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10 to Try: West Virginia Day

West Virginia Day celebrates the anniversary of West Virginia joining the Union and becoming its own state, separate from Virginia, in 1863. In celebration of our state’s founding, we collected a list of children’s books featuring the mountain state and its many stellar authors. We enjoyed putting these together so much that this 10 to Try actually features twelve great books because we just couldn’t narrow it down to ten. Enjoy!

When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant (Grades K to 3)

An evocative and eloquent tribute to growing up in rural Appalachia.

— Suzanne Wood, Fayette County


From Miss Ida’s Porch by Sandra Belton (Grades 3 and up)

A Raleigh County native, Sandra Belton paints a picture familiar to West Virginians, the very best time of day, evenings on the porch. In her warm, conversational way, she lets readers sit alongside the kids in the story to hear their old-timers talk about life before the Civil Rights movement, and after.  


More Than Anything Else by Marie Bradby (Grades 1 to 5)

This is the story of Booker T. Washington who would write “Up From Slavery” as an adult. In this story he is a child laboring at the salt works and struggling to teach himself what he wants to know “more than anything else.” Beautifully illustrated by Chris Soentpiet.


The King of Little Things by Bil Lepp (Grades K to 5)

Champion West Virginia storyteller Bil Lepp can make almost anyone sound good with his rhythmic rhymes, telling the story of a modest little king and the unsung odds and ends that stick up for him. It is wonderfully silly and subtle.


Panther Mountain: Lydia’s Story by Christy Perry Tuohey (Grades 5 to 8)

I would highly recommend Panther Mountain: Lydia’s Story by Christy Perry Tuohey. The book deals with the area that would become the state of West Virginia and includes several local references such as Gauley Bridge and Summersville. I purchased the book last fall with the hope of reading it to the Fifth Graders at Fayetteville Prek-8. 

— Janice Wiseman, Fayette County  


Passing the Music Down by Sarah Sullivan (pre-K to adult)

There may be no Vandalia Gathering this year, but you can enjoy a lyrical story, inspired by the tradition of passing the music down to each generation. Any age can find something to appreciate here.


Where, Oh Where, Oh Where, Could We Go? by Tony Caridi (Ages 3+)

Travel across the mountain state touring popular locations and learning to identify the unique WV shape hidden on each page in this rhyming, fast-paced adventure.

— Jeremy Crites, Putnam County


No Star Nights by Anna Smucker (Grades 2 to 5)

The author remembers growing up in Weirton, when smoke from the steel mills blocked the night sky. 


Golden Delicious: A Cinderella Apple Story by Anna Smucker (Grades 3 to 5)

I read this to preschoolers and they enjoyed that West Virginia was highlighted in the book, and they also enjoyed their golden delicious apples from Clay County.

— Deb Blakeman, Kanawha County


John Henry by Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney (Grade PreK to 3)

There are several books about John Henry, the legendary West Virginia man who challenged a new steam-powered tool to stop it from taking the men’s jobs. This one draws details from several versions passed down over the years, highlighting the aspirations of the men.


Mountain Christmas by Marc Harshman (Grades K to 3)

Track Santa on his way to West Virginia with state Poet Laureate Marc Harshman.


West Virginia: A History by John Alexander Williams (middle school to adult)

Each of seven chapters stands alone as a readable, discussion-prompting story for middle school students or older. Each takes on a problem or topic in West Virginia history. Visit Point Pleasant, Harpers Ferry, Droop Mountain, Tug Fork, Paint Creek, Hawks Nest or Buffalo Creek.


The majority of the links above will route you to the online store of Charleston’s Taylor Books. You can still have your books sent to you, as with most online retailers, and your purchase will benefit a West Virginia small business and help to keep local bookstores open!

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Advice for Read Aloud West Virginia volunteers regarding the coronavirus

As the new coronavirus spreads and cases of COVID-19 are diagnosed, Read Aloud West Virginia volunteers should continue to monitor developments and make good choices daily about whether to attend their weekly read aloud appointments.

At this writing, no West Virginia cases have been detected. However, projections by health officials suggest that it is only a matter of time. We don’t want to alarm anyone unnecessarily, but it is better to be safe than sorry. To help keep our volunteers, our schools and our communities as healthy as possible, we recommend:

1. Volunteers in the at-risk group of people — those with compromised immune systems or pre-existing lung conditions — should plan to postpone in-person reading sessions until the danger is past. Please call or text teachers to let them know. For complete details on the virus, incubation periods, and at-risk groups, see the CDC’s web site, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html

2. People over age 50 are at greater risk from this virus, health officials say. Volunteers in that category should also consider their own health and conditions in their schools, and choose what is best to minimize the spread of infection. Any volunteer who is uncomfortable visiting schools or being around groups for any reason should simply call/text their teachers and postpone until further notice.

3. Readers who do choose to continue visiting schools should practice good anti-flu hygiene (frequent and thorough handwashing) before and after visits. The CDC has more details about that. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html. The CDC and virologists say soap and water is preferred, but hand sanitizer is a good choice when soap and water is unavailable.

4. Keep distance in classrooms as much as possible. The CDC recommends keeping about six feet between people to minimize the spread of any respiratory illness. Many classes are accustomed to gathering closely on a rug or in a reading corner. If possible, discuss ahead of time with your teacher how to keep healthy by coughing and sneezing into tissues (that get thrown away) and by washing hands often, by not hugging and touching volunteers when they come into class, and by sitting farther apart at reading time.

5. Of course, if local health officials give different advice as conditions develop, or if schools or other gatherings are closed, Read Aloud volunteers will follow their directions.

Thank you for making time each week for the children in your community, and for all the other unofficial and unrecognized contributions you make to their lives. Please stay safe and healthy.

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Updates on our chapters

Harrison

Read Aloud West Virginia has been granted funds from Dominion Energy Foundation to cultivate a new Read Aloud chapter in Harrison County. During our Books-A-Million fundraiser a few months ago, Marion County volunteers who crossed county borders to help out received frequent questions about the fledgling chapter. To get involved, email stateoffice@readaloudwv.org.


Preston

Preston County chapter members gave out children’s magazines and encouraged parents to read with children at a Lights On! event in Kingwood.


Logan

Communications & Development Director Amanda Schwartz attended a Logan County Community Baby Shower hosted by Mountain State Healthy Families. This event not only allowed us to reach new and expecting parents in Logan County about reading together from birth, but also connected us with new potential partners in Logan County, like their local Headstart and WIC offices.


Greenbrier

Read Aloud of Greenbrier County is getting ready to put on several Snuggle & Read events with local PreK students.


Marion

Marion County chapter board member Nicole Walls attended a Marion County Family Resource Meeting and met Pam Nolan of Marion County Headstart. This led to interest from the North Central West Virginia Headstart centers in enrolling with Read Aloud’s programs. Rivesville and West Fairmont Headstart centers have already enrolled.


Jennifer Foster prepares blankets for the Berkeley County Chapter.

Berkeley

The Berkeley County chapter is gearing up for their series of Snuggle & Read events funded by Procter & Gamble. They recently had a blanket making party to prep the two-sided fleece tie blankets for the parents and children to complete at the events. Special thanks to participating volunteers, the local MOMS Club, and Jessica Ramey for helping make this possible.


Raleigh

Raleigh County just had their first Reader Appreciation event of the year, and it looks like it was a success! We’re happy for any opportunity to say thank you to our wonderful readers who change the lives of kids across the state.


Kanawha

Preschoolers at Bream Preschool in Charleston show off their bookmarks and magazines with volunteer reader and Kanawha chapter board member Raney Exline, an education major (rear).

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Alarming WV NAEP scores are no surprise

CHARLESTON, WV (Oct. 30, 2019) — We are distressed, but sadly not surprised to learn that West Virginia’s scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are so low. 

Educators tells us they are seeing children enter school with language delays at rates they have never seen before, and that is happening at all income levels.  

Why is West Virginia going backwards? We believe three factors have influenced the language delays incoming students are experiencing:

  • Screen time competes with the attention of children and their parents, distracting them from habits that raise good readers to habits that short-circuit the necessary pre-literacy skills that would develop in the years before school. 
  • High concentrations of opioid addiction has killed parents, destroyed homes and stressed children, interfering with their learning. 
  • Economic distress continues to be an obstacle for West Virginia children and their families. 

In some schools, reading scores on state assessments have dropped by half during the last two years as these factors have grown more severe. 

Yet, it is no secret how to prevent these language delays. 

Current brain research is very clear. Children begin developing the skills needed to read soon after birth, if families, talk, sing and read to them. 

In families where children are prevented from using phones and other devices until at least age 2, in homes where children are safe, nourished and read to daily, there are no preventable reading delays. 

The problem is even deeper than poor reading scores, which are predictors of low educational achievement, low employment prospects, poverty and poor health. 

Teachers are increasingly asked to take on the additional responsibilities of social work and surrogate parenting as the students they are trying to teach are traumatized and neglected because of the opioid crisis. Feeling unprepared and overwhelmed, teachers burn out and leave the profession. Schools tell us that they are unable to fill classroom positions.  

It is imperative that a state which is seeking to diversify its economy focus on improving literacy as the essential first step in developing a healthy and educated workforce.  

Literacy is a three-legged stool. West Virginia’s literacy problems cannot be solved by teachers alone. Reading instruction in the classroom is just one leg of the stool. Families get children first during a critical period of brain and language development, and they serve as a critical leg of the stool. The third leg is the community that supports libraries and literacy initiatives, and most importantly, shows children it values reading skills as much as it values athletic skills. Children work to develop those skills that are valued by the people around them. 

Some steps to focus on literacy include: 

  • New parents should be taught that reading to children from birth is not just a nice thing. It is as important as putting a child in a car seat or making them wear bicycle helmets. It is a necessary part of rearing healthy children capable of learning and succeeding. 
  • Fund and develop school and public libraries. 
  • Fund literacy programs such as our own that put books in children’s hands. We welcome other programs such as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and Reach Out and Read in doctors’ offices. 

Read Aloud West Virginia has long advocated the importance of health care providers in influencing children’s early literacy. Read Aloud remains eager to work with health care providers who see young families before children enter school. 

It is important to remember this is an aggregate score for the whole state. Not every school is losing ground. We work with schools that, by practicing what the research shows in teaching reading, and creating text-rich, reader friendly environments, have actually seen their scores increase, significantly, in recent years. 

But Read Aloud is not in every school. Reach Out and Read is not in every doctor’s office. Imagination Library is not in every county. A daily reading habit is not in every home. 

“These reading scores are tremendously frustrating and disheartening. I anticipated them, and they break my heart,” said Read Aloud West Virginia Executive Director Mary Kay Bond. 

——— 

Read Aloud West Virginia is a homegrown West Virginia 501-c-3 organization that motivates children to read for fun, because research (including previous NAEP surveys) shows that children who read for pleasure read more often and have better reading skills. 

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Ten to try: Back to school!

We polled our chapters for some of their favorite books. Here are a few good icebreaker books to start the new school year:

The Monster at the End of this Book
By Jon Stone and Michael Smollin

Grover was breaking the fourth wall before it was cool. Whatever you do, don’t turn the page. “There is a monster at the end of this book.” This was an inexpensive grocery store book back when today’s grandparents were in kindergarten. It still delights young and old.

— Ginny Dixon, Upshur County


Rosie Revere, Engineer
By Andrea Beaty and David Roberts.

“This is the story of Rosie Revere, who dreamed of becoming a great engineer.” In rhyming couplets, Rosie secretly works on her wonderful gadgets.

— Amber Myers, Harrison County


Naughty Mabel
By Nathan Lane and Devlin Elliott

From the first page, in a pool before a classical mansion, Mabel sets the tone: “Hello, darlings. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Mabel. Mabel of the Hamptons. And this is my humble abode.” Witty use of vocabulary, even for middle school.

— Stephanie Burns, Pocahontas County


Room on the Broom
By Julia Donaldson

A witch and her cat are perfectly content on their broom, until the witch starts inviting new friends along.

­— Bev Mathias, Hardy County


Guys Write for Guys Read, specifically a short story called “The Follower”
By Jack Gantos

Young Jack is fascinated (and too easily led) by the wild and dangerous kid next door, who, among other things, catapults himself into the next yard and rides his bike off the roof. I like to leave students laughing on the first day and hungry for more next week. This funny but cautionary tale is a discussion starter for the upper grades.

— Dawn Miller, Kanawha County


We Don’t Eat Our Classmates By Ryan T. Higgins

Preschoolers may see themselves in Penelope Rex, who wonders how many teeth her new classmates will have.

— Steph Murphy, Randolph County


It’s a Book
By Lane Smith

“How do you scroll down? Do you blog with it? Can you make characters fight?” A little character peppers his reading friend with questions. Combine that with Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss, with your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet. I like to start with these.

– Casey Willson, Berkeley County


Homer Price
By Robert McCloskey

First published in 1943, the funny, gentle, witty tales can still amuse. Centerburg is a place to return to, again and again. The short stories slot nicely into read aloud sessions around fourth grade.

— Lauren Jarroll, Nicholas County


The Dot
By Peter H. Reynolds

A frustrated student who insists that she cannot draw finds out where just making an attempt can take her, thanks to a wise art teacher. This book speaks to a range of ages.

— Angie Westfall, Upshur County

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Read Aloud makes a difference, at all levels

The ebb and flow influence of Read Aloud West Virginia is totally dependent on the volunteers willing to sacrifice an hour a week to leverage their personal literacy to support the unimaginably difficult process of motivating struggling, passive children to develop their own reading skills.

I was an elementary principal for 33 years and witnessed amazing teachers practicing a research-based pedagogy designed to produce students capable of decoding words.

The pendulum of strategies was always alternating. We embraced phonics, big books, whole language, story organizers, cloze, word families, basal texts and more.

Each had a proven success record in teaching children to read. Each failed a significant portion of children incapable of converting letters into words, words into phrases and phrases into comprehension.

So, too many of the very young were moved along, forced to apply reading strategies that were beyond their grasp. They began resenting the incessant skill and drill of wall sound cards or the robotic utterance of a phonemic cadence that meant nothing toward satisfying the gaping chasm between what they knew about applying their primitive reading skills with the written words the teachers expected them to translate.

Reading appeared to be an unrealistic goal for them. Students develop understandable reactions:

  • “Why bother? I’m too far behind and embarrassed that I am in the yellow bird grouping.”
  • “Maybe the teacher is correct. She told my parents that I’m not mature enough, and there was still time to become a student capable of not only learning to read but reading to learn.”
  • “I do enjoy the stories that are read to me. I imagine a magic carpet or a grinchlike meanie.”

Children want us to help motivate them to try harder! They want us to help them to overcome a hesitancy to even try to read aloud. They so enjoy hearing you read and learning about the many places, mysteries, humor and intrigue locked inside that book you hold.

Please join the cadre of volunteers whose passion is to find a book worthy of a classroom of the most precocious children mixed among the most disadvantaged readers.

Thank you for reading if you are. Thank you for planning to read if you currently aren’t.

— Steve Knighton retired as the longtime principal of Kanawha County’s Piedmont Elementary School, and is a Read Aloud supporter.

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… And the pay is great

As a (mostly) retired public servant, I am eager to resume my reading aloud with primary students this school year.

To say that the process is ‘rewarding’ is an understatement. I am often paid in hugs. While the classroom teachers with whom I have worked value my presence every week, it is the students of grades three, four and five who show their genuine appreciation.

A typical Thursday morning involves driving to the school and schlepping the three-ring binders of my prepared-and-rehearsed readings for the day. In the classroom, I place my binder(s) on a stand-up table or lectern and wait for enough silence to commence. I have never sat for a reading period. Call it the performer (aka ‘ham’) in me, if you will, but I believe it is impossible to read with engagement — and gestures — while seated. Call me ‘old school’ if you like.

Over the last few years, I have become an invited member of my county chapter of Read Aloud West Virginia, a vetted-and-authentic organization of volunteer readers….

Recollecting on my own experience as a primary student, now these many years ago, it was the teachers or community members who read aloud with my class and me that always fondly come to mind. What they did had impact. Learn about the affirming studies that show student improvement in classrooms in which a spoken reader participates in learning. And I can vouch that I am, without fail, warmly welcomed in every classroom.

Although what I read is likely not as important as how I engage students in a quality story, the expression of interest in their collective faces says it all. Afterward, it is not unusual for students to steal a hug on my way out of the classroom, often on the way to the next classroom in my schedule.

Yeah, I also have the gratification of teaching in an after-school program three afternoons a week, but it is ordinarily the weekly reading sessions that make it oh-so-easy for me to get up on a Thursday morning.

Don’t say, “I don’t have time” or “I’m too old” for reading aloud. I am 70 and work with a dozen organizations and community interests. Do the students — and yourself — a favor this school year. Read aloud.

Robert Johnson, a reader, blogger, musician, music promoter/event producer, community activist and educational advocate, is a Read Aloud volunteer and chapter board member in Nicholas County. This is adapted from a blog post published at medium.com.

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10 to TRY — Good pairings

Our volunteers regularly pair books that go well together during a single read aloud sitting. Last summer, Christy Schwartz of the West Virginia Campaign for Grade Level Reading told volunteers at the Read Aloud conference that reading multiple texts on a subject helps students to improve their reading skill. Just for the fun of it, here are some of our volunteers’ listener-tested combinations:


The Bad Seed by John Jory and Rude Cakes by Rowboat Watkins are two charming, upbeat narratives all about teaching children about being kind and considerate to others. They pair well together with their complementary art styles and similar, silly takes on how one can be “A baaaaaaaaaad seed.” In each, the main character decides to change his ways from bad or rude and try (though they might not always succeed) to be nicer to those around them. Pre-K – 1 — Amanda Schwartz, Communications and Development Director


The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak is agreat book to pair with any book that is too short to fill your allotted time. The children ask over and over for me to re-read this book. I have read it to kindergarten and second grade and it is without question the favorite of every child. I have great fun reading it, too. — Aletta Moffett, Marion County Chapter President


Book of Animal Poetry edited by J. Patrick Lewis, U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate. The poetry is easy to understand for elementary students, the National Geographic photos are beautiful, and students learn about familiar and unfamiliar animals. The highlight is that a couple poems are rap poems (e.g., “Polar Bear Rap”) with the students participating by stomping their feet to the beat. There are always requests to do them second and third times!

A little dose of poetry gives the students something different and pairs well with other animal books. — Tom Tinder, Bridgeview Elementary, Kanawha County


Based on the undocumented notion that the boys prefer “fact” books and the girls prefer “fiction” books, I open with Bats by Elizabeth Carney, a National Geographic Kids Book, full of bat facts. I follow with Stellaluna by Janell Cannon, a beautifully illustrated story of a baby bat that gets separated from its mother and is raised by a bird family before reuniting with the bat mother. It’s a great story that comingles bat facts with bird facts. The whole class really enjoys both aspects of the reading and it makes for a good session. — Casey Willson, Gerrardstown Elementary School, Berkeley County


The Rabbit Listened by Cory Doerrfeld, a favorite of Executive Director Mary Kay Bond. One day Taylor concentrated hard and built something amazing with his blocks. Then disaster struck. The way different characters react to little Taylor’s setback will be recognizable to everyone. I read this along with Odd Velvet by Mary Whitcomb, the story of Velvet, who is thought to be so strange in her kindergarten class because her teacher gifts and birthday party games don’t come from a store. It’s a message kids really need to hear. K-3 — Bob Pepper, Sissonville Elementary, Kanawha County


Camille and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anholt tells the story of painter Vincent Van Gogh and the postman’s family in Arles, whom Van Gogh painted, along with his famous sunflowers and Starry Night. Then we read the short rhyming book No One Saw by Bob Raczka, featuring a full-page example of a different artist on each page. When we get to, “No one saw stars like Vincent Van Gogh,” students are thrilled by their recognition, and usually curious about other artists in the book. 3-5– Dawn Miller, Piedmont Elementary, Kanawha County

Have a title to recommend to your fellow Read Aloud volunteers? Tell us about it: newsletter@readaloudwv.org.


If you purchase a book through one of the affiliate links on this page, Read Aloud will receive a small percentage of the proceeds. This in no way impacts our recommendations.

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Thank you for another great Read-A-Palooza!

It’s been a little over a week since Read-A-Palooza 2019: Join Team Read, and we just wanted to take another opportunity to publicly thank those who made it all possible! This year’s event was our most successful yet and we are extremely grateful for the opportunity to bring community members together in support of Read Aloud West Virginia.

Read-A-Palooza is the only fundraising event we host each year and is vital to Read Aloud’s financial sustainability. With the support of our sponsors, donors, and supporters, we were able to meet our Read-A-Palooza fundraising goal this year and ensure that Read Aloud can continue to keep books in the hands and on the minds of West Virginia children!

This year’s event focused on creating excitement for books and reading the same way our society does for sports. In his remarks, our special guest WVU Football Coach Neal Brown beautifully connected the importance of a strong reading foundation to athletic success. With at least three media outlets in attendance and multiple stories written about the event, we’re positive that excitement was generated. We’ve made new friendships, strengthened old ones, inspired new volunteers, and heard multiple times since the event that this was our best Read-A-Palooza to date.

A special thank you to Coach Neal Brown, Coleman Barnes, and West Virginia University; to Tony Caridi, children’s book author and MetroNews sports reporter; to The University of Charleston, UC President Marty Roth, Robert Elmore of the UC Vice President’s office, and Ray Singleton of the UC Department of Education; to David Hager Photography; and to all of sponsors and silent auction donors listed below!

Signature Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

William Maxwell Davis

The Becker Family

Bronze Sponsors

Chris & Amy Panzarella

Friends of Read-A-Palooza

Juli Hatcher Mock – JH Records

Silent Auction Donors

Andrew Adkins

Base Camp Printing

Berry Hills Country Club

Bob & Tina Pepper

Bricks & Barrels

Budget Tapes & Records

Canaan Valley Resort

Capon Springs & Farms

Carnegie Hall

Cathedral Café/Southside Junction Tap House

Chef Paul Smith

Dick’s Sporting Goods

Embassy Suites

Erica Baumgrass

Fayette County Chamber of Commerce/Official Bridge Day

Read Aloud WV of Fayette County

Gallery B Studio

Gat Creek

Greenbrier Valley Theatre

Hawks Nest State Park

Jacke Venus

Jeff Fetty Designs

Kinship Goods

LaFayette Flats Lodging

Lucia Bishop

Mardi Gras Casino

Marshall University

Melissa Doty

Mountain Art Glass

Mountain Heritage Books

Noah’s Restaurant & Lounge

Pettit Jewelry

Pies & Pints-Fayetteville

River Expeditions Rafting & Kayaking

Ruth Ranson

Sara Busse

Secret Sandwich Society

Stephen & Jennie Fitzkee

The Blennerhassett Hotel

The Stache Ice Cream Shoppe

The Station Restaurant

Tony Caridi

Viki Heagy Books

West Virginia Book Company

Wisteria Gifts

Wisteria Gifts

WV Power

Yoga Power

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An open letter to moms who read

Dear Reader,

This Mother’s Day, we’d like to take a moment to thank you for reading to your child. By teaching them to value reading, you’re planting and nurturing a reading seed that will flourish over the years, giving your child a lifelong love of books. This is truly something to be proud of, and something for which the staff at Read Aloud would like to express our gratitude. By creating a positive relationship with reading, you’re raising a child who can and will pass that passion for books on to others, who will in turn pass it on. Your one reading seed could spread to impact thousands of people! 

So this Mother’s Day, congratulate yourself for every story you’ve read, every library trip you’ve made, every book you’ve bought – you’re changing the world, one page at a time.

Thank you for all that you do for literacy in WV, and happy Mother’s Day!

Sincerely,

Read Aloud West Virginia


Click here to visit our Mother’s Day Honor Wall to see all the moms being recognized by their children for teaching them to love reading!