About

To assist with children’s emerging literacy development and in response to the COVID-19 emergency, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) is excited to announce the 2nd year of the West Virginia Blue Ribbon Book Club. This project is the result of a collaboration between the WVDE, Marshall University’s June Harless Center, and The Dollywood Foundation to provide a small library of high-quality children’s books to all children in first, second, and third grades. Children will receive a shipment of two books to their homes in mid-June, and two books in mid-July. Educators of these grades will also receive these books prior to returning to their elementary school at the start of the school year.

Book Collection

Coordination with The Dollywood Foundation and Marshall University’s June Harless Center will provide over 200,000 total books to West Virginia children this summer. Children entering first, second, and third grades for the 2021-2022 school year will receive four books each between June and July. Each book was carefully selected to be age-appropriate, of high-interest, and engaging. This carefully curated book collection is intended to foster a love of reading while helping to maintain literacy skills over the summer. We hope children and families alike enjoy reading this collection time and time again.

Archive: 2020-2021

Celebrity Highlights

Marshall University Men’s Soccer Kick-Off Blue Ribbon Book Club
The Creature of the Pines Unicorn Rescue Society

Read Aloud by 2020 National Championship Team Head Coach Chris Grassie

Mouse Scouts
Read Aloud by 2020 Mrs. West Virginia Katrina Kappen

How to Hide an Octopus
Read Aloud by Senator Capito

The Loopy Coop Hens
Read Aloud by West Virginia First Lady Justice

The Night Before First Grade
Read Aloud by Senator Manchin

A Mouse Called Wolf
Read Aloud by WVU Men’s Basketball Head Coach Bob Huggins

The Water Horse
Read Aloud by Marshall University Football Head Coach Charles Huff

A Pig, a Fox, and a Box
Read Aloud by the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff Ann Urling

The Magnificent Makers: How to Test a Friendship
Read Aloud by WV National Guard’s Brigadier General William Crane

The West Virginia Common Ground Partnership’s Speaker Series offers educators an online system to request that a guest from the military visit their school for a read aloud.

To learn more, please visit https://wvde.us/commonground.

Partners