |
At the exact same moment, Bui was presenting her book at Hutchison, author David Baldacci was signing copies of his latest book, Calamity of Souls at Bards Alley Bookshop in Vienna, VA. He posed with Bards owner and NOVA RIF board member Jen Morrow holding Bui's book, The Yellow Áo Dài, Hanh Bui wanted him to know the impact of his gift and wrote: "Thank you for uplifting local authors and letting us know our stories matter. I'd love for (the donor) to know their impact coming from an author who once was also a child needing the comfort and wonder found in books. Books helped me to believe in a world beyond my own reality." Read Hanh Bui's full letter on our Books 'n Blogs page. | |
Books for Keeps School Distributions! | |
School new book distributions continued at several NOVA RIF schools as part of our Books For Keeps program. Find more on our website -- click here -- and see how fun happens when children choose a book or two to take home for keeps! | |
Escape the Doghouse at Potomac View | |
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Children at Potomac View Elementary (PWC) got into the "doghouse" -- and OUT of it -- for their April book distribution! As they chose their NOVA RIF book to keep, the children could read dog facts on posted construction paper dog bones. Did you know, for example, that a person's blood pressure goes down when petting a dog -- and so does the dog's?
Working in groups, the children were tasked with solving a number of math problems in order to unlock three clue boxes. By putting the clues together, the children were able to unlock the ultimate prize -- a big black box that allowed them to “escape” the doghouse and earn a sweet treat reward! No doubt about it...this doghouse is just what any child would want to get into! Thanks to a team lead by RIF of NOVA liaison and reading teacher Debbie Crawn for all this doggone fun!
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Be Our Guest at Bailey's Upper and Carlin Springs | |
Guest readers added to the excitement at a spring Read-A-Thon at Bailey's Upper School in Fairfax County. After these special readings, each student was able to choose two NOVA RIF books, with a bookmark to add to the event. The Read-A-Thon culminated with "character day," when students were invited to come to school dressed as a favorite storybook character. Thanks for all the above to librarian and RIF of NOVA liaison Danielle Burgos! | |
The NOVA RIF book distribution at Carlin Springs Elementary in Arlington featured a number of guest readers, too. One reader picked the book Welcome to the Symphony. The kids did not know much about the topic but were all familiar with the famous first notes of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and clapped when they heard the dun, dun, dun, duuunnnnhh! Thanks to librarian and NOVA RIF liaison Holly Nisco for staging this book event! | | |
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Repurpose, reuse, recycle! RIF of NOVA shared over 700 donated books with children at Earth Day Fairfax 2024 as part of our Books in the Community program! Happy faces in happy spaces, all delighted to choose books and to meet Clifford, the Big Red Dog...who is never shy to meet new friends!
Thanks to our many, many book donors who have given over 26,000 books to reshare with new readers! More on the NOVA RIF book donor program is clickable here!
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Dr. Ingrid Bynum, Executive Principal, Region 3, Fairfax County Public Schools, and Mrs. Virginia America 2023, knows the difference that ONE book can make. ONE book from a RIF bookmobile when she was in elementary school changed her life and put her on a path to academic and career success. A stalwart supporter of NOVA RIF, she has appeared at several of our events, including Vienna's Oktoberfest. Now, she has launched a special appeal -- 1,000 Books in 30 Days -- which runs through the end of May 2024. At $4.00 per book, that's a goal of $12,000. If you would like to help, please click here! | |
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Young Ambassador Program Application
Open through May 31
| RIF of NOVA's Young Ambassador Volunteer Program is continuing into its fourth academic year -- 2024-2025. The idea is to encourage young people in our community to provide other youngsters with books and to encourage the love of reading. If you are interested, check out details by clicking here. The application period is open through May 31, 2024. Young Ambassador Camille Fallen, as Clifford during our Earth Day event, is shown with mom and NOVA RIF board member Aisha Fallen. | |
Contribute online by Paypal or credit card at: https://donorbox.org/donate-to-rif-of-nova. Donate links can be found on every page of our website, too. Every $4 = one book for one child! | |
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Send a check:
Reading is Fundamental of Northern Virginia, Inc.
P.O. Box 7012
Arlington, VA 22207-0012
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Thank you for any donation -- no matter how big or small! And thank you again for being part of the RIF of NOVA community! Books change lives! | |
Please share the RAP! Forward our newsletter to your friends and anyone interested in providing books to children who need them!
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