St. Louis Public School students will receive the customized children’s book, “Allie All Along” during the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Back to School EXPO Drive-Through from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, August 21 at 1408 North Kingshighway Blvd.
“Allie All Along, written and illustrated by Sara Lynne Reul, and over 6,000 other books will be provided courtesy of The Assistance League of St. Louis literacy program, Books From Friends. During the past year, Books From Friends has distributed more than 15,000 new books to St. Louis Schools children.
“Allie All Along,” features an engaging set of illustrations and storyline, with themes on family engagement.
“What appears to be a simple story upon first glance actually offers uncomplicated yet practical remedies for helping a child deal with a strong emotion,” reads a Booklist review.
Shelf Awareness says, “Allie All Along”’ deserves a spot on the shelf with “Where the Wild Things Are,” “When Sophie Gets Angry–Really, Really Angry” and “My Mouth Is a Volcano.”
“When a little girl named Allie breaks her blue crayon, she is ‘furious, fuming, frustrated, and so, SO, SOOO ANGRY!’ So angry, in fact, that she turns into a stomping, smashing furry red monster. Her big brother works to help her calm down, giving her a pillow to punch, a toy to squeeze and suggestions to take deep breaths and count backward.
“As she successfully applies each tactic, gradually reducing her rage, she sheds the brightly colored fur skins that represent her feelings. By the time ‘the rest of the angry [falls] away, there’s just one slightly forlorn little girl in pigtails standing in the room, asking her brother for a hug.”
“The custom book enables the Assistance League to communicate with children and their families and provide questions to think about as the book is read aloud,” said Assistance League President Yolanda Perez-Cunningham.
“The goal is to help children understand and process their feelings and to enhance social and emotional growth.”
A special page in the book allows the children to write their names, as owners and readers.
Perez-Cunningham said Barnes & Noble “has been an invaluable partner of Assistance League of St. Louis and shares a commitment to our community and to literacy.
The Assistance League of St. Louis is an all-volunteer group of nearly 500 volunteers. Its mission is to identify, develop, fund and implement ongoing philanthropic programs to serve specific needs of children and adults in the St. Louis community.
Its programs include providing new school uniforms to shoes and socks and personal care items for crisis shelters and books for aspiring readers.
All funds raised are returned to the St. Louis community.
