Programs designed to promote the joy of reading and encourage families to create literature-rich home environments.
About the Program
Every parent wants to see their child succeed and reading together at home is an important place to start. Book Voyagers programs are designed to promote the joy of reading and encourage families to create literature-rich home environments. Our experienced program facilitators work with libraries, schools and other community organizations to help parents and children build reading skills and bring stories to life. We use a variety of different program formats, including discussion circles, storytelling, and interactive workshops to immerse the whole family in compelling learning experiences. Hands on activities, like dramatic readings, theater games and writing and drawing exercises offer new ways for participants to connect with the written word. Book Voyagers helps families grow their home libraries, as participants receive copies of each book to keep and enjoy again and again for even more reading fun!
Book Voyagers encourages a love of literature, promotes critical thinking, and gives children the self-confidence to share their thoughts and opinions with others. Let Book Voyagers spark curiosity in your community!
Contact Book VoyagersTestimonials from Book Voyagers Programs
“The Book Voyagers experience was excellent in every way. The children were engaged, the presenter offered storytelling and projects that were age appropriate and well received. We are anxious to offer the next session! Thank you!”
“Book Voyagers is an excellent program and opportunity for children to discuss books with a professional facilitator. The literature choices were totally appropriate for the age and interest of the participants. Thank you very much for making this program available for a reasonable price.”
“Thank you for an outstanding storytelling adventure. I thank CT Humanities for making Tellabration possible at our library.”
”Book Voyagers helps kids to think about stories and pay attention to the details of the illustrations in the books. This can help make reading more fun!”
“The program was out of the ordinary – it inspired creativity!”
4-Part Discussion Series
For Families/Children Grades 1-3
Believe in Yourself
Sometimes it is hard to appreciate ourselves the way we are. Do you have an odd name? A different sense of time? Or perhaps a unique situation at school? In these stories, we see the varied ways others have learned to overcome obstacles and believe in themselves!
- Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
- Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus
- Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard
- Thank you, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Growing Green
When you look around do you see something green growing? Or do you see an empty lot with possibilities? Read the inspiring stories of one girl who creates community through a garden, one man who dreams of feeding everyone, one woman who envisions trees where there are none, and one young man who learns to cherish, not destroy, the rainforest. The power of one is an amazing thing!
- Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table by Jacqueline Briggs Martin
- City Green by DyAnne Di Salvo-Ryan
- The Tree Lady by H. Joseph Hopkins
- The Great Kapok Tree by Lynn Cherry
K is for KINDNESS
What does it take to make a new friend? How important is kindness in making and keeping friends? Take a look at the friendships in these four books to see how these characters made their friendships work.
- What Does It Mean to be Kind by Rana DiOrio
- Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel
- Enemy Pie by Derek Munson
- Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
Picture This Cuento / Imagina Este Story – Bilingual series
This Book Voyagers series is a joyful celebration of the many ways people communicate with one another: pictures; gestures; oral; and written language. These four delightfully illustrated books form the core around which participants explore way people interact with one another. By selecting books with their full text written in Spanish AND English, this series also offers the opportunity to experience familiar and perhaps less familiar languages. Group members can help each other, perhaps even the facilitator, with pronunciation and meaning. The focus on communication and mutual respect provides participants with important skills as they continue to interact with the communities in which they live.
- Margaret and Margarita / Margarita y Margaret by Lynn Reiser
- How Do You Hug a Porcupine? / Como Abrazas a un Puercoespin? By Laurie Isop
- Abuelo and the Three Bears / Abuelo y los Tres Osos by Jerry Tello
- The Dog Who Loved Tortillas / La Perrita Que le Encantaban las Tortillas by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Tales from around the World
Folk tales help us to learn more about the world around us and, at the same time, about ourselves. A spider is rescued by the unique talents of each of his sons, a mysterious old man makes a magical paper crane, a wise woman rescues her silly helper with too much pasta, and a bossy rooster finds someone to do his bidding. Each of these stories will have some familiar characters in them!
- Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott
- The Paper Crane by Molly Bang
- Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola
- The Bossy Gallito by Lucia M. Gonzalez
Tales from around the World – with a Twist!
While time-honored folktales help us learn about the world around us, sometimes they just clamor for a twist! Enjoy the adventures of a boisterous chicken who really knows her fairy tales, a careless little girl who wreaks havoc in her neighbor’s house, a savvy girl whose take-charge attitude teaches a naughty lion the importance of manners, and a feisty little cookie whose destiny was changed from becoming a tasty snack to a martial arts teacher. See if you can recognize which parts of the stories are from the original tales and which parts are the twists!
- Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
- Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas by Natasha Yim
- The Ninjabread Man by Katrina Charman
- Little Red and the Very Hungry Lion by Alex R. Smith
Turning Obstacles into Opportunity
They say that when life gets tough, the tough get going. This four-book series invites conversations about overcoming whatever life throws our way with cleverness and patience — whether it’s a man trying to move a mountain, a donkey struggling to return to normal, a rooster trying to liven things up on the farm, or a young girl trying to help her mother.
- Ming Lo Moves the Mountain by Arnold Lobel
- Chicks and Salsa by Aaron Reynolds
- A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams
- Biblioburro: a true story from Colombia by Jeanette Winter
Rise with Resilience: From Struggle to Strength
Resilience is something we all need to strive for in order to manage the challenges and struggles of life. Helping children develop resilience involves behaviors, thoughts, and actions that are learned over time. The books in this series focus on 7 Cs to help build resilience in children.
Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt
Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio
Soccer Star by Mina Ivanherbin
Dreamers by Yugi Morales (based on a true story)
From Dot to Design: Express Yourself - NEW
What is art? What makes art good? The four books in this series introduce some famous artists and their work to inspire you to try new techniques and new perspectives. Help foster a “growth mind-set” that builds self-confidence. Enjoy this creative series!
Books:
- The Dot by Peter Reynolds
- Ish by Peter Reynolds
- Sky Color by Peter Reynolds
- The World is Not a Triangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeanette Winter
Connect, Create & Celebrate Community
Humans are made to live and work with others in a community where we can thrive. We are social beings that have evolved to exist within communities. From birth, we enter a community known as family and within that framework we develop a sense of social relations that extends to the outside worlds. Explore the importance of being emotionally connectioned through these four books.
- The One Day House by Julia Durango
- Hey Wall by Susan Verde
- Marvelous Cornelius by Phil Bildner
- Max Found Two Stix by Brian Pinkney
Workshops & Events
In addition to book discussion programs, Connecticut Humanities helps bring special events to communities across the state. From multi-cultural storytellers to cartooning workshops, these special programs help children and families to engage with literature and culture in creative ways and from new perspectives. A wide variety of formats accommodates all types of learners. CT Humanities funding brings these experiences to you at discounted rates!
Don’t see what you are looking for – then contact us to discuss your ideas!
Contact Book VoyagersOptions include:
- Author visits
- Cartooning Workshops
- Graphic novel programs
- Photo / book workshops
- Storytellers
- Theme-based musical programs
- Theatrical Performances
- Writing and Illustrating workshops
How it Works
Through the generous support of federal and local funding, Connecticut Humanities covers the majority of program costs including facilitator honoraria and travel, books, resource supplies, and publicity materials (flyers and bookmarks).
Host sites are responsible for a modest cost-share payment to help defray program expenses.
- $200 for a four-part series (4 one-hour sessions)
- $50 for a one-session program
- $75 – $150 is the average range for Workshops and Events
*Non-profit 501(c)3 organizations and municipalities are eligible to apply. Depending on the funding source, restrictions may apply. Note: a cost share, ranging from $50 to $200 is required.
Book Voyager Facilitators
Our Book Voyagers facilitators are passionate about reading and eager to share that excitement with your community! These dedicated educators come from a variety of backgrounds and always go the extra mile to make each session rewarding and inspiring. All Book Voyagers facilitators are literature experts dedicated to helping you and your family make reading and talking about books fun and meaningful. Each facilitator uses their own unique talents to create a welcoming and engaging environment especially for you and abilities include bilingual (Spanish), artistic, theatrical experience and skill in working with diverse ages and populations.
Funding Partners
Federal and state dollars and funding from generous sponsors and donors like you, allow Connecticut Humanities to offer Book Voyagers to libraries, schools and community organizations across the state. Our thanks go out to the following organizations!
Previous Funders
Book Voyagers Requests
We are currently accepting requests for WINTER/SPRING 2024. Requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis and are dependent on grant funding.
For more information, contact:
Susan Muro
Phone: (860) 937-6542
Email: smuro@cthumanities.org
