Bookish Charities

'Tis the season for giving; so I've put together a list to help make it easy to give to some wonderful and deserving charities. Whether it's a gift of a book to a child in need, promoting adult literacy or supporting sustainable reading all you have to do is click and give.

Thanks and Happy Giving!

Books For Africa - Books For Africa. A simple name for a simple organization with a simple mission. We collect, sort, ship and distribute books to children in Africa. That's all we do. Our goal: to end the book famine in Africa.

Building with Books - Building with Books (BwB) is a non-profit organization that empowers primarily urban U.S. high school students through in-class and intensive after-school programs. In addition to tremendous contributions of community service in their own cities and neighborhoods, BwB youth actually build schools and bring literacy to children and adults in developing countries around the world. BwB programs are designed to build confidence and real-world capabilities in American youth while also empowering communities world-wide to overcome the crippling cycle of illiteracy, poverty and low expectations by opening the door to education.

Eco-Libris - A green business and our partners in sustainable reading, their mission is to plant a tree for every book made, thus balancing out the environmental impact on the planet. They work with "planting partners" to plant trees in developing countries where the trees provide significant value for both the environment and the local communities.

First Book - Twice the Giving! First Book provides books to children in need this holiday and throughout the year. Thanks to Random House Children's Books your donation will be matched book-for-book through December 31st. First Book is a nonprofit organization with a single mission: to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. They provide an ongoing supply of new books to children participating in community-based mentoring, tutoring, and family literacy programs.

Literacy Assistance Center - Literacy is more than the ability to read a book. It is the ability to open new worlds. The Literacy Assistance Center is entering their third decade of service to New York’s literacy programs for adults, out-of-school youth, and families. Over 800 programs across the state provide free and low-cost programs in English for speakers of other languages, adult basic education, and GED preparation. Their mission is to support the work of these programs to help adults and families become more confident, productive, and active members of their communities.

Reach Out and Read (ROR) - Reach Out and Read (ROR) is a national non-profit organization that promotes early literacy by giving new books to children and advice, in pediatric exam rooms across the nation, to parents about the importance of reading aloud. Doctors and nurses know that growing up healthy means growing up with books. The ROR program provides the tools to help promote children's developmental skills and later school success.

Room To Read - Partner with local communities throughout the developing world to provide quality educational opportunities by establishing libraries, creating local language children's literature, constructing schools, providing education to girls and establishing computer labs. Room to Read's Students Helping Students initiative was launched in 2005 after an overwhelming response from students wanting to help rebuild schools and libraries after the devastating tsunami in Sri Lanka.

United Through Reading - What began as one woman's vision for military families has now benefited almost 500,000 people, both military and non-military families, through the power of reading aloud.

Candy Chand, author of Christmas Love, REALLY Speaks to me!

Ok, so last blog I wrote (jokingly of course) about how, metaphorically, Eric Carle spoke to me through The Very Hungry Caterpillar. So I hope this is not like The Boy Who Cried Wolf and when readers see this blog’s title they won’t believe. But...to my absolute surprise and delight I actually, REALLY, received a call from the author of Christmas Love, Candy Chand, herself. Words can't explain how excited I was...STILL AM!

Ironically, (those who have read the story will get this) I was at a school function of my son's kindergarten class when she called, so I missed her. None-the-less, she left the most delightful message and said it was 'a sweet surprise' to have seen her book in a Bookworm Basket. Luckily, she also reached out to me via email so I was able to communicate with her after all. Yay!

I am elated by her thoughtfulness to call and share her approval. I haven't been this excited in so long! (hey, it's not everyday an author calls me) What a wonderful person and what a wonderful book. For all of you bookworms out there looking for a simple, sweet and fun Christmas story, Christmas Love is perfect. It’s a wonderful book for your Christmas collection.

Looks like I got my Christmas present early. Cheers Candy, and Merry Christmas to all!

Eric Carle Speaks to Me

Eric Carle is one of my most FAVORITE children's books author and artist. “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?” was my oldest little bookworm's very favorite book. Of course her first word was "book." Apparently it's hereditary, this obsession. But it wasn't long after, that she stumbled across her words as she said "brown bear" for the very first time. Eric Carle seems to have a way of captivating children with his words and beautiful illustrations. I think all of his books are amazing! Definite "must-haves" for a baby bookworm's library.

My personal favorite, though, is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. I love the vibrant illustrations and there's just something in this story that speaks to me. Something that resonates... Maybe it's the shear fascination with the topic of metamorphosis in general. Maybe there's something about watching this small lonely creature search and search to find himself while devouring everything insight to satisfy the emptiness inside, only to become this BIGGER, FATTER version of what it once was. Then hiding away from the rest of the world, possibly self-reflecting...possibly sleeping off the one too many xanax it took after its culinary binge. Finally, witnessing its triumph over self-loathing and deprecation by shedding its cocoon and emerging into the world, a Beautiful Butterfly! Uh, um...or maybe it's the cute holes the caterpillar has eaten through the book.

So anyway...Eric Carle, my hero, has a wonderful Museum called The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. It's an amazing and wonderful museum for children and adults. There are always great events going there perfect for exciting children about reading and books. This year they are celebrating its 6th Anniversary. On November 22nd admission is FREE, which in this economy, is always nice. You'll definitely find the Bookworm Basket family there!

For more information go to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art website.

Who says Bookworm's aren't COOL!

This week Bookworm Baskets received rave reviews on one of my favorite "Mom" sites -- coolmompicks.com. I've been following CMP (Yea, that's right! I'm comfortable enough with my coolness to just throw out an acronym like that) for quite some time. They are an excellent source for all things COOL! Many of the unique and handmade products found in a Bookworm Basket, as well as lying around my children's rooms, are coolmompicks. They specialize in finding the latest and greatest from "indie" designers and mom/women-run companies. They really have a flare for weeding through the "wanna-bes" and showcasing high-quality and often eco-friendly products that you wouldn't find sold, and I quote, "at that place that rhymes with schmall-mart." You'll find reviews of an array of baby products, services, websites, cool causes, and now...book-themed gift baskets.

The mom's behind the reviews are an intelligent, highly successful, and extremely witty bunch of women. Their reviews are informative with a funny, sassy, twist that always puts a smile on my face. Best of all they are living, breathing proof that Bookworm's are Cool! Co-founder Kirsten Chase, pre-CMP was a published textbook author and college professor -- hello, doesn't get more bookworm then that!! Liz Grummbiner (fellow New Yorker) is the co-author of Booty Food, a sassy collection of recipes and menus for every stage of a relationship you can imagine, from flings to marriage. Hmm...cool and naughty!

So needless to say, I'm thrilled that BWB (yes, we have our own TLA) has been "picked" by these cool, smart, sassy, bookworm matriarchs to be amongest the coolest of the cool. I feel like geek-gone-prom-queen! "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!"

The New York International Gift Fair

Wow, what an incredible experience! Just a few weeks ago was my first time at the NYIGF and man was I overwhelmed. Overwhelmed in a good way though. Myself and my acting creative design assistant, aka my sister, found ourselves in a sea of merchandise. There were literally thousands of vendors selling their goods. I can't even begin to list them. We really were thrilled with the quality of merchandise at the "show" -- as they say. "Have a good show!" "Enjoy your show!" I guess we'll be down with the lingo better next year.

So we spent one entire day there. Unlike the seasoned "show" attendees we took only a tote bag each to carry home the few catalogs we thought we'd acquire. In our delight and excitement with the vast array of incredible products we soon filled those tote bags and several "giveaway" totes we had also acquired along our journey up and down the endless rows. We no sooner found out that most of the people in "the know" brought giant pieces of luggage with WHEELS! I will surely not make this mistake again. My sister and I were like two pack mules carrying these catalog filled totes around the Javitz Center until we finally bumped into the blessed Bag Check. If it were not for the bag check I would have not made it the rest of the day.

For a mear few hundred dollars, well maybe a little less, we refueled at the Javitz Cafe. My aching feet thanked me for not hunting down an outside bargain lunch. Of course, after lunch we found ourselves in the culinary section of the show. Had I known there was such a spread I wouldn't have spent my mortgage on lunch. We had so much fun devouring all sorts of jams, spreads, candy and CHOCOLATES. Oh the chocolates! They were incredible but soon I found myself declining, only to find my sister politely pushing me aside to reach those decadent morsels. Not much longer after I realized my sister was acting a bit strange. Only to realize she was basically high on confections! As you can imagine this made for a hilarious rest of the show. Well we managed to close the place down and before my sister went in to insulin shock. Despite the shoulder and feet aches it was well worth it. I've already purchased from many of the new vendors to fill my new basket designs. I can't wait to share these new found treasures with you!