2550 W. Union Hills Drive, Ste. 350-9433 Phoenix, AZ 85027
888-313-7916 epickidsaz.com
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Press Releases:
Submit press releases via email to hello@epickidsaz.com.
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Submit press releases or event descriptions to hello@epickidsaz.com.
Be sure to include event title, date, time, place, cost, and details including contact number or website. The deadline for the September issue is September 1.
For Advertising:
Contact the sales department by phone at 888-313-7916 or by email at advertising@egpublishing.com.
Where to Find Us:
Epic Kids is distributed each month directly into the backpacks of children in K-8 charter and private schools. You can also find us placed in racks where kids and their families are out and about. To see a full list of locations, visit our website.
Eight-Year-Old Kaia Hansen Makes a Difference with Book Drive
Second-grader Kaia Hansen, who is a Girl Scout Brownie with Troop 2674 and resides in Gilbert, was recently inspired to take action and help make the world a better place.
Kaia decided to host a book drive as a way to give back and help others—specifically, children in the local community. She researched organizations, designed and created a flyer, determined an outreach plan, and then collected and sorted books that were generously donated by family, friends, and neighbors. She also gathered books to donate from her own bookshelf and used some money from her piggybank (as well as a monetary contribution from her sister,
a kindergartner who is also a Girl Scout Daisy and wanted to participate).
As a result of Kaia’s efforts and the support that she received, she was able to donate 144 new children’s books to Arizona Helping Hands that will now be gifted to children in foster care. She also collected an additional 288 gently used children’s books and magazines that she donated to the Sunshine Acres Children’s Home library. A total of 432 books and magazines were donated to local children in need as a result of an 8-year-old being inspired to make the world a better place.
After touring both Arizona Helping Hands in Phoenix and Sunshine Acres
Water for the Thirsty
You don’t have to be a grown-up to make a positive impact on your local community. As Daniel Capehart prepared to graduate from Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies, he began working on his eighth-grade service project.
As desert temperatures began to rise, he set out to collect bottles of water for the annual Mesa Hydration Donation Campaign. “I know some people don’t have immediate access to water,” says Daniel, “so I thought this would be a good way to help.”
The campaign is a life saver, particularly for people experiencing homelessness during the Valley’s hot summer months. United Food Bank works with numerous agencies in the Valley, including A New Leaf – East Valley Men’s Center, Paz de Cristo, and Mesa United Way to get bottles of water into the hands of those thirsting for it.
By posting to his neighborhood Facebook page, Daniel raised awareness among his neighbors about the need and collected 1,500 bottles and $252 in cash donations to benefit the campaign.
“Through the process of collecting bottles and money, I learned that you can accomplish some pretty big things when you have a community that supports you. I was surprised by how much people donated,” says Daniel.
Children’s Home in Mesa at the time of donating, Kaia—along with her siblings—left feeling inspired to do even more to continue to help other children in the local community.
Cookie Money
Girl Scout troop uses cash for good
Chandler Girl Scout Troop 6710 opted to donate $1,025 of the proceeds from their cookies sales to do good in the community. Troop leaders presented the girls with a choice, have a bigger end of the year party or spend some of their earnings on philanthropic causes. The troop voted that they would much rather have a smaller party and be able to donate more.
The girls donated $750 to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, which will be used to help pay for programs that make their patients’ stays more comfortable, like animal therapy. The girls also donated $275 to send a girl to school through Heifer International.
Girl Scout Troop 6710 presented Phoenix Children’s Hospital with a $750 check.
Kaia was presented with The Gold Star Award certificate by Arizona Helping Hands for the community book drive that she hosted.
Daniel Capehart collected 1,500 water bottles
Headliners
CHAMPIONS
Students use their STEM skills to win big on international stage
Agroup of standout middle school students and their coach, under the team name Overdrive 1696Z, earned bragging rights by winning an international robotics competition.
The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundation’s Live Remote VEX Robotics World Championship 2021 was recognized as the Largest Online Robot Championships record holder by Guinness World Records.
During the live remote event, over 1,600 teams from 30 countries and 49 U.S. states competed in timed robotics competition matches with
their custom-built robots. Overdrive 1696Z won the competition’s middle school division and the excellence award for the science division.
Led by Pranil Kanderi, CTO and co-founder of Lotus Labs, the winning team consists of: Aari and Sidharth Kanderi from Arizona College Prep, and Karan and Rohan Vallamshetla from Basha Accelerated Middle School. The students created the team and connected outside of their schools to practice.
To learn more about robotics teams and competitions, visit roboticseducation.org/ new-to-robotics.Aximp
Team Overdrive 1696Z shares what it takes to win on the international stage:
Karan:
“We were an underdog team who only hoped of being top 25 in the world, but we worked hard to be our very best, and we were able to win the whole thing.”
Rohan:
“I hope that people learn that you have to work hard to achieve anything at the highest level and that the awards you get reflect the amount of work you put in.”
Sidharth:
“A lesson I will always take away from this is how to communicate with other people, being in any kind of team requires communication and patience, which is no different in vex.”
Aari:
“Learning how to manage your stress and frustration is a huge part of teamwork.”
Headliners
Hi! My name is Nicholas, and this is my first magazine column. I’m excited to write every month about a bunch of fun stuff. I live in Scottsdale, am in second grade, have two younger brothers, and am the CEO of my business, Creations by Nicholas. Also, my favorite food is pizza. What’s yours?
I thought it would be cool to have my first article talk about the word “epic.”
Introducing Now with Nicholas Join in a monthly adventure with 8-year-old blogger and CEO.
Do you know what it means? I didn’t, so I asked my mom. I soon learned that being epic means being adventurous and heroic. Kind of like my favorite superhero, Spiderman.
With summer being over, I came up with five ways kids like us can be epic as we start the school year. Here’s my list:
1. Try new things
I’ve never blogged before, so I guess you can say I’m being adventurous. What’s something new you want to try this year?
2. Help around the house (that’s kind of heroic, right?)
My mom loves it when I help put my baby brother to sleep. What can you do to help your parents?
3. Travel somewhere new
Exploring new places is the best; I love visiting national parks and the beach. If you could visit anywhere, where would it be?
4. Start a new hobby
I love art, so I created a business selling craft plane kits. I turned my hobby into something big, and it makes me feel happy. What’s your favorite hobby?
5. Be a good friend
When I was in first grade, one kid said something hurtful to a buddy of mine. When I heard it, I told him to stop being mean. To me, that’s being heroic. Have you stood up to a bully?
Join me on my epic journey via Instagram @creationsbynicholas and creationsbynicholas.com
A New Local Charity Hits the Ice in Support of Underserved Communities
By Ethan A. Kispert
Scottsdale teen Alena
Kremer, a high school senior and award-winning figure skater, has started SkateUP, a nonprofit aimed at reducing inequality and promoting diversity in competitive figure skating.
As figure skaters progress through the various levels, the time and financial demands can be burdensome for athletes. Costs can sometimes build up to as much as $20,000 a year. SkateUP helps athletes in need with these expenses. SkateUP aims to “raise money from our part-
ners and the community and use this money to award yearly sponsorships to athletes based on merit and need,” according to the organization.
Part of Alena's intention behind starting the organization is to help support skaters who have a hard time participating in the sport due to cost. “It [the sport of figure skating] is so expensive that it tends to be exclusive,” she says. “So I decided to create a way to allow others to skate even if their family’s income doesn’t allow it. I also want to increase the diversity of athletes within figure skating,” she explains.
Steven Cousins, her coach and also a former competitive skater himself, stresses cohesion and inclusivity as a major aspect of her charity.
“I think the main goal, certainly in my view, is just bringing communities together,” Steven says. “In my opinion, it’s quite remarkable. To have empathy and just a wider perspective on people and people’s struggles.”
Locally, Alena practices her craft at the Ice Den. SkateUP currently has the support of two Olympic skaters, experienced coaches, and a new leadership team to help kick-
start the effort. They plan to award scholarships going forward.
SkateUp accepts donations and welcomes the community to get involved. To learn more, visit skateup.org or e-mail skateuparizona@gmail.com.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” —Confucius
Katherine Loxtercamp
Job: Professional Ballet Dancer
Age: 25
What do you do for a living?
I am a professional ballet dancer. I get paid like a normal job and spend my days practicing ballet and rehearsing. Then I get to perform on stage for lots of people in beautiful costumes with live music and big sets!
What type of training do you need to do your job?
You need lots of ballet training to do my job. I’ve been dancing since I was 4 years old and took ballet classes multiple times a week. When I was older I took class every day. Practicing to learn new choreography, acting, and being comfortable in front of a big audience is necessary. You need to be able to do other types of dance too, like modern, jazz, or character. I also need to be very strong, so even when I’m not dancing I have to spend time working out and making sure I do everything my directors need me to do without hurting myself.
What’s your favorite part of your job? My favorite part of the job is getting to
dance and do what I love every day, and getting to work on improving my abilities and artistry. Some days I feel really tired and other days I feel energetic. On good days it’s really fun to move and dance, and even on days when I don’t feel good I still get to be creative and hang out with my coworkers and friends.
What did you want to be when you were growing up?
When I was growing up I wanted to be photographer for National Geographic. I didn’t decide that I wanted to be a ballerina until I was around 12 years old, but I think it’s never too late to start pursuing something if you have the motivation to work hard at it. Now I’m 25 and there are still many more things I want to learn and be once I’m done dancing!
What advice would you give to a kid who wants to be a ballerina when they grow up?
For those who want to be a ballerina when they grow up, my best advice is just to not give up! It’s easy to get discouraged sometimes but as long as you show up and keep dancing then you’re a ballerina! Just keep working, keep trying your best, and keep enjoying what you do!
One fun fact NOT about your job?
One fun fact about me is that I love space and science fiction! I hope to one day go into a more math and science based career after I’m done dancing.
Practicing ballet and rehearsing is essential for a good performance.
Dancer Katherine Loxtercamp wears beautiful costumes and performs intricate choreography on stage.
Kaylee, 11
Nanami, 4
Nihal, 7
Kaylee,
Zaza,
Nicolas,
Hannah,
Meet the kids making waves in the Valley STAR SWIMMERS
Jonathan Zinger
Age: 12
School: Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School
Grade: 7th Grade
Twelve-yearold Jonathan Zinger is dedicated to making his dream of reaching the 2024 Olympic Trials a reality. Most early mornings and evenings, you’ll find the seventh grader training to reach that lofty goal. “He likes to be 15 minutes early to practice,” says his mom Tamanika Zinger. “If you’re on
time, he considers you late.”
One of only nine boys to be selected to compete in the Western Age Group Zone Championships National Meet in Lewisville, Texas, in August, Jonathan has his sights on besting his time in the 50 meter freestyle.
This Month’s COVER STAR
Jonathan started swim lessons at age 4 with swimming coach Shiela Arredondo. At 6 he was swimming recreationally with The Lakes Snakes in Tempe. From there he started swimming competitively with the Gold Medal Swim Club three years ago. Gold Medal
Swim Club head coach Mike Chasson has coached at Stanford, Harvard, Arizona State University, and has mentored several Olympians.
Speaking of Olympians, Jonathan got to meet the most decorated Olympian of all time at a competition. Jonathan was wearing Michigan gear and Michael Phelps approached him to say how much he liked it.
While you might think winning lots of medals is what Jonathan is most proud of, his favorite accomplishment is assisting to save a younger kid from drowning using the skills he was taught in swim school.
Three Other Swimmers to Keep an Eye On
Madison Gillette
Age: 6
School: Sequoya
Elementary Grade: 1st
Swimming Start: She learned how to float before she could walk. Madison’s mom put her into ISR (Infant Swimming Resource) when she was 9 months old.
Best Stroke: Backstroke
Favorite Thing About Swimming: Madison isn’t shy about how good of a swimmer she is; she really likes winning.
Medal Count: At least 10, but probably 18 (she’s lost count)
Memorable Accomplishment: Trying hard and getting faster
Goal: Winning and swimming in the Olympics
Talan Denison
Age: 12
School: Sonoran Trails Middle School
Grade: 7th
Swimming Start: Swimming as an infant with swim lessons at Hubbard Family Swim School
Best Stroke: Distance
Favorite Thing About Swimming: Talan enjoys the team atmosphere and finds the water relaxing and fun.
Medal Count: At least 50
Memorable Accomplishment: “My first race at state was the 200-yard freestyle and I was in lane eight and wasn’t supposed to win it, but I had a really good swim and won the race.”
Goal: Trying to keep his stroke longer and staying underwater longer
Dylan Denison
Age: 10
School: Desert Willow Elementary School
Grade: 5th
Swimming Start: Like his brother, Dylan started swimming as an infant with lessons at Hubbard Family Swim School
Best Stroke: Freestyle
Favorite Thing About Swimming:
“Swimming is so unique. You don’t rely on your team as much."
Medal Count: At least 50
Memorable Accomplishment: Dropping 8 seconds off his time in a recent race
Goal: Getting better at his dives
Photo by Peter Vander Stoep, photographyaz.com
WATER SAFETY
Don’t let back-to-school distractions take your eyes off the risk of drowning.
ABy Sondra Barr
ugust is Drowning Impact Awareness Month. This initiative started in 2004 with Phoenix Children’s Hospital and is now the largest collaborative water safety effort in Arizona.
“Back-to-school distractions in August make it a high-risk month for child drowning,” says Lori Schmidt, President of the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Arizona. Every child drowning is preventable, and DPCA’s goal is to educate kids and their parents on common-sense steps to prevent tragedy.
“Once a child is between 5 and 7 years of age, people become a lot less vigilant about water––almost as if they assume the child is old enough so, of course, they can swim,” says Lori, who is also the Public Information Officer for Scottsdale Fire Department. “Many kids have not had formal lessons. That’s a problem when you’re going over to other people’s homes, and they don’t realize you don’t know how to swim.”
Addressing the problem demands a full spectrum approach with layers of protection in place to prevent drownings. These include:
Designated Adult Supervision: “We have to keep our eyes on the swimmers in the water. Don’t let supervision fail because of distractions,” says Lori. She encourages families who are hosting parties by the pool to hire a lifeguard because if parents are enjoying the party, it’s difficult to keep their attention on the water.
Life Vests: Don’t know how to swim? Wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life vest. “Wear one in any kind of water that’s above your swimming ability––no matter your age,” says Lori. “Even though the law says after age 12 you don’t have to wear a life vest on open water, say if you’re boating, we still encourage people to wear them because that’s where most of our adult drownings happen.”
Pool and Spa Fencing: “When there’s a lapse in supervision, you need to have something blocking access to the water. This is usually a five-foot isolation fence, but can also include pool covers and nets,” says Lori. “That gives you a few extra moments to be able to find a child, once you realize they’ve gone missing.”
Self-Latching and Self-Closing Gates: Keeping the gate closed when adult supervision is absent is paramount, as is making sure there are no ways for kids to get under or over the barrier.
Alarms for Doors Leading to Pools and Spas: The big advantage of a door or gate alarm is that it offers parents another layer of protection and the opportunity to intervene before a child gets near the water.
Swimming Lessons: “Knowing how to swim is a life-saving skill,” says Lori. “As people get older and we start seeing them on open water––we’re in an even more dangerous situation. Swimming in open water is more challenging than in a pool.” Take advantage of lessons offered at city-run aquatic centers or through private swim schools.
Water-Based CPR Skills: “If all other layers fail, you have to know how to do CPR, and that’s full mouth-to-mouth CPR, while you’re waiting for the emergency responders to arrive. You have to feed the brain what it needs, which is the oxygen it’s been deprived of,” says Lori.
Learn to Be a Lifeguard
The City of Scottsdale and other municipalities offer Junior Lifeguard programs for kids ages 12 through 14. Scottsdale’s program resumes in summer of 2022 and teaches kids water rescues, CPR, and the chance to shadow lifeguards at work, while lifeguarding, and in swim lessons. To learn more, visit scottsdaleaz.gov/sports/ aquatics/volunteer
ABC’S of WATER SAFETY
Think safe around water and practice the ABC’s of Water Safety.
A is for Adult: An adult must always be with you around water.
B is for Barrier: A barrier is something that keeps you away from danger.
C is for Coast Guard Approved Life Vests and Classes: Anyone who does not know how to swim must wear a Coast Guard approved vest.
Think about all the time you are around water.
Did you play near the water fountain at the mall? Did someone in your house mop the floor? Did you go swimming?
These are all times you and adults need to think safe and practice the ABC’s of Water Safety. Did you take a bath?
By Gretchen Pahia
Looking for a fun place to grab a bite to eat with your family and friends? We have a tasty idea for you.
Z’Tejas Grill just opened a new restaurant location in Scottsdale, and it is a cool spot right on the waterfront.
There is something on the menu for everyone, even those with the pickiest of tastebuds. Be sure to come hungry as there is plenty of food to go around.
Looking for fajitas? They’ve got some of the best in town. Looking for a yummy taco or burrito? Look no further than this hot spot. With a range of affordable menu options, Z’Tejas has it all. Every table gets fresh cornbread and butter to start off the meal, and if that isn’t enough, there are a lot of appetizer options fit for two or a whole table of hungry people.
One of our favorites is crab stuffed mushrooms. There are enough on
the plate to share, but it was just enough for one. There are also tons of other options including queso dip, salsa trio, nachos, shrimp tostada bites, and more.
There are also several soup and salad options for those looking for a lighter option, as well as classics including enchiladas, tamales, chile rellenos, tacos, and more.
There is a very cool kids menu that has a number of choices for the younger crowd. The choices range from grilled cheese and cheeseburgers to quesadillas and nachos. There is also a brunch menu for kids which includes eggs, French toast, and omelets.
Don’t forget dessert. The ancho fudge pie with chocolate, pecans, walnuts, whipped cream, and cinnamon satisfies.
Z’Tejas has two locations here in the Valley. One in Chandler and one in Scottsdale and both are open to the public seven days a week. Hours do vary between locations.
Baja tacos.
Eats
Apple Granola Cinnamon Stackers
Curb the afternoon munchies with this yummy snack that’s easy to make.
INGREDIENTS
* 1 Granny Smith apple, skin on, cored and sliced crosswise
* 1 red apple (we used a Gala apple), skin on, sliced crosswise
* 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
* 1/2 cup granola (we used locally produced Laura’s Gourmet Granola LocoCocoNut Crunch)
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 tablespoon cinnamon
DIRECTIONS
1. Spread the apple slices with peanut butter
2. Sprinkle granola the peanut butter
3. Mix the cinnamon and sugar and then sprinkle the mixture over the
4. Stack and enjoy!
Have a parent help you with cutting the apples.
Cover apple slices evenly with peanut butter.
Apples are a good source of fiber.
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species.
Peanut butter is a good source of copper, a mineral that helps maintain our bone health, immune function, and blood vessels.
Brain Play
REVIEW Board Game
MARVEL VILLAINOUS: MISCHIEF & MALICE BRINGS THE
MULTIVERSE HOME.
With the rise in popularity in Marvel, a lot of new games have come out for fans. One of them is Marvel Villainous: Mischief & Malice. In this game, you get to take control over one of three villains from the Marvel universe. Two of them, Madame Masque and M.O.D.O.K, haven’t been in the movies as of yet, but are prominent villains in the comics. Whereas the other character is a fan favorite of Marvel, Loki.
Each villain has a different goal; to win the game, Loki has to cause mischief across the multiverse, Madame Masque has to defeat eight heroes to gain control of New York, and M.O.D.O.K has to gain the loy alty of his henchmen and create the cosmic cube.
Each character comes with their own mini game board for the players to play on, some sort of special piece, a 3D mover, and a villain/fate deck. The villain deck is what helps the player to win the game, while
the fate deck is used for players to stop the other players from winning. The fate deck can have items or heroes, some of which many will recognize from the movies.
While this game may seem like an expansion at first, it isn’t just that. This game can be played as a stand-alone game, or with the other Marvel Villainous game, which has villains like Thanos and Taskmaster. All in all, this is a great game to play if you have fallen in love with the Marvel universe, as have so many others. It is also a great game to play with the family to enjoy spending time together.
A.C. Pahia is a sophomore at Centennial High School. He enjoys gaming in his free time.
Book Club Brain Play
THE LAND OF STORIES: THE WISHING SPELL
AUTHOR: Chris Colfer
GENRE: Middle Grade Fantasy
AGES: 9+
RATING: (1-5 stars) AAAAA
“The first cut is always the deepest, but not every cut leaves a scar. If you spend your whole life worrying about getting hurt, then you aren't really living. You don’t want to shield yourself so much from the bad stuff that nothing good gets to you, either.”
SYNOPSIS: Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales. The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories passed down from their grandmother, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about. Alex and Connor fight some of fairy-tales' most iconic villains, meet courageous heroes, and uncover secrets long buried in the Land of Stories. But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought.
MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT THIS BOOK WAS: I loved seeing my favorite fairy-tale characters interact with the modern world! Reading about princesses and witches learning to use a cell phone was pretty hilarious!
MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IN THIS BOOK WAS: My favorite character was definitely Alex! She is a good role model and overall kind person! She is friendly to every magical creature they meet on their adventure in the Land of Stories.
FANS OF THIS BOOK MAY ALSO LIKE: Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend, The Train
To Impossible Places by PG Bell, Wings of Fire by Tui T Sutherland
Avery, 15, is an avid reader and book reviewer. When not reading, you can find her playing volleyball, hanging out with friends, or with one of her pets! You can follow her on Instagram and TikTok at @readbyfin.
What's Happening
FLASHLIGHT NIGHTS
August 2021
WHEN: Every Saturday through Sept. 4, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy., Phoenix
WHAT: Flashlight Nights are nighttime self-guided adventures through Desert Botanical Garden. Nocturnal explorers can bring their own flashlights to shine along the trails to capture the night-blooming plants and animals that appear in the desert after dark.
INFO: dbg.org
POP! THE SCIENCE OF BUBBLES
WHAT: Your iridescent journey includes hands-on activities like making bubbles with wands of all shapes and sizes, bubble tables, and giant bubbles.
INFO: azscience.org
FREE ENTRANCE DAY IN THE NATIONAL PARKS
WHEN: Aug. 25
WHERE: Arizona National Parks
WHEN: Through Jan. 29, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. AZ Science Center, 600 E. Washington St.,
WHAT: In honor of the National Park Service’s birthday, enjoy free admission to one of more than 400 national parks. In Arizona, that includes the Grand Canyon, Lake Mead, Canyon de Chelly, Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Montezuma Castle in Camp Verde, and other popular destinations.
INFO: nps.gov
6969 E Shea Blvd #165 Scottsdale 85254 (corner of 70th) tutuschoolscottsdale.com
3184 E Indian School Rd Phoenix 85016 tutuschoolarcadia.com
not only focus on teaching children age-appropriate
and the fundamental principles of
but also expose them to the world of classical music and the enchanting stories of famous ballets.
BEAT THE HEAT
WHEN: Aug. 28
ANIMANIACS IN CONCERT
WHEN: Aug. 28
WHERE: The Madison Center for the Arts, 5601 N. 16th St., Phoenix
WHAT: The beloved Animaniacs characters will sing live on stage in a musical revue starring original cast members Rob Paulsen (Yakko, and Pinky from Pinky & the Brain), accompanied by Emmy winning composer Randy Rogel, who wrote and created many of those memorable songs you still can’t remove from your brain!
INFO: themadison.org
WHERE: Scottsdale Quarter, 15059 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale
WHAT: Celebrate the end of summer by cooling down with treats, snow, fun, and music in the sun. The first 500 people will also get to pick up toys and items that will help you Beat the Heat.
INFO: scottsdalequarter.com
On Deck: September
PAWS 2 READ @ YOUR PEORIA LIBRARIES
WHEN: Sept. 11
WHERE: Sunrise Mountain Library, 21109 N. 98th Ave., Peoria
WHAT: The second Saturday of every month, PAWS 2 Read is an on-going program which allows children to read aloud to therapy dogs in order to improve reading skills. When children practice reading individually to trained therapy dogs (and their handlers) they become more confident readers, while having fun! After all, a dog will not correct them or make them feel awkward if they stumble. This same event takes place the third Saturday of every month at Peoria Main Library as well.
INFO: library.peoriaaz.gov
TELL STORIES: CHILDREN'S BOOKS ILLUSTRATIONS
WHEN: Through Sept. 20, during library hours
WHERE: Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale
WHAT: Two Arizona collectors share their passion for children's literature and illustration with original artworks from children's books in their collections.
