This morning, TIAA Bank and the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation donated more than 600 books to Annie R. Morgan Elementary School during its “Touchdowns for Tomorrow” event with READ USA! We are so grateful for our partnership with TIAA Bank and the Jaguars Foundation and the ability to put more free books in more children’s hands – which is essential to closing the reading gap in Duval County!

Through “Touchdowns for Tomorrow,” TIAA Bank is playing an important role in helping READ USA increase book access and ownership for elementary students in Duval County, a key tenet of our Book Choice & Ownership program. For every touchdown the Jacksonville Jaguars score this football season, TIAA Bank donates 100 books to READ USA, which are distributed to Title 1 elementary schools across Duval County.

Thank you to TIAA Bank and the Jaguars Foundation for making this wonderful “Touchdowns for Tomorrow” donation possible and to the TIAA Bank volunteers who participated this morning!

Children’s Book: Gretel the Wonder Mammoth, by Kim Hillyard

This charming March 2022 release will surely spark your interest in new and unknown experiences! Gretel, a woolly mammoth from prehistoric times, has been encased in ice for thousands of years until one peaceful Tuesday morning when the ice cracks and she pops out to greet the world again. At first, everything is marvelous – she learns about the modern world, shares amazing stories and is loved by the locals (some very friendly seabirds). But all these new changes are a little fast and overwhelming and, being the last mammoth left on Earth, Gretel starts to feel a bit lonely.  

Gretel the Wonder Mammoth shows us that, no matter your size, how many talents you have and even if you are surrounded by friendly faces, everyone can feel anxious, alone and sad. It demonstrates how important it is to speak up and share your feelings when life becomes overwhelming and stressful. This very relatable story is perfect for younger pupils and teaches its readers that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is ask for help.

The illustrations are fun and engaging, with simple language and cheeky sea birds adorning the pages. The colors link to the emotions of the text and one cannot help but instantly take to the gentle, gregarious Gretel.

Submitted by Tabetha Cox, Tutoring Program Director

Education Corner - How Can We Encourage Children to Become Strong Readers?

Essentially, there are six parts to becoming a strong reader. An article by Reading Rockets, citing the National Education Association introduces the idea with a guide called, Reading 101: A Guide for Parents. The guide discusses milestones of reading and introduces the steps children progress through to achieve strong reading and writing skills over time.

The guide also encourages a parent to select the child’s current grade level and discover typical reading milestones, as well as where to begin working with their child.