Date: O7/30/2012
Writer’s Name: Ornitha Danielle
Title: My Love for Books



As far back as I can remember my parents always read to me as a child. I grew up on the Bible stories that I’m sure most of everyone has heard at some time in their life. I can even remember as far back as to when I was about 2 or 3 years of age. There was this story called The Little Red Hen. From what my mother told me, they had read that book to me so much that I’d memorized the entire first page. So when they tried to say something that wasn’t there I would correct them. As time went on, they continued to read to me, until I was old enough that I could do it myself.

That was a huge milestone for me when I learned to read on my own. Even now I can spend hours reading. The gift of reading was engraved deep into my brain. When they read to me, they used different voices to express each and every character in every book they read. That captivated my mind, and I began to visualize them. Not knowing at that time what was taking place. I was being drawn into a world of make believe. The older I got the more in love with books I became. Getting my first library card, nobody could tell me anything. I felt like I had a million dollars. The fact I could go to the library and check out books to read was more than enough. During my youth I would spend hours at the library looking for books to take home, even reading some before I left. I would even get into the library summer reading programs; sometimes I’d even win prizes for the most books read.

Now as a parent I’ve done the same with my children. We read to them when they were smaller. Now that everyone is older, with two now in college and one in high school we did well with them. My oldest son was a diehard fan of Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. I can remember when those novels hit the shelves, my son would almost have a heart attack because he wanted that book. One day we looked everywhere for this book and every place had sold out! I was very sad for him; he even looked sick because he wanted to see what happened to the characters.  I happened to call a dear friend of mine and we went shopping. I didn’t tell my son anything. While we were out I saw the book, the latest Harry Potter book the one he wanted. I got the book. I’m sure that many have seen how big those books are. Well when I got home and I said I found something for you. He came looking to see. The look on his face was PRICELESS!!! To know how much he loved reading and the fact that we had instilled this love into him was priceless. I think I would have traveled around the world for that book. Basically I felt like I did. From bookstore to bookstore, even Wal-mart and more. My son stayed up for 2 days straight reading that book. Right after him reading it, he came to share.

 I would encourage the young to old, that reading is very important to daily living. We need it for driving, cooking, basically everything. Reading takes you away from everyday life struggles. You become lost in another world for that time. Take the time out to visit the schools, nursing homes and read a book to them; not only will they enjoy it, so will you.

Date: 7/30/12

Writer’s Name; Sheri Henry-Harrigan

Title: Reading & Writing is a Must

Reading is fundamental. People need to able to read in order to live in society. Writing is everywhere. On the street signs, you have to read the mail that comes in the mail box. You read signs and labels in the supermarket and other retail stores. I couldn’t imagine life not knowing how to read? Can it be done?

   

I have a two year old and I have been building up his library since he was born. By me taking a couple of minutes a day to read to him he now loves to read. He takes his books and sits in his chair and reads. When I read a newspaper he takes it from me and tries to read it himself. Just because he is a toddler and doesn’t have the reading skills doesn’t mean that he shouldn’t get in the habit of reading. It is so sad when I hear children singing the lyrics to Nikki Minaj’s songs but can’t spell or write their names. What kind of mess is that? Song lyrics will not get a person into college. Having and knowing the fundamentals of reading and writing will. People need to get their priorities in order. Children can be taught and they won’t learn if we don’t teach them.

   

Young adults need to know how to read because they are slowly going to start becoming independent of their parents. At a certain age no longer will the parents be in charge of their personal affairs. It is important not only to know how to read but how to comprehend what is read. Comprehending means knowing and understanding what is being said. This is the age when we learn the way of the world the hard way. We don’t want to listen to those who have been there and done that. Well as a young adult I made a bunch of mistakes but I refuse to let my child make those same mistakes. If he can learn from them and do different I will feel accomplished as a parent.

  

It’s a sad thing to know that many adults can’t fully understand what they read. They don’t have the skills that should have been taught in elementary school. Many are high school drop outs or just have GED diplomas. I am not against GED diplomas but if a person has one just because they didn’t want to sit in a classroom that is just sad! Learning should never be taken for granted. Learning is fundamental at a young age because it shapes us as an adult. I couldn’t imagine asking someone to explain to me simple instructions. We as a society have to do better than this. It starts with the children.

   

Parents are the leaders in the house not the children. So my child will never tell me he doesn’t want to go to school and that is ok. When he gets to the age where he no longer has to then I will respect that decision. College is an option, high school is a must. Reading to children is fun and should be done often. Everything we do as parents doesn’t have to feel like we are just doing our jobs. Engage the children and they will impress you when they go out into the world.

Date:    July 9, 2012       

Author: Norlita Brown   

Title: Reading Changes Your Life

I was at a book conference this past week where awards were given to book clubs. They were given the opportunity to give a small speech with each award received. One of the ladies spoke and said that books gave her the opportunity to have a family. She said that each time she read a good book she would talk to the characters so much that she knew she had to find someone else to talk about the book to, so she formed a book club where they have now become a family.

Another book club president with tears in her eyes stated how she used books as her way of escape. It was her opportunity to go away from her present, if only for a moment. Though I have never been a part of a book club, I completely understand these sentiments. Reading has been a passion of mine since I was old enough to put a book in my hand. I can recall reading the Nancy Drew series as a young girl and literally escaping the world I lived in to venture into hers. I could see the dark caves she had to fight her way through the mysteries; the clues were as present with me then as they are now.

Within each page of a good book stands another opportunity to learn something new, to be captivated by the impossible, to be enlightened, entertained and many times encouraged. So now the question becomes, when does reading begin? My answer is simple, in the womb. Every night, read your child a bed time story, from the moment you know they have been conceived. Make it a tradition that will be hard to break as they grow in age; one that they will learn to depend on every night.  

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), children who are read to at an early age are more apt to read earlier than those who are not. These same statistics also discover that these children are more likely to spell their name quicker and have a larger vocabulary than those who do not. Wanting what is best for your child should include every area and every aspect in life. Wanting them to excel in school means that we must do our part as parents at home, reading is the first step to success.

Many children find their career in a book. They tend to read something amazing that someone has done in a story they have unfolded and gravitate toward that person’s abilities for themselves. In an era where television and video games are becoming more prevalent, we are losing our children to a couch with no hope. With a book in hand we help them to regain focus, set goals and dream again. Reading is the one of the few things in life that does not require moderation; you can read until your heart is content and when you’re done, open up another book!

Date: July 1, 2012
Writer’s Name: Charlotte Marshall Templeman
Title: Is Reading Fundamental?
   

John Greenleaf Whittier Elementary School. I used to love to line up in the classroom and walk down the two flights of stairs to my favorite part of the school, the library. Each week we were fortunate enough to visit the library and check out our favorite book. “The Cat in the Hat”, “Goodnight Moon”, and “Green Eggs and Ham” were just a few of the books I rushed to weekly to check out. I would remove the library card from the back of the book and proudly sign my name. The librarian would give me a smile as she stamped the return date on the book and handed it to me. I was excited. For a week this was my book to read as often as I liked.  That made me happy. Besides being able to check out a book and congregate with my classmates, we were given the special treat of having books read to us. We would all sit on the carpeted floor, huddled together, listening to the words of some of the greatest books come to life. In one day we were able to go on a train ride across the world, or on a visit to an exotic zoo in another land and even possibly meet a rabbit and an evil queen who lived down a big long hole in the ground which led to another dimension. It excited us and we left the library with our imaginations soaring and longing for more. The power of reading engaged us.
   

My love of reading not only started in school but it was also encouraged at home. The saying, “parents are their child’s first teacher” rang true in our household.  Reading was a normal part of our lives and we embraced it as such. We learned that reading not only entertained us but it also educated us. Knowing how to read allowed us to do well in school and it was the catalyst for our success as adults.  It was understood that reading was and is an important facet of life which is used in our everyday lives.
   

In today’s society of technological advances, reading has become scarce to the younger generation. With the sudden rise in devices such as IPods, Nintendo DS, play station, Xbox 360, cell phones and the social media networks, children are putting down their books and picking up these gadgets. Because of this we have an alarming high number of students who are not reading on their grade level. Test scores in reading in some schools are decreasing even further and children are graduating without the essential tools to even fill out a job application. You may ask, “Whose fault is this?” Placing the blame on others will not help our children learn to read or perhaps read more, but as a society we all have a responsibility to alleviate the problem. As stated earlier, parents are their child’s first teacher. Children do as they see. If households make reading a priority it will become an everyday part of a child’s life. They will not only read for school assignments but for enjoyment as well. Every school needs to take part in the 100 book challenge and set aside time for students to read. The 100 book challenge is a program where children read and record the 100 books they’ve read. Prizes at each level are usually given.

 Lastly our communities should offer reading time at the recreational centers, libraries, and churches. I’m sure there may be some communities and schools doing these things and for those that aren’t they need to get on board.
   

Reading is important to all stages of life because it empowers the individual. Throughout our daily walk we are engaging in reading. It may be a menu at a restaurant, directions to a destination, or the recipe for our favorite meal. However you look at it, reading is fundamental to our lives. Education is power and independence, and knowing how to read gives us those traits. Reading not only empowers the mind but it empowers the soul. It gives the individual a positive sense of self-worth and confidence. Because reading is so important we owe it to our children to have them turn off the television and pick up a book.  You never know what wonders await them; aren’t they important enough to us to find out? When you encourage reading you open a child’s mind to endless possibilities of what they can become and achieve. All children are worthy of that beginning in life. Let’s give it to them. Because of my early introduction to reading as a child I became an author. Without that beginning my life may have taken a different turn. Let’s give our children a chance at the right turn. Encourage reading!

Date: 06/23/2012
Writer’s Name: Dominique Wilkins   
Title: Reading is Power

Once upon a time, there was a very painful statement made toward African-Americans. It was: "Hide your money in your books, because Black people don't read.” Not that they CAN'T read, but DON'T read!  I am blessed that you took the time to read my article. Reading it did not guarantee you a job, a chance to win the lottery, or anything else to further yourself in this world. You read it out of curiosity because you were seeking information or for pure enjoyment. Whatever your reason may be for reading this, you are doing it voluntarily. More than likely, you LIKE to read! Since you do like to read, that statement above, either made you sad, angry or nod your head in agreement as you think of someone you know that makes that statement true! Though, I must immediately interject that the saying does have some truth to it, but not entirely. The part that makes it not entirely true is the fact that, it does not pertain solely to Black people. In today's world, as we see such great advancements, we also eyewitness such great digressions!

   

In 2012, you don't have to walk a country mile to the library to borrow a book or wait impatiently for someone to return it on time for you to be able to participate in the hot topic book discussions hovering around the author's words! You have limitless ways of getting information at your fingertips! People can go on their electronic device and with "one-click" they can download millions of eBooks to that one handheld device to enjoy at their leisure. No line. No wait. An eBook can be shared millions of times without having to worry about being sold out or waiting on shipping. Instant gratification! Yet, people have spent hundreds of dollars on these ipads and iphone like devices and have no idea how to read a book on them, with no desire to learn...

Everything is your way, right away, yet it doesn't increase literacy. Though I must admit, in contrast-Youtube is doing rather well! It hurts my heart to utter these words of truth. There's a great book out now, it gets great reviews and everyone who touches it feels as if their hands will instantly turn to gold! The book is being sold in paperback and hardcover, while the ebook sells for less than the price of a McDonald's value meal!  I stand here and ask how many people do you think have read it and it? It's called Mother In-Law Guilty of Murder. It has all of the drama your friends involve you in at home, the laughter you get from listening to a standup comedian, and the roller coaster rides you’d find at Six Flags. Many have heard of it and think it sounds good, but how many of them, do you think have actually bought or made an attempt to read it? Sadly, the answer is very few.

   

The lack of desire to read a book, is going to be the death of us. If you do not read your mail, how would you know the sheriff is coming to evict you on the day of your party? If you do not read the newspaper, how would you know that your wife is divorcing you and if you don't respond, she will rake you over the coals? If you do not read a book, how can you take that vacation, in this rapidly declining economy, that you cannot physically afford to take, but can easily get lost into an exciting place overseas in your mind by reading? Ray Bradbury wrote a book called Farenheit 451: The rate at which books burn. He said, "There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." Now let that marinade!
   

It baffles me to see people of all ages say, "I'm bored!" How could you be bored and the library is now online!! You can order books on tape too!! I remember when I had this job and children at home, with a long list of things to do.  I felt overwhelmed, in view of the fact that I could not find any room for “me time.” That is until I discovered books on tape!! Though I could not READ the book, I was able to LISTEN to them as I multitasked at work! What a happy girl I was! I was never bored and I would often visit so many countries throughout the week and live so many lives! By Sunday, I thought I was bipolar.  I had so many personalities within me! Through these books, I became smarter with every word that I digested. My vocabulary increased because that con artist would use different words to make him seem wealthy and intelligent. My jokes were good, since Lil Johnny- the crowd pleaser had so many that he would use at the perfect moment, that a few of them stuck with me. I even knew some "little did you know" facts stored from Rosie's attempt to get on that game show! Books are wonderfully addictive. Who wouldn't want to get high off of them?!
   

I've been out of school for over fourteen years now. I've been told that anything you don't use, you lose. Unless of course you take a refresher course through books! For example, you'd think that after fourteen years, I’d forget the proper way of how to communicate on paper. Although I had not been using my writing skills, I had still been reading. My mind has retained the important rules and reading has brushed me up on the rest. It's true. I recall communicating with my son's teacher, via email, quite a few times about some issues that he was having in the classroom. I did not think anything of it, except for the fact that she was not my friend and I knew that I could not use a lot of abbreviations in our emails so that she would not lose the point of the message. So, when report card day came and we met, my son’s teacher told me that she would have a fight on her hands when she needed to pry him away from a book during the time for other lessons. She let me know that she appreciated his love for a good book and knew that he got it from me, for she could tell the way that I wrote in my emails that I was no dummy. I obviously read too.
   

 I end this rant on literacy by saying this: In Denzel Washington's movie, "The Book of Eli," he would die to protect the bible. The villain would kill everyone in his path to get the last bible. No one could read after the books had been destroyed so many years before. So the villain who could read and knew that if he could get his hands on the greatest book and read its powerful words, he could control the world! Everyone would rely on him to read and deliver the profound messages, which he could misconstrue for his own sinister purposes. How would you know that you were being scammed, bamboozled and run amuck if you don't read? Knowledge is power. Reading is knowledge. It is crucial to read at every stage of your life, so that you will not lose your power...  

Date: June 18, 2012
Writer’s Name: JC Gardner

Title: A Mind is a Terrible thing to Waste

Reading has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  As a child, I devoured Dr. Seuss books and still remember many parts of my favorite Seuss book, “A Fly Went By.” As I got older, I gravitated towards Pippy Longstocking’s escapades and Nancy Drew’s mysteries.  Transitioning into adulthood and even today, I read many different authors, although I’m more of a fiction kind of gal.  I like to disappear into other people’s realities, lose myself in their problems, triumphs, defeats, love, lust and deceit.

I also love word games.  My smart phone is home to several apps that challenge me to make as many words as possible from a group of misfit letters before the time is up.

                

As a writer, reading is second nature.  My second full-time job was in New York as an Editorial Assistant at Bantam, Doubleday, Dell Publishing.  I worked for the Editor-in-Chief, a tough, no-nonsense female boss who spoke her mind daily, for better or for worse.  Some days her demeanor left a lot to be desired; however, through her gruffness, she often imparted words of wisdom in a manner that made it sound like you better listen and take heed. 



Two of her little nuggets stuck with me through the years. One had to do with the proper way to resign from a job.  The other had to do with reading.  She told me to read something every day, even if it was the back of a cereal box.  Reading is knowledge.  Reading keeps your brain active, and you can never know too much information. You’d also be surprised what’s in that healthy cereal you’re eating!

I took those words to heart and when I had my own children, we would go on field trips to the bookstore or the library, and they knew they could not leave empty handed.  They had to find something to read.  Encouraging youth to read at a young age also helps to prepare them for school.  Being literate should not be an option; it should be a requirement that starts from home and then fortifies what is taught in school.

 

I know several people, including family members, who have suffered from the mind-robbing disease of Alzheimer’s.  My dear, precious granny suffered from this horrible sickness, as well as two of her sisters.  Although they lived to be in their eighties (and in my grandmother’s case, ninety-two), their bodies were here, but their minds were gone.  Could reading have saved them?

Of course, if it were that simple, the disease would be eradicated. But studies have shown that people who do activities, such as reading, puzzles, or chess, are less likely to develop the disease.1   Watching television just doesn’t affect the brain the same way – no surprise there. If this simple task will help you age better, why not take a few minutes to activate your mind each day? 

The old adage, “A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste” speaks volumes of truth.  Don’t let yours sit idle. If you are not into reading lengthy novels, then find a magazine that speaks your language.  I am amazed at how many magazines there are in print – from wrestling to knitting – I’m sure there is one out there for you.

 

 

 1http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2001-03-05-alzheimers-hobbies.htm
1http://articles.boston.com/2012-01-24/health-wellness/30654666_1_amyloid-brain-high-levels
1http://www.alz.org/research/science/alzheimers_prevention_and_risk.asp

Date:  6-11-2012

Writer’s Name:  S. F. Hardy

Title: The need-to-read never dies

Vital to each chapter of life is reading! Reading enhances the quality of life, while illiteracy reduces it. The benefits derived through reading during the developmental years are critical to each individual’s future. 

Reading serves to connect individuals to the outer world. Through reading individuals become empowered, enlightened, entertained, and soothed. Reading however, is not innate. So then where and when does the learning process begin?

For optimal results, the foundation of reading is laid prior to birth. Early childhood development experts encourage expectant mothers to read to their unborn children as it not only promotes bonding between mother and child, but also gives baby a head start on language and cognitive development.

   

It is critical, particularly in AA communities that we continue to emphasize the importance of immersion of reading during the early stages of life. We cannot rely on and/or wait for educational systems to introduce our children to reading. There are rudimentary concepts such as knowledge of the alphabet, phonetic awareness, and sound recognition children should possess prior to walking into the school building for the first time. Failing to equip children with the necessary tools has and continues to demonstrate terminal consequences aiding in the destruction of the community.  Many people will be shocked to learn that correlations are made between children’s reading skills and future crime. Sadly but true, national reading assessment scores of children as young as eight years old are used as a precursor to predict the need to develop prisons.     

   

According to The National Institute for Reading, “Learning to read starts at home, long before children go to school. Very early, children begin to learn about the sounds of spoken language when they hear their family members talking, laughing, and singing, and when they respond to all of the sounds that fill their world. They begin to understand written language when they hear adults read stories to them and see adults reading newspapers, magazines, and books for themselves.” 

   

Reading together as a family is a free and fun way to spend quality time. To enhance the learning experience, allow children to become familiar with books by touching and holding books during story time. Give yourself a break and let your young learner read to you; the sounds will be like music to your ears! No books at home, No problem! Visit your public library and check out books for free. Most public libraries offer regularly scheduled story times, activities, and reading readiness programs for children and their families. A children’s librarian will be delighted to assist parents in selecting reading materials suitable for themselves and young readers.

  

Reading is not all work and no play. Adults as well as children use reading as an escape from day-to-day life. The stressors of life are left behind with every open book and every page turned as readers travel to and through many lands with extracurricular reading.

   

Children grow into adults, and adults become seniors; literacy plays a crucial role in individuals reaching and maintaining each phase of life. Seniors who lack the ability to read face life threatening implications. A recent study performed on 8,000 Englanders, 52 and older reveal severe consequences as a result of illiteracy. The cause of death: the inability to read and comprehend. More specifically, “the study assessed a person’s understanding of written instruction for taking aspirin. About one-third of the participants could not completely understand the instructions; compared to people with the highest scores, those with the lowest health literacy scores were most likely to die.”

   

From conception, reading becomes an essential aspect to life.  As individuals, we are enveloped in a world of reading, there is no escaping it. Without the ability to read, ordering from a menu would be difficult. Applying for employment would be near to impossible. Traffic laws would be broken, following recipes and basic instructions would be frustrating if not futile. Life would have no getaways and families would have less opportunity to bond if it were not for reading.  The need-to-read never dies. It only improves with time and engagement from readers in each chapter of life.

Resources

1.      Medline Plus

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_123032.html 

2.      National Institute for Literacy

http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/readingk-3.pdf

3.      Literacy Assistance & Resources for Individuals living in Detroit

Detroit Literacy Coalition  http://www.detroitliteracy.org/

Detroit Public Library: Adult Tutoring   http://www.detroit.lib.mi.us/specialservice/detroit-reads

University of Detroit Mercy:  http://udmercy.readingprograms.org/level/R/reading-readiness.html

Date: June 6, 2012

Writer Name: Donnell Hicks

Journal Topic: Pick up a book and READ!

We live in a society that is very much dominated by the use of technology such as the iPad, iPhone, and reading devices like the Barnes and Nobel Nook and Amazon Kindle. I won’t say everyone doesn’t like to read; for the reason that there are some people who adore reading. It’s a fifty-fifty toss up, particularly in the African-American community throughout the United States. In my opinion, reading a book or magazine is very imperative not only to our children but especially to adults. It enhances the mind and broadens one’s vocabulary. Reading gives us a sense of awareness on issues that are affecting the African-American community including socioeconomic issues like HIV/AIDS, the high unemployment rate (which is a very big topic within the African-American community throughout the United States), lack of education, and healthcare. Most adults aren’t attentive to these major problems that need to be addressed.  

I often ask my friends and family members if they like to read. The answers I always hear on a daily basis are: “I hate reading,” “Reading is for suckers,” “Reading a book is boring and it’ll make you out to be a nerd.” What is wrong with picking up a book, a magazine, or a newspaper every now and again to spend at least five to ten minutes reading? We always tell the children to pick up a book and read after doing homework instead of sitting in front of the television watching rappers in music videos, cartoons or playing video games on the computer for several hours.

Within the African-American community there is an enormous literacy gap between those of our Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian counterparts. Some will blame the literacy gap on the socioeconomic condition a young African-American male or female is dealing with on occasions. Lack of parents’ reading to their children for two hours a day will indeed affect the child in the classroom which will bring on a rise in the high school dropout rate.

On the contrary, some adults read either books, magazines, or the newspaper. I feel like it doesn’t matter what age a person is, reading is very important in all stages in life. Just the mere thought years following slavery, our forefathers and foremothers couldn’t read or write to help save their lives. In order for them to cast a single vote they had to read or they would be turned away from the voting polls.

Essentially, it is important to know and have and understanding about our culture as African-Americans and the issues we still face as a human race within the United States. All of us have to band together and instill literacy into the lives of our children, young adults, and the adults. If we’re not gaining the knowledge to succeed by reading we’re lagging behind other cultures. There’s not a problem recognizing and reading about the ongoing battle in the political arena amid the upcoming presidential election on who will win the white house this November. The presidential policies will deeply affect everyone in the African-American community. Parents have to step up to the plate and so do the young adults to end the literacy gap for the next century and for our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Like the old saying goes “Knowledge is Power.”