A key quality of leaders is being willing to take action when they see something they want to change. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we here at Book Bears realized that children in hospitals must be having an extremely difficult time when it comes to making connections and being able to see visitors of friends and family. So, we decided to take action ourselves and give back to our community with an event called “Bloom with Books.” With a partnership with the National Honors Society and the Smart Reach Foundation from Irvine High School, we brought volunteers together to create children’s books from beginning to end, even including illustrations!
Bloom with Books took place on March 17, with a virtual call with smiling volunteers ready to exercise their creativity. The topic for the writers was “spring,” since most consider it a hopeful, bright, and joyful season. One concern a coordinator had considering this prompt was a lack of diversity in the writing process, since it has such a direct association with nature, flowers. etc. However, upon reading through the different books, we found that there was a wide variety of plotlines and themes.
I had the pleasure of talking to one of the heads of the event, Jamie Lee.
“The kids will be able to read so many different books about spring, and they’re each so different,”
Lee told me in an interview, “It can be isolating for children to not be able to see people on top of quarantine, but these are very happy stories and include elements they might be missing out on.” Although this project is beginning with a small yet strong five books, there are plans to continue the initiative and have even more inspiring themes, depending on the season. “I’m really open to any other topics my team suggests, because they have really great ideas,” Lee continued, referring to potential future events. Currently, the books are in their final stage of printing and illustration development and will be in the hands of bright-eyed children in no time.
At Book Bears, we believe that literacy is the foundation for a successful future for children. Storytelling is so powerful because it can connect people, teach lessons, or even simply bring a smile to someone’s face during a difficult time. Five books may not seem like a lot, but to the children who have the opportunity to access these stories, it could mean the entire world to them. Making a difference doesn’t have to shake the entire globe, because even small steps can have an ever-lasting impact. If you’re interested in taking part in the steps we’re taking here at Book Bears, stay tuned to our Instagram page @book.bears to see all of our opportunities to give back to the community! It is never too early or too late to start. And who knows? You could help a child Bloom with Books, and change their life for the better!
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