Kate DiCamillo, Down Syndrome, and Early Reading

Louisiana's Way Home (3:34) Author Kate DiCamillo has a new book out this week, and we have an opportunity to chat about it. DiCamillo is the award winning author of Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux. Her books have resonated with readers of all ages around the world. Her new book, Louisiana’s Way Home is a story of discovering who you are and deciding who you want to be. Storytime (15:44) Libraries are known for their storytimes and we are too. Each week at 15 minutes past the hour, tune in to hear book reviews or live readings of picture books or poetry. Today poet Leslie Norris reads selections from his own book Norris's Ark, a collection of poems about a variety of animals. Understanding Down Syndrome (19:04) Every child is unique, worthwhile, and important. They have likes, dislikes, strengths in certain areas, and weaknesses in others. One of our jobs as educators and parents is to help every child to succeed. In order to help them succeed, we need to understand them. Vicki Ehlen is an author and the founder of the Wonderwood Academy, a school for children with Down Syndrome. Ready to Read (32:47) How do you get a preschooler ready to read? It’s a tricky question, especially if you have children that have little interest in books. Lisa Cohne is the Utah Education Network’s community partnerships manager. They have established 5 skills that can help your kid today that are talk, sing, read, write, and play. Young Adult Books (45:31) Today we are around the Librarians' Table with Meagan Andrus of the BYU Harold B. Lee Library. She and Rachel discuss modern books for teenagers and the way they can push our boundaries as readers.