Home Sweet Home READING for the Holidays!

Holy WOW, what a year! Today I have a moment to breathe and blog some highlights from the busy year I've had. And even with all of the conferences, school visits, and grandma time promoting READING, I've made sure that I made lots of time for reading myself.

Hear ye, hear ye! This year Bear Track Press went out on a huge limb to put 10,000 totally free PASSPORTS TO READING ADVENTURE booklets and free printable ebooks into the hands of Michigan kids for the 2016-17 school year when a school books a visit. For a small business, we're kinda proud of this gigantic accomplishment! We felt it was high time to celebrate literacy and promote the outdoors for Michigan kids after reading this statement from the Michigan State Fair's event coordinator:

"In little more than a decade, Michigan has gone from being a fairly average state for student achievement to the bottom 10 in key school quality indicators such as fourth-grade reading. Michigan is suffering systemic failure across racial, ethnic and socio-economic groups in early reading and middle-school math, according to a new report just released by the The Education-Trust Midwest..."
The Detroit News, May 31, 2016

The Michigan State Fair promotes literacy and
READING OUTDOORS!

Fifth Third Bank and the Michigan State Fair get funky fun
Little Free Libraries into the Detroit area! Find a library and fill it with books!

I LOVE my state and LOVE visiting kids to inspire them to get outside to read, write, and draw! 
From the tip of the U.P. to the cuff of the mitt, help spread the word, book an author visit and 
get my free Passport to Reading Adventure into young hands.

Our new super cool, Bear Track Press Passport to Reading Adventure booklet!
Every child gets one FREE when I visit their school. This passport gets kids to explore their 
Michigan home and download a free SUPER, SECRET HOLLY WILD Book!

Choose your own Holly Adventure! The FREE online book can be downloaded
onto tablets or PC or printed as a real book with cool writing and drawing activities!

2016 SUMMER READING FUN and AUTUMNAL ADVENTURES!

Gaylord's Oscoda Library uses my "The Young GeEK's Guide to Getting Outside" picture book
for their first STORY WALK event! Literacy + action + outdoors = Healthy Kids!

Summer grand-tween roughing it and reading in the Lumbermans's Monument National Forest!
Michigan state, national parks, and Huron-Manistee National Forests promote reading
and carry our books in their gift stores. 

Teachers getting creative making poetry books at Michigan Reading Association 's
super fun Summer Lit Conference at Shanty Creek Resrot in Belaire, MI. 
Art + poetry = FUN! Watch for their creativity in a classroom near you!

A family fall fungal hunt of exploration gives exciting stuff to write and draw about--a super 
way to get kids reading. FYI this four year-old grandtot of mine is reading books now!

Rooftop Reindeer Farm in Clare, MI promotes literacy while they thrill kids with
reindeer, Santa visits, hayrides, and an awesome gingerbread treehouse!

Happy READING Holidays to all of you!
Grab a book, a blanket, warm drink--and READ!

The year has taken me to rural librarian and rural school conferences, literacy happenings, schools, libraries and more! Now I'm ready to kick back and READ, WRITE, and DRAW until 2017!

Happy holidays and a warm BEAR TRACK hug from all of us to all of you! Thank you for your immense support and making our year great! Now, back to my books! :)