March Into a Good Book

March is Reading Month might seem like a strange declaration coming from a library: isn’t EVERY month Reading Month? Sure, but March is special. Piggybacking off the March 2 birthday of Dr. Seuss, we spend March celebrating children’s literature and the thrill of early literacy discoveries. Many of our branches are hosting visits from favorite children’s book characters Lilly (of Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse) and Frog & Toad. Check out our online events calendar for a full list of March is Reading Month events.

We’ve also got a fun, low-pressure March is Reading Month calendar for you to explore with your child. Your local branch will have copies available, or you can download and print a copy. Each day in March has a suggested activity based on the five early literacy practices: reading, writing, talking, singing, and playing. Simply complete 10 or more of those activities and then head into any branch to pick up a small prize.

CADL will be among the early literacy partners represented at the Sunday, March 16 Literacy Celebration at the Lansing Mall. From 1-3:30 pm, join us and other organizations, like WKAR, for a fun-filled afternoon featuring performances from award-winning family musician LEONARDO and Michigan’s own Lisa Wheeler, who will be reading and signing some of her beloved picture books. The event will have activities, crafts, and the opportunity to meet characters like Clifford and Zoom Squirrel. Children will also be given a backpack full of books and early literacy activities courtesy of WKAR.   

In addition to these special events, we’ve also got the tried-and-true early literacy opportunities that you’ll find all year at CADL. Our storytimes, conducted by a crackerjack team of library staff, are enriching, welcoming, and ridiculously fun. Kids have an opportunity to meet friends, discover new books, make crafts, dance to some tunes, and explore the library.  

We know that not everyone can make it to in-person storytimes, so we’ve got ways to bring storytime home to you. Our themed Raising Readers backpacks, with materials selected by our youth services staff, are like a portable storytime, filled with books, music, toys, and suggested activities. They’re a great tool for diving into a topic, like celebrations, pirates, sloths, rhyming, and more. With over 40 backpacks in circulation, there’s something for every reader.

Our Launchpad tablets, part of CADL’s Library of Things Jr. collection, are another handy early literacy tool to go. Each tablet is loaded with educational games carefully selected by staff. The games are colorful and engaging and have been vetted so that your child is offered the best possible learning experience. The launchpads are available for all ages including adults, so do be aware of the suggested age range before checkout.

There’s something perfect about March being the month for celebrating early literacy. It’s a month of new beginnings, sometimes tentative. It’s a month of small and quiet signs of hope for a fresh start. It’s a month for being a kid again, and CADL is happy to be a part of it.