May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

I read for strength to help me when I
feel broken, discouraged, and afraid.
I read when I'm angry at the whole world.
I read when everything is going right.
I read to find hope.
I read because I'm made up not just of
skin and bones, of sights, feelings,
and a deep need for chocolate, but I'm
also made up of words.
Words describe my thoughts and what's
hidden in my heart.

Excerpt from Gary Paulsen, Shelf Life: Stories by the Book
In this newsletter:
  • May Literacy Resources
  • Family Literacy activities
  • Week of the Young Child was a smashing success!
  • Celebrating Implementer Appreciation Week with RAR-MA
  • Our Dinner With an Author Gala is SOLD OUT!
  • Save the Date - A Wild Storytime Rumpus!
  • We are hiring! Join our team and make a difference.
May Literacy Resources
May is Mental Health Awareness Month!
 
Literacy helps open doors not only to the world around us, but also to the world within. Nurturing the Social-Emotional learning that comes from reading is a key part of our mission - ‘Literacy’ means being able to communicate as well as read.

Promote your child's social-emotional growth by encouraging them to talk about their feelings, listening attentively, and giving plenty of space for active play.
 
Make time for daily connection questions like: "what are things that make you feel better when you're upset?"

Here are some of our team’s favorite works that help children understand and process emotions:
 
  • It's Okay to be Different and The Feel Good Book by Todd Parr
  • How Do Dinosaurs Say I'm Mad? by Jane Yolen
  • Even Superheroes Have Bad Days by Shelly Becker
  • Scaredy Kate by Jacob Grant
  • Benji, the Bad Day, and Me by Sally J. Pla
  • I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont  
  • And Here's to You by David Elliott (for which we have a storytime video)
Our Family Literacy Calendar is a handy day-by-day resource of simple literacy-building activities and fun that you and your families can easily do at home! Some of our favorites for May include:

  • Friday, May 6th: Read a story without even looking at the words - what do the pictures tell you that the words do not?
  • Tuesday, May 10th: Make spaghetti letters! Cook some long & thin pasta and use it to form new letters - wait until you're done to add the sauce! :)
  • Wednesday, May 25th: Spread a little respect, love & kindness - Give 6 compliments today.

And be sure to check out our full calendar with daily activities!
Week of the Young Child Update:
A Smashing Success!
The response to our Week of the Young Child events has been overwhelmingly positive - what a great time!
 
From Chelsea to Lynn, from Revere to Everett, working with libraries and family resource centers, our team ran 8 storytimes (7 in person, 1 via Zoom) and activities, engaging with 226 young readers and 172 parents in 3 different languages!  
 
A special thanks to our partners in this week-long celebration:
 
  • Chelsea Public Library
  • Revere Public Library
  • Everett Public Library
  • Lynn Public Library
  • Eliot Family Resource Center
  • Everett Coordinated Family and Community Engagement
  • Chelsea Revere Family Network
 
And to all the hard work of our program team for putting together such a wonderful time for all the young learners!
The 16th Annual Gala is SOLD OUT!
Thank you all for your support!
We are at capacity, but your donations can still support this important fundraiser!
Raising A Reader MA’s celebrated event returns to a sold out crowd on Thursday, May 12th!
 
This year, as we commemorate our Sweet 16, our gala theme, 'Tell Your Story,' fits perfectly with a celebration of coming back to connect with one another in person and recognizing the resilience of RAR-MA, its communities, and its families.
Implementer Appreciation Week: May 2nd - 6th
The mission of Raising A Reader MA works through the support of our partners. And their work is successful due to the tireless efforts of those connected to the young learners they serve. 

We’re so appreciative of all our Implementers who work with our partner organizations to help make Raising A Reader MA happen for all of our participants.

Please take a moment this week to appreciate all that they do. They are an integral part of our program, and we could not make it happen without them.
Save the Date - June 11th - For a Wild Rumpus!
Get ready to be Wild! Saturday, June 11th we’re celebrating Maurice Sendak’s birthday and his classic book, Where the Wild Things Are, with a fun-filled storytime party! Come as you are or get silly with a costume, pajamas, crazy hair, or an accessory that makes you feel like King Max!
 
Bring your favorite little ‘wild thing’ to listen, dance and enjoy a children’s classic! 

Registration details are coming soon - keep an eye on our socials and next month’s Newsletter :)
Join our team - RAR-MA is hiring!
Program Manager

The Program Manager is a vital member of the program team who is primarily responsible for leading efforts to ensure parents and caregivers are exposed to our dual intervention program. 

For details about this role and how to apply, click here.
Opening Doors By Opening Books - Join Us Today!
A United Way Partner Agency