Time for the Read Local Challenge! FREE author webinars and more!
The Read Local Challenge kicks off October 1! This reading incentive program features traditionally-published authors and illustrators in Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, Delaware, and West Virginia, sponsored by the MD/DE/WV region of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (with help and cooperation from the Mid-Atlantic SCBWI region).
The challenge features a selection of traditionally-published books in three levels: Picture Book, Middle Grade, and Young Adult, all written and/or illustrated by KidLit Creators who live in our states. This is a chance for readers, schools, libraries, and other lovers of literature to connect with local authors and discover new friends both on and off the page. This year’s Read Local Challenge kicks off on October 1, 2022 and runs through May 31, 2023.
We invite you to meet this year’s spectacular group of KidLit Creators in a series of FREE webinars, where you will have an opportunity to get to know us, our books, and our favorite things to talk with our readers about. Then, you’ll have a chance to ask us anything! We’ll get to as many questions as we can in the time provided. We have scheduled these free webinars to occur from 1:00-1:45 PM Eastern so that classes can join us live during the school day. Feel free to join as individual classes or as an entire school group–and don’t forget to request your Read Local Challenge kits with full-color posters, reading passports, and stickers, so that you can follow along with us as you get to know our stellar lineup of KidLit Creators and their books! Can’t attend live? No worries – recordings will be available within a week after each webinar, and accessible through our website until the end of the Challenge year.
Click on the graphics below to find out more and register for the free Read Local Challenge webinars:
Register now for Little Hands Signing Professional Development Webinars
Little Hands Signing Professional Development Webinar: Autumn Signs
Friday, September 9, 2022
11 AM-12 PM Eastern/10AM-11 AM Central/9 AM-10AM Mountain/8AM-9AM Pacific
1 hour, Online via Zoom
Add some American Sign Language to your storytime toolbox! In this interactive session, we’ll focus on basic ASL vocabulary for autumn sights and activities. Learn how to incorporate ASL into storytime songs, rhymes, and stories in a respectful and effective way. Recording will be available for 30 days.
Individual: $40. Group rates available.
Register now! Save 20% with coupon code AUTUMN.
Little Hands Signing Professional Development Series 1 (6-webinar series)
Thursdays, September 15-October 20, 2022 from 2-3 PM Eastern/1-2 PM Central/12-1 PM Mountain/11AM-12 PM Pacific
6 sessions, online via Zoom
Add some American Sign Language to your storytime toolbox! In this interactive series, we’ll focus on basic ASL vocabulary for summer storytimes. Learn how to incorporate ASL into storytime songs, rhymes, and stories in a respectful and effective way. Includes 30 days of recording access.
Topics:
- September 15: First Signs
- September 22: Colors Signs
- September 29: Family Signs
- October 6: Food Signs
- October 13: Feelings Signs
- October 20: Animal Signs
Individual: $240. Group rates available.
Get ready for summer reading!
Get ready for the 2022 Collaborative Summer Reading Theme, Oceans of Possibilities: Océano de Posibilidades, with these 2 webinars from Stories By Hand!
Add some American Sign Language to your storytime toolbox! In these interactive sessions, we’ll focus on basic ASL vocabulary for storytimes. Learn how to incorporate ASL into storytime songs, rhymes, and stories in a respectful and effective way. Registration includes 30 days of recording access. Individual: $40 per webinar. Group rates available.
Little Hands Signing Professional Development Webinar: Ocean Signs: Thursday, May 5, 2022 at 2 PM Eastern/1 PM Central/12 PM Mountain/11 AM Pacific. Register now.
Little Hands Signing Professional Development Webinar: Summer Signs: Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 2 PM Eastern/1 PM Central/12 PM Mountain/11 AM Pacific. Register now.
Don’t miss out on the Little Hands Signing Professional Development Season Pass!
Little Hands Signing Professional Development Series Season Pass
Add some American Sign Language to your storytime toolbox! Learn how to incorporate ASL into storytime songs, rhymes, and stories in a respectful and effective way.
Your Season Pass registration includes access to the 3 remaining live webinars in the series, PLUS extended recording access for all 6 webinars through August 31, 2022!
- Winter Signs: recording access on demand
- Lovey Dovey Signs: recording access on demand
- Spring Signs: recording access on demand
- Weather Signs: Thursday, April 7, 2022, 2-3 PM Eastern plus recording access
- Ocean Signs (Summer Reading Special): Thursday, May 5, 2022, 2-3 Eastern plus recording access
- Summer Signs: Thursday, June 2, 2022, 2-3 PM Eastern plus recording access
Register now for the Little Hands Signing Professional Development Series Season Pass
Register now for Little Hands Signing Professional Development Season Pass
Little Hands Signing Professional Development Series Season Pass
Add some American Sign Language to your storytime toolbox! Learn how to incorporate ASL into storytime songs, rhymes, and stories in a respectful and effective way.
Your Season Pass registration includes access to the 6 live webinars listed below, PLUS extended recording access for all webinars through August 31, 2022!
- Winter Signs: Tuesday, January 4, 2022, 2-3 PM Eastern
- Lovey Dovey Signs: Tuesday, February 1, 2022, 2-3 PM Eastern
- Spring Signs: Tuesday, March 1, 2022, 2-3 PM Eastern
- Weather Signs: Thursday, April 7, 2022, 2-3 PM Eastern
- Ocean Signs (Summer Reading Special): Thursday, May 5, 2022, 2-3 Eastern
- Summer Signs: Thursday, June 2, 2022, 2-3 PM Eastern
Register now for the Little Hands Signing Professional Development Series Season Pass
Learn celebration signs for storytime or the classroom!
Little Hands Signing Professional Development: Celebration Signs
Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at 2 PM Eastern
1 hour, Online via Zoom
Add some American Sign Language to your storytime toolbox! In this interactive session, we’ll focus on basic ASL vocabulary for families and family gatherings. Learn how to incorporate ASL into storytime songs, rhymes, and stories in a respectful and effective way.
Certificate of completion available upon request with successful completion of post-test.
Pricing:
- Individual: $40 (includes live webinar and recording access for 30 days after the live event)
- Group rates available for groups of 10 or more. Contact us for more information.
- Optional Add-on: Individualized video feedback: $25. Submit a video (up to 10 min) demonstrating your planned signing activities for storytime and receive individualized feedback on sign choices, production, and more from Kathy MacMillan via return video within 14 days. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.
About the Instructor:
Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of the Little Hands Signing series from Familius Press, Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press) as well as many other books for children, teens, librarians, and educators.
Get live feedback on your signing storytime activities!
Little Hands Signing Professional Development: Group Coaching Session
Wednesday, September 15, 2021, 2:00-3:15 PM Eastern/1:00-2:15 PM Central/12:00-1:15 PM Mountain/11:00AM-12:15PM Pacific. 1 hour and 15 minutes, Online via Zoom.
Here’s your chance to get live feedback on your storytime activities using American Sign Language! In this interactive small-group session, each participant will demonstrate a story, song, rhyme or other activity they plan to use with signs in storytime, and storyteller and nationally certified ASL interpreter Kathy MacMillan will give live feedback on vocabulary choices, sign production, presentation, and introducing ASL vocabulary in context. Expand your storytime toolbox with ideas from your peers and enhance your storytime confidence!
Each session is capped at 12 participants, so register now!
Pricing:
- Individual: $40 (includes live webinar and recording access for 30 days after the live event)
- Group rates available for groups of 10 or more. Contact me for details.
- Optional Add-on: Individualized video feedback: $25. Submit a video (up to 10 min) demonstrating your planned signing activities for storytime and receive individualized feedback on sign choices, production, and more from Kathy MacMillan via return video within 14 days. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.
Register for Little Hands Signing Professional Development: Group Coaching Session
About the Instructor:
Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of the Little Hands Signing series from Familius Press, Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press) as well as many other books for children, teens, librarians, and educators.
Interested in a session just for your library? Find out more about booking a private webinar for your group here!
Learn Autumn Signs for Storytimes!
Little Hands Signing Professional Development: Autumn Signs
Wednesday, September 8, 2021 at 2-3 PM Eastern/1-2 PM Central/12-1 PM Mountain/11 AM-12 PM Pacific. 1 hour, Online via Zoom
Add some American Sign Language to your storytime toolbox! In this interactive session, we’ll focus on basic ASL vocabulary for autumn sights and activities. Learn how to incorporate ASL into storytime songs, rhymes, and stories in a respectful and effective way. Certificate of completion available upon request with successful completion of post-test.
Pricing:
- Individual: $40 (includes live webinar and recording access for 30 days after the live event)
- Group rates available for groups of 10 or more. Contact presenter for details.
- Optional Add-on: Individualized video feedback: $25. Submit a video (up to 10 min) demonstrating your planned signing activities for storytime and receive individualized feedback on sign choices, production, and more from Kathy MacMillan via return video within 14 days. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.
About the Instructor:
Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of the Little Hands Signing series from Familius Press, Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press) as well as many other books for children, teens, librarians, and educators.
Register for Little Hands Signing Professional Development: Autumn Signs.
Interested in a session just for your library? Find out more about booking a private webinar for your group here!
25% off webinars when you register by August 31!
Get 25% off any of the following webinars and webinar series when you register by August 31 using coupon code EARLYBIRD! Group rates also available! Contact us for details. Click on the graphics below for more information and registration. 
Interested in a session just for your library? Find out more about booking a private webinar for your group here!
Add some signs to your storytime toolbox!
Little Hands Signing Professional Development: Group Coaching Session
Tuesday, July 6, 2021, 1:30-2:45 PM Eastern/12:30-1:45 PM Central/11:30 AM-12:45 PM Mountain/10:30-11:45 AM Pacific
1 hour and 15 minutes, Online via Zoom
Here’s your chance to get live feedback on your storytime activities using American Sign Language! In this interactive small-group session, each participant will demonstrate a story, song, rhyme or other activity they plan to use with signs in storytime, and storyteller and nationally certified ASL interpreter Kathy MacMillan will give live feedback on vocabulary choices, sign production, presentation, and introducing ASL vocabulary in context. Expand your storytime toolbox with ideas from your peers and enhance your storytime confidence!
Each session is capped at 12 participants, so register now!
Pricing:
- Individual: $40 (includes live webinar and recording access for 30 days after the live event)
- Group rate (10 people): $300 (includes live webinar and recording access for 30 days after the live event)
- Optional Add-on: Individualized video feedback: $25. Submit a video (up to 10 min) demonstrating more planned signing activities for storytime and receive individualized feedback on sign choices, production, and more from Kathy MacMillan via return video within 14 days. Must be used within 6 months of purchase.
About the Instructor:
Kathy MacMillan is a nationally certified American Sign Language interpreter, librarian, and storyteller. She is the author of the Little Hands Signing series from Familius Press, Little Hands and Big Hands: Children and Adults Signing Together (Huron Street Press) as well as many other books for children, teens, librarians, and educators.
Storytime Stuff 