Written by Laura McConnell
Photographs © Allen Patrou
What do fairies, knights in shining armor, travels to far off lands, ballerinas, and animal adventures have in common? That’s easy. They’re all wonderful bits of childhood fantasies.
Here at Kids Need to Read, we want to inspire the imaginations that fuel those fantasies, and we think there is no better way to do that than with books. Books leave much of their characters and worlds open to interpretation in a way that movies cannot. They allow kid’s minds to run free with possibilities.
But that ability is not limited to children. Adults need creative outlets as well, and believe it or not, books can open up whole new worlds for older humans too! Even children’s books and those designed for young adults can stimulate the minds of often far-too-serious grown-ups!
The proof of that can be found in KNTR’s latest fundraiser, a gorgeous wall calendar featuring unique photographs of real children reading real books from the Kids Need to Read book list, along with inspiring quotes and anecdotes from the books’ authors. The stunning photos in this calendar were captured by Allen Patrou of Apatrou Photography in Phoenix, Arizona. They highlight the magic inherent in both children and books, and thus, contain a whimsy all their own.
Allen was inspired by that wonder to create a video preview of the calendar using some of its images. He did a fabulous job, too. This video is sure to make you remember your own flights of fancy as a child. (Mine were based on The Black Stallion and Little House on the Prairie books – what about yours?)
Every time I see this video, I’m struck by how happy and energetic everyone seems to be. Everyone involved seems to have had a great deal of fun making this work of art a reality, and that makes me smile. What makes this even more fun, though, is that it’s for a good cause.
100% of the proceeds from the sale of these calendars will benefit The Kids Need to Read Foundation. By purchasing one, you can help us light the fires of imagination in children who desperately need a bit of escapism in their lives, while keeping track of your own real-life adventures at the same time. And you won’t even have to wait long to get your hands on these beauties! The calendars go on sale this weekend (September 4-7, 2009) at Dragon*Con, a science fiction convention in Atlanta, Georgia. You can find them at the Kids Need to Read booths (#1005 and #1007). Not going to Dragon*Con? Don’t worry! The calendars will be sold after the convention through Kids Need to Read’s eBay store. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out!
So come by and see us if you’re in Atlanta this weekend or head on over to the eBay store if you’re not. We’d love to have your help in our mission to get as many books as possible to as many kids as possible. And really, who doesn’t need a calendar?
