Camarillo, Calif., March 19, 2013 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) invites children and their families to the 8th Annual Children's Reading Celebration and 36th Annual Young Authors' Fair on Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the John Spoor Broome Library on the CI campus.

The free annual event brings together a celebrated children’s author with Ventura County children and their families for stories, writing workshops, music, crafts, and other fun activities that celebrate reading and writing. The program is sponsored by CI’s Broome Library, English Program and Mortar Board in conjunction with the Ventura County Reading Association (VCRA), the Target Foundation, and the Ventura County Office of Education.

Headlining the event is Tina Nichols Coury, the Oxnard-based author of Hanging Off Jefferson's Nose: Growing Up on Mt. Rushmore. In her debut picture book, Coury brings to life the story of Lincoln Borglum, the boy who helped build Mt. Rushmore. Coury is an author, award-winning multi-media artist, blogger, vlogger, producer of book trailers, and all-around Renaissance woman. In character as "the Rushmore Kid," Coury visits schools across the U.S. to present her popular "Why I Love America" program, which promotes an understanding and appreciation of the essential qualities that make America great. Hanging Off Jefferson's Nose: Growing Up on Mt. Rushmore was named the California Eureka Silver Medal Honor Winner for 2012.

Children will be able to meet the author and receive one free autographed book per family, while supplies last. This gift is funded by an early childhood literacy grant from the Target Foundation.

The day also will feature hands-on participation in crafts and various activities. CI students in the English Program, as part of their service-learning component, will be reading aloud to children. Students in the CI Mortar Board National Honor Society will be hosting a story writing area and an open-mic session where children can share their creativity. Children will have the chance to read dozens of books written and illustrated for the Young Authors' Fair by K-12 students in Ventura County. If a child's school participates in the Ventura County Reading Association's Young Authors' Fair, then that child is eligible to write a book and have his or her teacher enter it to be displayed and read at the Celebration on April 13.

New this year is a series of VCRA professional development workshops and activities for teachers, from 9 a.m. to noon. Teachers wishing to attend should RSVP to http://go.csuci.edu/vcra-teachers.

The event is free and open to the public. Complimentary parking will be available on campus in specific lots. Once on campus, follow the directional signs to the designated parking lot. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Books will be limited to one per family while supplies last.

To RSVP and for more information, contact Janet Pinkley at janet.pinkley@csuci.edu.

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About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands
(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting CI's Social Media.

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