Global Read Aloud Video, Week 2 #GRABridge #GRA19

I’m so grateful to every teacher and every reader who has the courage and strength to read THE BRIDGE HOME. I hope you’ve all enjoyed laughing with Muthu, Arul, Rukku and Viji this week. I’ve had a wonderful week – it’s been such a joy to see photographs of readers from around the world. It’s also been a rather busy one. So please forgive me if I haven’t answered every question I received. I did try to answer most of them in the video below.

 

Have you made a poster for the #GRABridge contest yet? If you’d like to, there’s still a bit of time. To find out more about this competition, please visit the Global Read Aloud Website.

To leave comments on my website, please, as always:

1. Click on the blog title (or on the title listed below recent posts to the right of this screen)
2. You’ll be redirected to a new screen with just the blog post.
3. Scroll down, and you’ll find a box where you can leave your school name, state, and country.

Finally, here’s something I’d love for all of you to start thinking about. I’m hoping every one of you reading THE BRIDGE HOME might consider doing something for children like Viji, Arul, Rukku and Muthu, after you finish reading the book (which is still a few weeks away). For now, I hope you’ll ponder and consider taking up one of the social justice challenges below:

1. Viji’s challenge. Viji loves books and yearns to go to school. Perhaps you could help other children who need books or want an education or spread your love of reading. For example, maybe you could help another child to read, or collect books for a library or school in need, or discover a way to help children who want to attend school.
2. Muthu’s challenge. Muthu is always happy to voice his thoughts. Perhaps you could speak up (respectfully and responsibly) about an issue that moves you strongly. Write an open letter (or a letter to a newspaper or maybe to a senator) about a problem that affects your community (such as hunger) or a challenge the whole world faces, with suggestions on how to create positive change.
3.  Rukku’s challenge.The little family on the bridge enjoys independence and freedom and feels rich, thanks to Rukku’s bead business and the money that it generates. Maybe you can find a way to fund-raise for a cause you believe in, or collect money for an organization that you find important.
4. Arul’s challenge. Arul is quiet but strong. Arul keeps his promises and never breaks his word. Think about your behavior and your habits. Make a pledge to change the way you act, in order to help the environment and reduce waste – and keep your pledge.
5.  Lalitha’s challenge. Lalitha loves art. Use art to raise awareness of a problem faced by your community or country or the world – or just create art using recycled materials and think of kids like those in THE BRIDGE HOME and send them your best wishes as you work.

Those are just some ideas I have – you may have more. I’d love to hear what you decide to do – and you can start these challenges at any time in the next few weeks – or even the week after you finish reading the book. But first, here’s to hearing more from you as you dig deeper into THE BRIDGE HOME.