Season's Readings!

(Washington, D.C.) – Reading Rockets, the multi-media project dedicated to teaching kids to read and helping those who struggle, has teamed with some of the top names in children's book illustration to create a series of whimsical free e-cards to keep literacy bright over the holiday season.

"It's a fun way to celebrate the importance of reading," says Reading Rockets executive director Noel Gunther. "Helping a child keep the reading habit going is a gift that can last a lifetime."

Three award-winning illustrators donated artwork for the e-cards that are available at www.readingrockets.org/books/fun/ecards. The e-cards can be customized with a personal message from the sender and emailed to any number of recipients. Illustrators include:

• Peter Sís, the charming storyteller and acclaimed author and illustrator of Madlenka and Fire Truck. Recently named a 2003 MacArthur Fellow, his Caldecott Honor Books include Tibet: Through the Red Box and Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei. His most recent book, The Tree of Life, is about the life of Charles Darwin.
• Loreen Leedy, the creator of many popular picture books such as Celebrate the 50 States! She recently co-authored and illustrated There's a Frog in My Throat! 440 Animal Sayings a Little Bird Told Me.
• Henry Cole, whose illustrations have amused thousands of children in favorites like Rosie's Roses and The Worrywarts. His latest books are Clara Caterpillar and On the Way to the Beach.

"Taking a break from school doesn't have to mean taking a break from reading," says Reading Rockets Web sites director Pam McKeta. "It's a great time to read just for fun."

The e-cards can be used by teachers and librarians to gently remind parents and children to read over the holidays; by publishers and booksellers to send holiday greetings to their clients; by literacy groups to reach out to their constituencies; by book clubs to communicate with their members; and by anyone interested in promoting reading.

Reading Rockets is an ongoing WETA initiative that looks at how young children learn to read, why so many kids struggle and what can be done about it. Reading Rockets recently launched www.ColorinColorado.org, the first major Web site for Spanish-speaking parents to help their children learn to read. In 2002, Reading Rockets produced "Launching Young Readers," an award-winning educational series on PBS. "Reading Rocks!" is the next episode in the "Launching Young Readers" series, scheduled to premiere in Spring 2004 on public television stations. In Fall 2003, a new documentary called "A Tale of Two Schools," narrated by Morgan Freeman, aired on PBS stations across the country. Reading Rockets is funded primarily by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.

WETA is the third-largest producing station in the PBS system and the flagship public broadcaster in the nation's capital. Among WETA's productions and presentations are "Washington Week," "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," and "Reporting America at War." WETA is co-producer of documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, including "The Civil War" and "Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip." WETA's educational services include www.LDOnline.org, the leading national Web site on learning disabilities for parents, teachers, and other professionals. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO of WETA. For more information on WETA, visit www.weta.org.

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