The Dublin Literacy Conference, in partnership with Bookelicious, is proud to support the Littles at SproutFive through our "Bucks for Books" drive. If you would like to support the development of lifelong learners and readers, please give the gift of reading by purchasing a gift card here. Please use this "send to" email address: fsibberson@sproutfive.org on the Bookelicious gift card page. Read More

The term "cupcake" originally referred to how cupcakes were baked -- in a teacup! Not to confuse matters, but “cupcake” also once referred to a cake made with ingredients measured by the cupful (for example, 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, and 4 eggs). However, this second type of cupcake was usually baked in a pan, not a cup. Today, cupcakes are typically baked in muffin tins. Does that mean cupcakes are muffins in disguise? Nope! Not only are the ingredients and mixing methods different for cupcakes and muffins, but cupcakes also have frosting (and frosting makes ALL the difference). :) To celebrate National Cupcake Day on December 15, 2023, learn how to bake your own cupcakes and other sweet treats (including muffins!) with these fun baking cookbooks: Read More

Jazzy’s whipped up some sweet reads for National Cupcake Day 2023! Read More

Mahatma Gandhi, an activist known for peaceful protest, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times between 1937 and 1948. Nobel Prizes are rarely given posthumously, and upon his death in 1948 Gandhi was no longer considered eligible to receive the Prize. Over the past 120 years, many remarkable activists have never been recognized as Nobel Laureates, or even Nobel Prize Nominees. Celebrate Nobel Prize Day 2023 by reading about some of these outstanding activists who haven’t (yet?) received a Nobel Prize. Read More

Five different Nobel prizes have been awarded almost every year since 1901 to individuals and organizations deemed to have made the most important contributions to world peace, physics, chemistry, medicine and literature. A sixth prize, for Economic Sciences, was added in 1968. Jazzy’s 2023 Nobel Prize Day Bookshelf celebrates a number of well-known Nobel Laureates, Nobel Prize Nominees and other important contributors, as well as Alfred Nobel -- the man who made the Nobel Prize possible. Read More

During most of the year, chlorophyll causes tree leaves to be green. But in the fall, as the days get shorter and the nights cooler, chlorophyll breaks down, unveiling pumpkin orange and golden yellow pigments that were hidden during the spring and summer months. At the same time, sugars get trapped in the leaves, producing new pigments, called anthocyanins, that give certain trees, like burgundy maples and dogwoods, their brilliant red and purple leaves. Celebrate the fall season in 2023 with some of these interesting stories featuring trees! Read More

Fall into reading with Jazzy’s Fall Bookshelf for 2023! Read More

Since 1938, the Caldecott Medal has been awarded every year by the American Library Association to the “artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.” Hot Dog, written and illustrated by Doug Salati, was the Caldecott winner in 2023. The Caldecott Medal is named for English illustrator Randolph Caldecott (1846-1886). Caldecott is credited with originating the modern picture book by using his colorful illustrations to help tell the story rather than simply reflect the written words. Created by Rene Paul Chambellan in 1937, the bronze medal’s design is based on one of Randolph Caldecott's illustrations for The Diverting History of John Gilpin. It features the image of a man riding a runaway horse surrounded by geese, dogs and children. To celebrate Picture Book Month in 2023, enjoy some of these gorgeous nonfiction picture books chosen by John Schu and Colby Sharp for their 2024 Mock Caldecott List (!), illustrated by Carin Berger, Sophie Blackall, Aaron Becker, Lauren Castillo, Cátia Chien, Mathew Cordell, Dare Coulter, Michaela Goade, Vashti Harrison, Claire Keane, Jon Klassen, Jessica Lanan, Grace Lin, Steph Littlebird, Barbara McClintock, Daniel Miyares, Oge Mora, Brian Pinkney, Jerry Pinkney, Jarrett Pumphrey, Jerome Pumphrey, Katherine Roy, and Gracey Zhang. Read More

In honor of Picture Book Month 2023, enjoy these beautiful picture books by illustrators Hatem Aly, Cozbi A. Cabrera, Jared Chapman, Bryan Collier, Cori Doerrfeld, Julie Flett, Raissa Figueroa, Abigail Halpin, Eliza Kinkz, Khoa Le, Huynh Kim Liên, Marc Majewski, Marc Martin, Erika Meza, Phùng Nguyên Quang, Hannah Salyer, Lane Smith, Nikkolas Smith, Melissa Sweet, Corey R. Tabor, Kitt Thomas, Evan Turk, Mies Van Hout, Anne Wilson, and Jack Wong. Read More

Ribbon skirts are worn today not only as a symbol of cultural significance, but also as a beautiful fashion statement. While they mean different things to different Indigenous communities, ribbon skirts are broadly considered to symbolize culture and kinship, identity and resilience. In 2021, Deb Haaland wore a ribbon skirt when she was sworn in as the first Native American cabinet secretary of the Department of the Interior. In What Your Ribbon Skirt Means to Me: Deb Haaland’s Historic Inauguration written by Alexis Bunten (Aleut/Yup’ik) and illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt (Diné (Navajo) of the Kiiyaa'áanii Clan), we learn that the colors of the ribbons adorning Secretary Haaland’s skirt each had a special meaning – the red ribbon represented strawberries, the orange represented fire, yellow was for the sun, green was for grass, blue was for water and violet was for shells. To celebrate Native American Heritage Month in 2023, you can learn more about ribbon skirts, and other traditions and experiences of Indigenous Americans, through the books below: Read More