What is an Our Kids Read Storytelling and Free Book Festival?
Our Kids Read brings storytellers and yes, FREE books to K-5th grade schools, after school programs, community centers, homeless shelters and places of worship across the country.
Our Events Feature:
- Storytellers (our bi-lingual storytellers tell stories in English and in Spanish using folklore from Africa, Asia and Latin America
- Drummers (often the OKR storytelling accompanied by African drumming, bringing the stories to life)
- Free Books – each child at an Our Kids Read Storytelling and Free Book Festical receives three (3) free books
DECEMBER
2022
WIN (Women in Need) Shelter Storytelling and Book Giveaway Event
Our Kids Read and Women in Need (Win) are partnering to provide free diverse books and storytelling to children and families at the Junius Center in Brooklyn, NY. The event will feature English and Spanish elements given the anticipated large number of Hispanic families in attendance.
Featured Books at this Event:
JANUARY
2023
Storefront Academy – Bronx, NY
This will be the second Storefront Academy event, a follow-up to the October 28, 2022 event at the Storefront Academy – Harlem, NY location. Special thanks to donor Patti Astor and OKR partner Easy AD Harris of The Legendary Cold Crush Brothers for collaborating with Our Kids Read to make this a truly spectacular event for the students
Featured Books at this Event:
JANUARY
2023
PS 104 – Brooklyn, NY
This is a very special event, developed in memory of the donor’s son. The donor, Kamil Ali-Jackson, Princeton Class of ’81, will honor her son with her sister Karen Ali with classroom readings featuring books about remembrance. Our Kids Read plans to serve 120 students at this event, donating three (3) books to each student, 360 books in total.
Featured Books at this Event:
FEBRUARY
2023
Start Lighthouse – Bronx, NY
Thanks to Concetta Gleason and Rina Madhani for the invitation to hold an OKR Storytelling and Free Book Festival at the PS/MS 5X, Port Morris School of Community Leadership location in the Bronx. We can’t wait to meet your young scholars and engage them in their reading journey.
Featured Books at this Event:
NOVEMBER
2022
DATE:
FRIDAY,
NOVEMBER
18,2022
LOCATION:
PS 154-
THE EVERGREEN
SCHOOL
The Evergreen School
Thanks to Meaghan Gribbins, Principal Christine Baez and District 8 superstar Mark Weisman for inviting OKR to bring a Storytelling and Free Book Festival to your school. We server over 600 children and donated over 1,800 books to PS 152 at this event.
Featured Books at this Event:
Photo/Video from the event:
School testimonial:
“We were so pleased to have Our Kids Read come to our school. The kids loved the storytelling and the drumming, we’d love to have them back next year!”
NASIMI MURUMBA
Simi is the heart and soul of the Our Kids Read storytelling musician. A talented singer and musician, Simi brings a wealth of experience working with youth and educating through the use of language and music. Young people are captivated by the strength and energy she brings to performances and clamour for her return months after performances.
Photos and videos of past events: