2024 Mayor’s Summer Reading Club Kick-off Event
The Mayor’s Summer Reading Club—the beloved GEEARS initiative that fosters early literacy with partner-led programming and free, original books—is entering its 12th season!
The central goal of the Mayor’s Summer Reading Club is to create an environment in the City of Atlanta that supports brain development, early literacy, and learning by encouraging family engagement throughout the summer and by modeling language-rich activities centered on a shared story.
This year, both authors of this summer’s book selections (more on the books below) will be present to read their work, and families who attend the kick-off event will go home with their own copy of Bina’s Harvest. The books and the entire MSRC initiative are made possible thanks to generous funding from PNC Bank, the United Way of Greater Atlanta, the LuluMa Foundation, and WorldReader.
Join us as we celebrate our authors, our rich creative partnerships, our committed funders, and most of all, our little ones and their literacy journeys. We can’t wait for another story-filled summer with them!
DATE: Thursday, June 6, 2024
TIME: Doors open at 10 AM. The program lasts from 10:30 – 11:30 AM.
LOCATION: Woodruff Arts Center – Sifly Piazza 1280 Peachtree St. NE. Atlanta, GA 30309
2024 Book Selections
Written By: Michaiah David Booker
Illustrated By: Robin Boyer
Ages: 0-2
Our board book for infants and babies has been written by 13-year-old Michaiah Booker, who came to us through an exciting new partner, Young Authors Publishing, an Atlanta-based publisher with a global reach that amplifies the stories of young people of color. Noah’s Family Farm is a sweet tale of a young boy’s exploration of his grandfather’s farm, knowing that it will someday be his own.
Written By: Lloyd Suh
Illustrated By: Nicole Kang Ahn
Ages: 3-5
It’s harvest time at Bina’s family’s apple orchard, and this year she’s finally old enough to join in. As Bina eagerly picks apples, she discovers that there’s a right time for everything and patience is sometimes the most important part of the process.
The book is also available en Español. Both versions of the book contain a READ Guide from the Rollins Center for Early Learning and Literacy (Atlanta Speech School).