Hey there! I’m SOOO excited to tell you more about why I love reading to kids, why I’m so obsessed with Usborne Books & More, and why I decided to become a “book lady!”
Developing a Love for Reading
When I was growing up–the oldest of eight– we didn’t have very much, but we ALWAYS had books. And because we always had books, we always had something to do and somewhere to “go.” By far, some of my best memories are of my mom reading chapter books aloud or taking us to the library where we’d check out as many books as we could carry (literally… our rule was we could check out as many as we wanted as long as we could carry them!).
{from The Children Who Loved Books, by Peter Carnavas}
I fell in love with children’s literature so much that I majored in Elementary Education and went on to teach 1st grade–where I witnessed and participated in (the miracle of) non-readers becoming avid readers. Sharing my enthusiasm for great books and watching the “light” in kids’ eyes as they caught the vision for reading was one of the most fulfilling moments I’d experienced to that point.
And so I planned to further my education and this passion for reading by pursuing a masters in literacy, but babies started to come and I made the decision to leave the classroom and pause the graduate degree. Being home full-time has given me the priceless opportunity to teach my own kids the magic of books and encourage them to become avid readers as well.
Not all kids are excited about reading, and I GET that! In fact, despite giving “text book” encouragement–one of my own kids has been a VERY reluctant reader. But I patiently press on because research shows “children who love reading and see themselves as readers are the most successful in school and have the greatest opportunities in life.” I believe all of us–as parents and teachers–can and should encourage and provide opportunities for our kids to develop a love for reading.
Stocking the Bookshelves
Some girls love shoes or makeup, but books have always been my obsession! Even when my husband Jared and I were poor college-student newlyweds, we’d allot ourselves a tiny budget and make a monthly trip to the used bookstore where I’d stock up on $0.25 copies of childhood favorites. The splurges DID become very useful though when I started my teaching career with an abundant classroom library and then later still, boxed up those books and brought them home for my own kids to enjoy.
As our kids got older we decided to homeschool for a season and my passionate hobby of filling the bookshelves became a necessity (lucky me!) as I invested in titles for our curriculum. Each school year I’d map out our lesson plans and then attend a homeschool convention (which is like heaven for the book-lover). My first and favorite vendor stop was always the Usborne Books booth because the non-fiction titles were SOOO interactive and fun–an especially important factor for me when considering materials for our curriculum. Realistically, I knew if I wasn’t excited about reading the book, my kids probably wouldn’t be interested either.
Every year my Usborne book purchases were so large that the “book lady” at the booth asked if I’d considered becoming a consultant to receive a discount. And every year I gave her the same answer. . . . I was happy to support her (even if it meant paying full price) but pul-eeeese don’t talk to me about direct sales. It’s just not my thing, I’m not a sales person, and those kinds of “at home jobs” don’t really even work–do they?
Give Me All.The.Books
A couple years later I was invited to an online Usborne party. I’d never attended one before (and didn’t really know how they worked) but I knew I loved books; could “attend” the party on Facebook (in my pajamas, after the kids were in bed); AND wanted to support my friend who was hosting — so I “went” (AKA signed into Facebook at the designated time).
It was so fun! The Usborne consultant suggested practical and fun ideas to encourage kids to love reading, shared lots of favorite fiction and non-fiction titles, and gave away prizes. And I was hooked. As in, I wanted all.the.books. And so after talking with Jared, I did something I swore I’d never do and signed up as an Usborne Books and More consultant–with the intention to just get the starter kit discount and stock the bookshelves for my kids.
{some of the books from my starter kit}
More Than Just a Discount
Then. Then those books came– including one called Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster by Michelle Nelson-Schmidt.
Jonathan James is a timid boy who always has a Whatif Monster hanging around–filling him with worry and dread, and sticking all the “whatifs” in his head.
“What if it’s hard? What if you’re bad? What if they laugh and make you feel sad?”
“What if you lose? What if you’re last? What if you’re slow and never get fast?”
Leave it to a children’s picture book to help me realize I was just like Jonathan James.
But what if I didn’t listen to the whatif monster inside my head?
What if I tried to meet Usborne’s first goal and see if this whole thing could be more than “just a discount” on books?
What if I turned my “can’ts into cans, and dreams into plans?”
So, I tried. And the more I learned about the books, business, and literacy mission of this inspiring publishing company– the more I wanted to be involved, and the more I wanted to talk about and share the books.
And as I shared, I began to earn a weekly paycheck and boxes and boxes of free books, and make connections with women just like me, and so much more than just that starter-kit discount I thought I was joining for.
I’m still new and my checks and book rewards are just a sliver compared to the earning potential I see my team leaders experiencing. But what if I keep going?
And What If You Join Me?
I’m always looking for people who want to party with their friends on Facebook and get tons of free books!
All you do is invite and excite. . . . I do the rest! No cleaning your house or making snacks. . . . just hang out on Facebook and share these amazing books with your friends, and then go on a free book shopping spree! (Watch this video if you’re on the fence!)
It’s so easy.
And it’s been soooo fun and rewarding to help hostesses pick out hundreds of dollars worth of free books for their kiddos. I LOVE helping promote literacy and it amazes me how generous Usborne is with giving away books to further the mission of literacy and getting books into the homes of children.
I sometimes wonder why everyone isn’t saying YES to free books?!!
Better yet, join my team and receive the gift of an extremely flexible job with huge rewards! It’s been such a blessing to my family and I’d love to share more if you’re interested. I’m an “open book” and will tell you everything I’ve learned so far, and how YOU can make this work for you and your family too.
To book your FaceBOOK party or ask ANY questions, e-mail me! pam@keepinglifecreative.com