Shop online at Jenni Moore's Usborne Book Store

Business Opportunity

Internet Linked Books

School and Library Accounts

Book Fairs and Fundraisers

*Shop on-line at an active e-fair*

Fundraisers

Reading Incentive Programs

Reading Readiness Program for Preschoolers

Home Schooling and Homework Helpers

Ten Terrific Weeks Curriculum

Event Calender

Customer Specials

 Education Workshops

Home Shows

Host an E-Show

*Shop online at an active e-show*

*Special Services*

Host an Usborne Baby Shower or purchase custom baby gift basket featuring Usborne Books

Purchase Sibling Gift Packages featuring Usborne Books

Purchase Relocation Gift Packages featuring Usborne Books

Enter the monthly drawing to win $50 in free books

Reading is the foundation for education. Having books in the home not only prepares children for their education, it presents a unique opportunity for sharing, which leads to bonding between the parent and child. Our most important goal as parents is to share ourselves with our children. Through sharing, we convey not only our love, but our values, our principles and our ideals. It is the basis of all healthy and successful childrearing.

Call today to find out how you can get a lifetime discount on the "books  kids love to read!"

Usborne Book Awards

Suggested Links

What is RFTS?
RFTS is a reading incentive program. Reading is the key that unlocks the mind! In a world where only one out of every ten adults walks into a bookstore, we need to help our children learn to love books. Here is a program that will help put fun, educational books into the hands of our children at home and at school.   RFTS is a pledge-based reading incentive program that returns every cent pledged back to the organization. It rewards children for reading with books.  With at least a 100% return, what could be better? 

How Does RFTS Work?
There are two program options to choose from:

1) FUND RAISER - Your organization receives 30% in cash of the money pledged. The other 70% will be divided between the student participants (50%) and the school (20%).  Students use their allotment to select Usborne Books from their wish lists for personal ownership, and the school uses their allotment to select Usborne Books that will stock bookshelves in the library, classrooms, reading intervention program – the possibilities are endless.

2) BOOK & READING BONANZA – 100% of the pledge money is used to purchase books and educational materials from the entire Usborne catalog; 50% to the student participants, and 50% to the school.  An extra 10% in books is available with this program for additional teacher or student reading incentives.

What Is The Goal of RFTS?
The primary goal of RFTS is to have children read, or be read to, a minimum of 30 minutes per school day – totaling 300 minutes of reading during a two week period.  Student participants collect pledges from friends, neighbors, and family. Sponsors may pledge a flat amount ($10.00 regardless of how many minutes read), or may base their pledge on the actual time spent reading ($5.00 per 100 minutes read). 

How Do Students Participate in RFTS?
Your Usborne representative helps get the students excited about the program during a school assembly or classroom presentation.  Students see the wonderful books they will be able to select with half of their pledge dollars, then it’s as easy as  one, two, three…

1. About two weeks before the reading program begins, each student takes home a parent letter describing the program
2. Once the program begins each student receives a participation packet containing a parent letter and a RFTS log containing “5steps,” reading journal, wish list & sponsor sheet. The student and parent will begin logging reading time and recording pledges by the minute, hour, or flat rate on the pledge sheet.  Each student is given a goal of 30 minutes per day for 10 school days, for a total of 300 minutes. This is very achievable! Students can include the minutes spent reading favorite books and magazines, being read to by a parent/caregiver, and even reading for homework assignments.
3. At the end of the two week time period, students turn in their completed RFTS log and pledge money.

What Does Our Organization Need to Do?
You will need a volunteer (could be an administrator, teacher, or parent) to be a primary contact for your Usborne representative, collect reading journals and pledges, and provide your Usborne representative with participation information throughout the program.  Your Usborne representative will provide the RFTS logs, catalogs, and master copies of parent letters.  Your representative will also facilitate student wish list completion, compile the book order, organize books when they arrive, and deliver them to your organization ready to distribute to individual students and teachers. 

What Do We Get From RFTS?
Students, even pre-emergent or emergent readers, experience the satisfaction of reading or being read to and develop a reading routine.  They get excited about book ownership!  Each child will receive a certificate of participation and a bookmark when they turn in their journals. Your organization earns free books or money AND free books!

Why Is The RFTS Program So Important?  Consider the following:

Some experts believe that the biggest obstacle to literacy is the scarcity of books and appropriate reading material in the home.

“The 1998 Reading Report Card found that students with higher reading scores were more likely to report four types of reading materials in their homes – encyclopedias, magazine, newspapers, and at least 25 books.” (The NAEP)

 There's no better way to increase vocabulary, improve spelling and writing, and cultivate public speaking skills than by reading aloud to a child! (Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook)

Reach for the Stars Reading Readiness Program   Sponsored by Usborne Books. 

RFTS is a pledge based reading incentive program promoting daily read-aloud time between parents/caregivers and preschoolers or kindergarteners. 

Mission:  Kindle the flame in our children so they are passionate about reading and learning.

“One third of all children in this country are not ready when they enter school.  They lack the basic language skills, which are usually acquired at home….  If we find ways to help parents improve the language stimulation in the home, their children will more likely be ready for school and learning.  Interventions need to start before age 3 and to reach those youngest children we need parents.  The best activity to generate language and verbal stimulation is reading aloud, because it elicits more vocabulary and more complex sentences from parents than other activities, like feeding or bathing.  This is supported by studies that show children who are read aloud to are more likely to enter school with greater language skills.”  Barry Zuckerman,MD and Perri Klass, MD  Boston Globe  4/5/05

Barry Zuckerman, MD Chair, Dept. of Pediatrics Boston Medical Center  CEO and Chair of the Board, Reach Out and Read, Inc. 

Reach for the Stars Promotional Material

                              

Posters                                                        Certificates                               Journals/Pledge sheets

Contact Information

Telephone

513-325-2222

FAX

818-991-6082

Postal address

Agoura Hills, California

Electronic mail

Jenni@BuildingBrightMinds.com

"If children were read to daily, from infancy, it would revolutionize education in this country." 

U.S. Education Secretary, Richard W. Riley.

The words "Usborne" and "Usborne Books At Home" are the trademarks of Usborne Publishing Ltd.  Usborne Publishing Ltd. has no connection with these pages and does not sponsor or support their content.

Send mail to jenni@BuildingBrightMinds.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2006 Building Bright Minds/ Jenni Moore's Usborne Book Store