“Literacy can make the difference between the poverty of one generation and the promise of the next.” – Page Ahead Children’s Literacy Program (http://www.pageahead.org/)

National Children’s Book Week occurred May 11-17, 2009.  In celebration thereof, on behalf of Page Ahead, a few local authors and I appeared at Parkplace Books, an independent bookseller in Kirkland, Washington.  Our books and others were sold for collection for local children in need.

Page Ahead provides:  “Guided by the fact that literacy is essential to lifelong success, Page Ahead provides new books and develops reading activities that empower at-risk children.”

“Being read to as a youngster is the foremost predictor of academic success in childhood. If a child can read at grade level by 3rd grade, she will continue to read at grade level throughout her academic career.  A child who succeeds in school will remain there, earning a chance at a better job and a better life in the years ahead.  A child who lacks early exposure to reading often suffers from low self-esteem, struggles academically, and is at higher risk for substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and delinquency.  Succeeding begins with reading.”

Across Washington State, “[s]ince its inception in 1990, Page Ahead has distributed more than 1.7 million books to 550,000 at-risk children.”

As authors and illustrators, we are in a unique position to promote and support literacy.

Today, I’m mailing a copy of my first children’s picture book, “Before You Were Here, Mi Amor” (Viking, 2009) to Page Ahead in Seattle, Washington.

Here’s my call to members and readers of AuthorsNow!:  contact your local (or national program) literacy project and donate books and/or volunteer your time. You’ll be giving a wonderful gift to a child.

About The Author

Samantha grew up on the East coast where she attended Georgetown University Law Center. She practiced law in Washington, D.C. and Chicago. Now she and her family reside in the Pacific Northwest where she writes as much as she can and heads outside whenever the sun shines.  Read more about Samantha R. Vamos.

Related posts:

1. Connect with Samantha R. Vamos: Picture Books for a Lamb-of-a-Month of April
2. Author Spotlight: Samantha R. Vamos, BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, MI AMOR (Giveaway Alert: Now – 05/22/09)
3. Before You Were Here, Mi Amor by Samantha R. Vamos
4. THE CAZUELA THAT THE FARM MAIDEN STIRRED by Samantha R. Vamos
5. Connect with Ellen Jensen Abbott: The Call of Fantasy