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Victoria Osteen to Found "Victoria Osteen's Literacy Program," First Book and Simon & Schuster Will Commemorate by Donating Over 500 Books to the Houston Area
Victoria Osteen to Found "Victoria Osteen's Literacy Program," First Book and Simon & Schuster Will Commemorate by Donating Over 500 Books to the Houston Area
Published 06-10-10
Submitted by First Book
Little Simon Inspirations announced today that the non-profit organization First Book and bestselling author Victoria Osteen will be working together to launch the "Victoria Osteen's Literacy Program" on Sunday morning, June 13th at Lakewood Church, Houston, Texas at 9:00 am. Victoria will be presenting her recommended summer reading selections for children and reading from a few of her favorite children's books. Simon & Schuster will be on-hand at the event and First Book will distribute over 500 books donated by Simon & Schuster to programs serving children in need in the greater Houston area.
Victoria Osteen will continue her storybook series with Little Simon Inspirations with Gifts from the Heart (ISBN: 9781416955511, 10/5 on sale), a royal adventure fit for the most rambunctious of princes and princesses. A brother and sister, Jon and Sue, take an imaginary journey into a medieval world of kings and castles. They find themselves in a bustling town that's preparing a party for their king. While the townspeople are busy looking for fancy gifts to buy, Jon and Sue - with the help of their new friend Mary Anne - reminds everyone that the talents they are given are the most precious gifts of all. At the end of the day the king's celebration is a success because each person gives a gift from their heart.
"Reading brings families together," says Victoria Osteen. "I've always loved reading to my children because it's such as a precious time of interaction and closeness. We should savor every moment with our children and reading is a wonderful way to do that."
Victoria Osteen serves with her husband, Joel, as co-pastor of Lakewood Church - America's largest church. She has a passion and energy for life that is contagious. Her passion for helping people has led her to devote her time to missions work in some of the most impoverished places on Earth. Today, as a nationally recognized Christian leader and the mother of two children, she is an inspiration and mentor to women everywhere. She is committed to helping women, children and families discover their purpose and reach their highest potential.
President and Co-Founder of First Book, Kyle Zimmer adds, "First Book is a national nonprofit organization that has provided more than 70 million new books to children from low-income families. We are thrilled to team up with Victoria and our friends at Simon & Schuster to work to ensure that all children - regardless of their economic situations - have access to wonderful books and the magic of summer reading."
Valerie Garfield, V.P., Publisher of Little Simon Imprints says, "We feel summer is the perfect time for Victoria to launch her book club. Its S&S's hope, as it is Victoria's, that families will make reading together one of their favorite summer activities by taking a book to the beach, on the car trip, or even to the park."
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, one of the leading children's book publishers in the world, is comprised of the following imprints: Aladdin Paperbacks, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Libros para niños, Little Simon®, Little Simon Inspirations™, Margaret K. McElderry Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Simon Pulse, Simon Scribbles, and Simon Spotlight®. While maintaining an extensive award-winning backlist, the division continues to publish acclaimed and bestselling books for children of all ages. In addition to numerous Caldecott, Newbery, and National Book Award winners, Simon & Schuster publishes such high-profile properties and series as Eloise, Olivia, Raggedy Ann & Andy™, Henry & Mudge®, The Hardy Boys®, Nancy Drew®, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts®, Nickelodeon's® Dora the Explorer®, Blue's Clues® and SpongeBob SquarePants®, and Mirage studios' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™. For more information about Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, visit our website at http://kids.simonandschuster.com/.
Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at http://www.simonandschuster.com/.
First Book is an award-winning nonprofit organization that has provided more than 70 million new books to children from low-income families. To support First Book's mission to provide new books to children in need, please go to http://www.firstbook.org and click "Get Involved." Any program nationwide serving children from low-income families can gain access to free books for the children they serve and all of First Book's resources by registering with First Book at http://firstbook.org/register.
