This year we will celebrate International Book Giving Day, http://bookgivingday.com/, at school on Friday, February 26th. International Book Giving Day is a 100% volunteer initiative aimed at increasing children’s access to and enthusiasm for books all over the world. There are many ways to celebrate IBGD: give a book to a friend or family member, leave a book in a waiting room, donate books to a hospital or shelter or donate to an organization which supports literacy.
In our tradition, all students are asked to bring in one or two gently used books that they would like to donate to the students in the grade below. The students in each class will then present their donated books to the younger students to choose. Please help us continue this great tradition by choosing 1 or 2 books with your child to donate to the cause. Teachers will begin collecting the books on Monday when we return from break and students will be given book plates (stickers) to sign and place in the books they donate so the recipient knows who donated the book. We are all about the connections!
This is a great way for students to show their love: of books, of reading, for their friends and teachers! This is also a great way for students to get to know one another across grades and lets all kids experience the joy of choosing a new (to them) book.
10 Ways to Get Involved with Book Giving Day
1. Donate a book or several to your local library.
2. Donate to a place where kids get stuck waiting, like a doctor’s or dentist’s office.
3. Contact your local children’s home/orphanage and ask about donating, either to the house library or to individual children if that’s something they allow.
4. Run a fundraising event, then donate the money to one of many book-focused charities.
5. Order a book through Amazon and have it delivered to someone you know would appreciate it.
6. Leave a book where a kid will find it; put it in a bag and add a message to let them know it’s your gift to them.
7. Give books to hostels for the homeless or refuges for families. Pocket-sized books that kids can easily take with them are ideal.
8. Give books that your kids have outgrown to friends or family.
9. Add a note to the front of the book you give, saying to read the book and then pass it on to someone they know, and repeat.
10. Share about Book Giving Day on social media.
