I am so excited to share with you guys that I will be reading some books to children as part of the ‘Breakfast & A Book’ reading event with Cheerios and their Spoonful of Stories program!  Come out to HEB in Tomball on April 5, 2012 at 10:30am and meet me in the in-store literacy center and listen to some great books!  All attendees with walk away with four books, three of which can be found in Cheerios boxes and a bonus copy of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs!

Tomball HEB
28520 Tomball Pkwy
Tomball, TX
April 5, 2012
10:30am

(March 20, 2012) – Today, Cheerios®, alongside actress and mom Jennie Garth, will launch the first in a series of “Breakfast & A Book” reading events to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of its Spoonfuls of Stories® program, which will once again provide more than six million bilingual children’s books free inside specially-marked cereal boxes, while supplies last.

For the second consecutive year, Garth will lead a special book reading for Los Angeles-area children and encourage donations to First Book, a national nonprofit that, like Cheerios, recognizes that access to books is one barrier to literacy development.[1] This year, to help address this issue and commemorate its 10-year milestone, Cheerios will give 5,000 children’s books to 10 First Book local volunteer chapters nationwide and make a $300,000 donation to the organization.

Over the next few weeks, VIPs, including past Spoonfuls of Stories authors, will follow Garth’s lead and hold similar readings in their hometowns, including Washington, D.C., Charlotte, Philadelphia, Houston, San Antonio and Seattle. Each event will offer attending and area residents the opportunity to support Cheerios’ quest to get books into kids’ hands by making a donation to First Book via their mobile phones.* Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing will match each donation made via text (up to 50,000 books).  

“For the past 10 years, Spoonfuls of Stories has enabled Cheerios to nourish young minds and bodies,” said Meredith Tutterow, associate director, Cheerios.  “When children across the country open our cereal boxes and discover a new book inside, it is our hope that they will also discover a limitless love of reading that will allow them to grow and succeed for years to come.” 

As a mother of three, Garth understands the importance of fostering a child’s love of reading at a young age. “Parents play a key role in helping their children become readers, which is why reading is a daily ritual in my family,” she said. “As a mother and advocate for childhood literacy, I am proud to once again support the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories program, which has helped young children cultivate an interest in reading simply by providing access to books.”

This year’s in-pack book offerings, all of which are from award-winning authors, appropriate for children ages three to eight and from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, are:

  • Peeny Butter Fudge, by Toni and Slade Morrison and illustrated by Joe Cepeda
  • Mostly Monsterly, by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Scott Magoon
  • Noodle & Lou, by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon and illustrated by Arthur Howard
  • If I Were a Jungle Animal, by Amanda Ellery and illustrated by Tom Ellery 
  • Hello Baby, by Mem Fox and illustrated by Steve Jenkins
  • Can I Just Take a Nap?, by Ron Rauss and illustrated by Rob Shepperson

 Over the past 10 years, Cheerios has distributed more than 60 million children’s books inside boxes and donated $3.8 million to First Book to help ensure children from low-income families have age-appropriate books at home.

To learn more about Spoonfuls of Stories, the “Breakfast & A Book” events and this year’s in-pack books, or to donate to First Book, go to www.spoonfulsofstories.com.

*By using short code 20222 and texting Books2Kids, a $5 donation will be made (and will appear on the primary subscriber’s cell phone bill), providing two new books to a child in need.  Standard messaging rates will apply.

I could not be more excited to be the ‘VIP’ reader at this wonderful event in Houston!  I have all six bilingual books and they are fantastic!  This is a fantastic way to get your kids reading while also providing them a healthy breakfast!  

If you are in Houston near Tomball, TX this Thursday, come see me and get some great books for your kids!  And be sure to check your box of of specially marked Cheerios for your free bi-lingual books!

LOCAL BLOGGER JOIN CHEERIOS® TO LEAD SPECIAL BOOK READING AND DONATION TO ENCOURAGE LITERACY              

 Houston “Breakfast & A Book” Event Part of Cheerios® Spoonfuls of Stories®10-Year Anniversary Celebration

WHAT:  Cheerios®, through its Spoonfuls of Stories® program, has once again put six million free children’s books inside specially-marked boxes while supplies last. To celebrate the program’s 10th anniversary and encourage parents to read with their children, Cheerios will hold special “Breakfast & A Book” reading events in select cities across the country, including Houston. During the event, local parenting blogger Lori Pace, proud author of ADayinMotherhood.com, will read a selection of this year’s in-pack titles to local children. On behalf of Cheerios, Pace will also donate 5,000 books and $500 to First Book Greater Houston, the local volunteer chapter of First Book, a national nonprofit that helps ensure children from low-income families have age-appropriate books at home.

The six titles now appearing in Cheerios boxes have been specially printed in both English and Spanish and are appropriate for children ages three to eight. Since Spoonfuls of Stories’ inception in 2002, Cheerios has distributed more than 60 million free children’s books inside boxes and donated more than $3.8 million to First Book.

WHEN:                 Thursday, April 5  10:30 a.m. 

WHERE:              H.E.B. in-store literacy center  28520 Tomball Pkwy, Tomball, TX   

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**I have been asked to be a VIP reader at this event.  I received the books for review purposes only.  No compensation will be received for my participation.**