Firefighter: Read Me a Book!

Firefighter—Read Me a Book! explains how to organize and publicize a Guest Readers Program, a unique and exciting way to motivate children to read. It is designed for teachers, librarians, parents, youth counselors, scout leaders, and anyone else working with children who wants to create stimulating programming for them and further the cause of literacy. The Guest Readers Program recruits people from the community at large to read stories that relate to their own occupations or special areas of interest. Story time is followed by demonstrations and discussion. Not only does the program inspire children to read, but it also broadens their view of the world. Most schools find it financially prohibitive to sponsor field trips. The Guest Readers Program brings the world to the classroom. In addition, the program offers the community an opportunity to be involved in educating our youth. Anderson offers ten specific program plans, each including a suggested Guest Reader, such as baseball player, sanitation worker, or ballet dancer; estimated time frame; title of a read-aloud book, with a summary of the story line; suggested introduction of Guest Reader and book; discussion topics and ideas for demonstrations; and related follow-up activities, including songs and poems. Each plan includes a bibliography of related books.

Explains how to organize and publicize a Guest Readers Program, which recruits people from the community to read stories that relate to their own occupations or special areas of interest. Offers ten specific program plans. Each plan includes a bibliography of related books.

Emergency Librarian

This is a valuable book—anything that we do to involve our communities and obtain parental support helps put our schools in a positive light. An additional benefit is financial—to bring field 'trips' into the school saves money, allows more children to benefit and brings the community into our schools. "Firefighter—Read Me a Book!" is a book you will want to have..

Adrienne Wigdortz Anderson (M.A., UCLA) is a freelance writer specializing in children's issues , a creative drama teacher for preschool and elementary schools, a children's entertainer, and the producer of an award-winning children's television program and of children's theatre. She created and introduced the Guest Readers Program at a preschool and coordinates the program at an elementary school. For these efforts she has received several awards, including a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Los Angeles.