SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2018 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 276
Commending the Virginia Children's Book Festival.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 23, 2018
Agreed to by the Senate, March 1, 2018

 

WHEREAS, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival, an annual event that has encouraged numerous children to develop a love of books and reading, will host its fifth festival from October 17 - 19, 2018, on the campus of Longwood University; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival was originally conceived in 2011 with the goal of making early literacy and reading for pleasure a central value for all families in the Commonwealth, particularly those from underserved populations in rural Southside Virginia; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival held its inaugural event in 2014 at Longwood University, hosting 700 children as well as popular authors and illustrators; since then, the festival has grown each year and developed an innovative and immersive programming model; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival works to reach a diverse population of children and families by offering all its events free of charge; in addition, it encourages school field trips to the festival and uses graphic novels, illustrations, and even video games as tools to help nurture young people’s interest in reading; and

WHEREAS, in recent years, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival has drawn some 8,000 young visitors each year; its guest authors and illustrators have included Judy Blume, Marc Brown, and many other winners of honors such as the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Newbery Medal, the Caldecott Medal, and the Coretta Scott King Award; and

WHEREAS, to further its mission to promote childhood reading, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival has partnered with schools, universities, libraries, foster programs, museums, and literacy organizations; it has also worked to reach children housed in juvenile detention centers; and

WHEREAS, in addition to its annual festival at Longwood University, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival runs a variety of other literacy and culture programs, including family-centered weekend events and book distributions; it also works with teachers and families to track the reading progress of students who attend the festival; and

WHEREAS, during its first five years, the Virginia Children’s Book Festival has already begun to facilitate generational changes in literacy by helping thousands of young people build a strong foundation for future success and empowerment; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Virginia Children's Book Festival for its commitment to literacy on the occasion of its fifth annual festival; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Virginia Children’s Book Festival as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for the group’s commitment to fostering and mentoring lifelong readers.