Literacy

Category: Literacy

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Blog PostsBooksLiteracy
August 27, 2025 by Admin 0 Comments

Free Books for San Francisco Families

San Francisco families with children 0-5 years old can now get free books for their home libraries from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library — a program that helps families with young children access age-appropriate, high-quality book each month through early childhood.

San Francisco families can find the sign up form on the Sparkler mobile app. Families who open the app will see a new green tile on the home screen with the Imagination Library logo on it; when they tap it, they’ll open the registration form. Fill it out to start receiving free books in the mail each month. 

Families can receive books in English or bilingual English-Spanish. Titles range from classics like “The Rabbit Listened” to new books like “Buffalo Fluffalo.” The books change each year.

Sparkler Learning is the local nonprofit partner working with the SF Department of Early Childhood and the SF Public Library to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to all San Francisco families with young children. 

Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted over 200 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland. This is achieved through funding shared by The Dollywood Foundation and Local Program Partners. 

The Imagination Library mails more than 2 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to enrolled children from birth to age five. The program has been widely researched and results demonstrate the positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com

Libros gratuitos para familias de San Francisco

Las familias de San Francisco con niños de 0 a 5 años ahora pueden obtener libros gratis para sus bibliotecas domésticas de la Biblioteca de la Imaginación de Dolly Parton, un programa que ayuda a las familias con niños pequeños a acceder mensualmente a libros de alta calidad y apropiados para su edad durante la primera infancia.

Las familias de San Francisco pueden encontrar el formulario de registro en la aplicación móvil Sparkler. Al abrir la aplicación, verán un nuevo recuadro verde en la pantalla de inicio con el logotipo de la Biblioteca de la Imaginación; al tocarlo, se abrirá el formulario de registro. Complételo para empezar a recibir libros gratis por correo cada mes. Las familias pueden recibir libros en inglés o bilingües inglés-español. Los títulos van desde clásicos como “El Conejo Escuchó” hasta libros nuevos como “Buffalo Fluffalo”. 

Los libros cambian cada año. Sparkler Learning es la organización local sin fines de lucro que colabora con el Departamento de Primera Infancia de San Francisco y la Biblioteca Pública de San Francisco para llevar la Biblioteca de la Imaginación de Dolly Parton a todas las familias de San Francisco con niños pequeños.

Desde su lanzamiento en 1995, la Biblioteca de la Imaginación de Dolly Parton se ha convertido en el programa de donación de libros para la primera infancia más importante del mundo. El programa insignia de la Fundación Dollywood, una organización sin fines de lucro 501(c)(3), ha donado más de 200 millones de libros gratuitos en Estados Unidos, Canadá, Reino Unido, Australia e Irlanda. Esto se logra gracias a la financiación compartida entre la Fundación Dollywood y los socios locales del programa. La Biblioteca de la Imaginación envía mensualmente más de 2 millones de libros de alta calidad y apropiados para cada edad a niños inscritos, desde el nacimiento hasta los cinco años. El programa ha sido ampliamente investigado y los resultados demuestran su impacto positivo en el desarrollo y la lectoescritura de la primera infancia. Penguin Random House es la editorial exclusiva de la Biblioteca de la Imaginación de Dolly Parton. Para más información, visite imaginationlibrary.com.

旧金山家庭免费书籍

旧金山有 0-5 岁儿童的家庭现在可以从多莉·帕顿的想象图书馆免费获得书籍，该计划旨在帮助有幼儿的家庭在幼儿时期每月获得适合其年龄的高质量书籍。

旧金山的家庭可以在 Sparkler 手机应用程序上找到注册表单。打开应用程序的家庭会在主屏幕上看到一个新的绿色磁贴，上面印有 Imagination Library 的标志；点击后，即可打开注册表单。填写后，即可开始每月通过邮件收到免费书籍。

家庭可以收到英文版或英西双语版书籍。书名范围广泛，从《兔子听了》（The Rabbit Listened）等经典作品到《水牛毛毛》（Buffalo Fluffalo）等新书。书籍种类每年都会更新。

书籍每年都会更新。Sparkler Learning 是一家本地非营利组织，与旧金山幼儿教育部和旧金山公共图书馆合作，将多莉·帕顿的“想象图书馆”带给所有旧金山有幼儿的家庭。

自1995年启动以来，多莉·帕顿的“想象图书馆”已成为全球首屈一指的幼儿图书捐赠项目。该项目是多莉坞基金会（一家501(c)(3)非营利组织）的旗舰项目，已在美国、加拿大、英国、澳大利亚和爱尔兰捐赠了超过2亿本免费图书。该项目的资金由多莉坞基金会和当地项目合作伙伴共同承担。“想象图书馆”每月向0至5岁的注册儿童邮寄超过200万本高质量、适龄的图书。该项目经过广泛研究，结果证明了其对儿童早期发展和读写能力的积极影响。企鹅兰登书屋是“多莉·帕顿的想象图书馆”的独家出版商。欲了解更多信息，请访问imaginationlibrary.com

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LibraryLiteracy
March 1, 2023 by Admin 0 Comments

Sparkler Book & Library Content

Sparkler’s Library has play-based learning activities that are tied to particular stories, as well as a number of parent tip units that are relevant to books/reading/literacy. 

The following is a selection of the book/library content available within Sparkler. Parents can discover it on their own or programs/providers using Sparkler can suggest activities to parents in response to their questions or interests.  (If parents click the link provided from a mobile device it will open the content within their Sparkler mobile app!)

Sparkler Play Activities Based on Stories

Three Billy Goats

Lion & Mouse

The Three Little Pigs

Little Red Hen

Cinderella

Abiyoyo

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

When You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus

Bear Wants More by Karma Wilson

Clifford Goes to Kindergarten by Norman Bridwell

When’s My Birthday by Julie Fogliano

Harold and The Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson

Little Bear

123 by Eric Carle

Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel

Sparkler Play about Books/Libraries

Sparkler has a group of cards about Library, which is available for T1 (1.5 years old) through L5 (5 years old). Play cards include: 

Other book- and library-related play cards include: 

Sparkler Read Alouds and Storytelling
Read Across America Read Alouds
Once Upon at Camp Sparkler Stories
Sparkler Parent Tips Related to Reading/Literacy

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Reading Together
Blog PostsBooksLiteracyParenting
March 1, 2023 by Dana Stewart 0 Comments

3 Ways to “Turbocharge” Storytime

Research shows that reading to young children promotes brain development and early literacy skills. Reading to children — even long before they are able to follow the story — helps to build communication and language skills. It also helps strengthen vision, memory, problem-solving skills, and their bond with trusted caregivers. 

A recent study estimates that children whose parents read 5 books to them each day will start kindergarten having heard 1.4 million more words than children whose parents never read books to them. The words that children hear when we read to them tend to be more complex, difficult, and varied than the words that they hear when you and others talk with and around them.That translates to a bigger vocabulary and stronger communication skills.

Another recent study indicates that even greater benefits can be obtained by making reading together a more interactive experience. Rather than simply reading the words on the page, when we make stories interactive by asking questions, inviting children to share observations, and using books to spark playful interactions together, we effectively “turbocharge” storytime. This type of reading, called “dialogic reading,” increases stimulation of the cerebellum — an area of the brain involved with skill acquisition and learning. Strategies such as pausing for children to complete a sentence, asking open ended questions or encouraging them to recall what happened a few pages back, and helping children make connections between what is happening in the book and their real-life experiences are all a part of dialogic reading. 

Below are some ways that parents/caregivers can make reading more engaging for young children.

3 Ways to Engage Kids During Reading:

1. Be a Voice Actor

You may feel silly at first, but silly is great for keeping children engaged! Try to use a different silly voice or accent for each character to help them know who is speaking. Use your tone of voice to help children know what is happening — use a sad, weepy voice during sad moments, sigh with relief when problems are resolved, whisper if someone is sneaking around, and speak louder when a character is angry. If the story contains sounds, use your voice or body to make sound effects: crash! bang! boom! knock! la la la!

2. Make Connections

Nothing engages children in a story more than seeing themselves in the characters. When characters in the story have the same experiences or interests as your children, pause and point out the similarities. For example, “That duck’s favorite shoes are red, just like yours!”

3. Remember the Pictures

Take time to examine the illustrations. You might find that the pictures tell their own story! Ask children to locate interesting details, talk about the characters’ facial expression and their emotions, or talk with older children about the illustrator’s color choices and style. Pictures help children focus and encourage them to share their own observations with you. You can use pictures to ask questions: “Can you see anything red?” or “What is beside the dog?” or “How many butterflies do you see?”

Share This Info With Sparkler Parents

Use Sparkler’s library to share “Reading aloud to [Child]” with families so they can explore this content in their Sparkler app. If you encourage them to click this link from a mobile device, they can open the unit directly within their Sparkler mobile app!

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Reading Together
Blog PostsLiteracy
March 31, 2022 by Dana Stewart 0 Comments

COVID’s Impact on Early Literacy and How You Can Help

What effect did the the COVID-19 pandemic have on children’s literacy? 

Studies are showing that many children who were three- four- and five-year-olds at the start of the pandemic in spring 2020 are now struggling with reading. The New York Times recently reported that about a third of children now in early elementary school are “missing reading benchmarks.” The negative impact is worse for children who are Black and Hispanic and learning English.

Why does this matter? Research shows that 90% of the children who struggle to learn to read in the first grade will continue to struggle with reading in the fourth grade, and are four times more likely to drop out of high school. Literacy skills are also associated with lifetime outcomes like employment, income, self-esteem and health. 

The early literacy skills children start building in preschool can have an impact on the rest of their lives. 

As elementary educators implement strategies — from phonics interventions to small-group tutoring — to support the needs of current first, second, and third graders, there are many steps that parents and educators can take early to help children develop early literacy skills at the infant, toddler, and preschool levels. 

5 Ways Parents and Educators Can Help
Reading Together

Reading together is the best way to help children learn early literacy skills like vocabulary, print awareness, narrative skills, phonological awareness, letter recognition, and a love of and interest in books.

Here are five ways that you can make listening to stories more engaging for the children in your life:

  1. Be familiar with the story — Knowing the characters and plot will make it easier for you to tell the story, rather than just reading the words on the page. Think about how you tell your friends about a funny thing that happened to you — how you pause for dramatic effect or add in your commentary for laughs. The same will work with children! By the tenth time they ask you to read the same book, you will know it pretty well, but reading it yourself before the first time you share it will make it easier to tell the story in an exciting, engaging way.
  2. Be a voice actor — You may feel silly at first, but silly is great for keeping children engaged! Try to use a different silly voice or accent for each character to help children know who is speaking. Use your tone of voice to help them know what is happening — use a sad, weepy voice during sad moments, sigh with relief when problems are resolved, whisper if someone is sneaking around, and speak louder when a character is angry. If the story contains sounds, use your voice or body to make sound effects: crash! bang! boom! knock! la la la!
  3. Make connections — Nothing engages children in a story more than seeing themselves in the characters. When characters in the story have the same experiences, interests, or even toys as the children you’re reading to, pause and point out the similarities.
  4. Ask questions — Ask questions about the story, the pictures, the characters’ feelings, or even how the children might respond in a similar situation. Give children time to respond to your question, but depending on their age, mood, and other factors, they may or may not answer. That’s OK — getting answers is not the point! The point is to prompt children to think and to invite them to be an active participants in the story telling.
  5. Remember the pictures — Take time to examine the illustrations. You might find that the pictures tell their own story! Ask children if they can locate interesting details, talk about the characters’ facial expression and their emotions, or talk with older children about the illustrator’s color choices and style. Pictures help children focus and encourage them to share observations with you. You can use pictures to ask questions — like “Can you see anything red?” or “What is beside the dog?” or “How many butterflies do you see?”

Bonus tip: Invite an individual child to turn the pages for you; this helps them get involved and also helps them learn how books work.

Find Parent Tips Focused on Literacy in Sparkler

You can find out more about early literacy, and find tips you can share with the families you serve in Sparkler.

Parents can click on Tips for Adults on their app home screen. Providers with dashboard access can visit the “Library” and click on Tips. 

Here are the main units focused on literacy that you can share: 

  • Reading Aloud to [Child]
  • Words: Stories
  • Words: Sounds and Letters
  • Words: Expressing our Ideas
  • Words: Representation
Find Communication Play Activities in Sparkler

Parents can tap on Play on their app home screen to find fun activities. Providers with dashboard access can visit the “Library” to find activities they can share. 

Babies
  • Reach for the Stars (language comprehension): Let’s play a game! I’ll help you slowly stretch your arms or legs up and say, “Up, up, up!” in a high voice. Reach for the stars, [Child]! Now, let’s move your arms or legs down and say, “Down, down, down” in a low voice. Let’s do it again! Up, up, up! Down, down, down!
  • Do You Hear What I Hear? (language comprehension): There are sounds and music all around us: in the store, on the bus, and on the radio! As we walk or do errands, let’s listen! Do you hear the car horn beeping? Do you hear the people talking? Do you hear the music in the grocery store? Let’s make our own music while we are walking: “La, la, la!”
Toddlers
  • Willaby Wallaby (Find the lyrics here: https://genius.com/Raffi-willoughby-wallaby-woo-lyrics) (Expression, sounds and letters): Let’s sing “Willaby Wallaby” to get a laugh and practice our rhyming skills. Willoughby walliby wee, an elephant sat on me! Willoughby walliby woo, an elephant sat on you…Can we rhyme our own names into the song? Our new verses are funny!
  • Roll, Toss, Bounce! (language comprehension): Let’s pass a ball back and forth! Listen for my words. I’ll say, “roll,” “toss,” or “bounce” to let you know how to pass the ball to me. I’ll pass the ball back to you the same way. Let’s keep going!
Littles
  • Where’s My Name? (Letter recognition): Let’s write your name in big letters on a sheet of paper. Let’s cut out each letter and count them. Now, close your eyes while I hide the letters around the room. Time to search for the letters! Let’s count them as you go. When you find them all, let’s put them together to  spell your name again!
  • A Book About Me! (Expression, Stories, Sounds and Letters, Comprehension): Who’s in OUR family? What do we love doing together? Let’s make a book all about you and our family! Let’s gather (or take) some pictures of you and our family. We can take photos, or we can draw or cut out pictures that represent you, your favorite things, and our family’s culture. Let’s fold the paper in half to make the front and back covers of our book. What will the title of your book be? On each page, let’s tape, glue, or draw pictures. Now, let’s add words! When we’re done creating each page, let’s use staples or string to bind our book together. Now we can read our book and talk about the part of your identity that each picture represents.

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