Title
Honoring the African American Children's Book Project on the Occasion of its 27th Annual African American Children's Book Fair.
Body
WHEREAS, Philadelphia struggles with a double-digit illiteracy rate among those 16 and older, underscoring the importance of providing children with early opportunities to learn to read, and beyond that, to develop a love for reading; and
WHEREAS, Studies show that children who read outside of school coursework tend to excel in other aspects of their lives. Book fairs provide children with a venue to explore their curiosity and interests, and motivates children to read by offering them a wide selection of different books to browse; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia is home to a diverse community of writers, representing varied cultures, backgrounds, and experiences that match those of the City's residents; and
WHEREAS, The African American Children's Book Fair is one of the oldest and largest single-day events for African American children's books in the country, with an average annual attendance of over 3,500 children, parents, and friends. Rich or poor, no one leaves empty-handed, as the books themselves are priced at a level where they are more affordable, and posters, bookmarkers, and raffle books are distributed free of charge to attendees; and
WHEREAS, The book fair highlights books that enlighten and empower children, and features some of the most exciting children's authors from the multicultural literary community. Its goal is not merely to get children reading, but to foster in them a lifelong passion for the activity that enriches their lives. The event is a product of the African American Children's Book Project; and
WHEREAS, Vannese Lloyd Sgambati is the founder and CEO of the African American Children's Book Project. As a literary consultant, she is a much sought-after expert on trends in diverse books and how to incorporate these books into homes, schools and libraries. She created the Book Fair because she ...
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