For most of us, a childhood void of our favorite storybook is almost unimaginable. The familiar faces pictured inside were more than just characters to us – they were friends, and often teachers who subconsciously helped guide us into our moral realms.Sometimes we don’t realize the impact that literature had on us at a young age until aging and looking back at the deeper meaning behind books like The Giving Tree.
So, it’s only fitting that we celebrate the impact of these stories in a week-long commemorative event titled Children’s Book Week (CBW), the longest-running national literacy initiative in the U.S. The program, administered by Every Child a Reader (ECAR), and sponsored by the Children’s Book Council (CBC), is hosted in hundreds of cities nationwide.
In Tampa, we celebrate the 95th anniversary of CBW at Inkwood Books (216 S. Armenia Ave., Tampa).
Join the bookstore tonight, Mon., May 12, at 7 p.m. to kick off the celebrations. The kids enjoy story time featuring author Fred Koehler, reading his recently published book about a father-son pair of elephants - “How to Cheer Up Dad.” Sitck around for a signing by Koehler during his picture book debut.
Head back to Inkwood on Wed., May 14 at 5 p.m. for story time featuring author and freelance writer Gail E. Hendrick, presenting her 2013 award-winning “Something Stinks!” The book explores the life of a seventh grade girl named Emily Sanders, who not only is caught up in BFF drama, but one day gets a whiff of something awful. Emily investigates a whole mess of places, determined to find the source of the stench. This reading is best suited for middle school students between 4th and 6th grade.
Finally, come to Inkwood dressed in your favorite PJs on Thurs., May 15 at 7 p.m. for Pajama Party Story Time. You just remember the dress code, and Inkwood will take care of the rest – snack on milk and cookies while Inkwood shares with you some of its most beloved children’s books, both new and old.
Inkwood Books is Tampa’s only full-service independent bookstore. All events and activities such as signings and readings are free and open to the public unless otherwise specified. For more info on upcoming events, see Inkwood’s calendar of events.