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My Very Own Book in the Press If you have a press connection or have an idea of someone who may want to feature us, please contact Kelley Van Auken at Kelley.VanAuken@myveryownbook.org.
Dallas Morning News - December 30, 2011
My Very Own Book on KRLD 1080 Radio - December 5, 2011
Click here to listen.
Richardson Living - November/December 2011 Issue
November Non-Profit Spotlight: My Very Own Book: North Texas Kids - November 17, 2011
Throughout the month of November, North Texas Kids is spotlighting local non-profit organizations and the people behind them in our e-newsletter. This week, we are getting to know Helen Van Auken and Kelley Van Auken, Founding Members of My Very Own Book.
Why did you start My Very Own Book (MVOB)?
With cable TV, video games, and the internet available to children, reading books for entertainment is not always their first choice. Children need to be motivated to read so they can learn what authors, series, and genres they like. They need to be given the opportunity to establish a connection to literature, which helps them learn to love to read for entertainment and become lifelong readers.
As a Reading Specialist in an elementary school in a low-income neighborhood, I was conducting a workshop with parents on how to read with their children. We had a great crowd of parents who were very eager to extend learning into their homes. However, after the workshop several of them pulled me aside and shared they had no books at home for their children. (Nationally, 61% of low-income households have no children’s books in their homes.) We brainstormed many options, such as the public library, but that was not an option for many due to the library being too far/not on a bus route, fines for lost books, or work schedule conflicts. These were parents who were eager to help their children, but very real economic barriers prevented them from doing so. I knew all students, regardless of socio-economic status, need to be motivated to read, but these students also needed to obtain books.
In 2006, with district funding, I started a reading club. The students read outside of school hours, recorded their minutes, and at the end of each six weeks period they were rewarded with a certificate (Bronze, Silver or Gold) and a new, free book of their choice. At the end of the year, the student in each class who had read the most also received a Star Reader medal. We were motivating students to read while also helping them start home libraries. Unfortunately, after three years, district funding dried up and I was planning to retire again. In 2009, with the help of a Reading Specialist colleague, Dot Pitts, and my adult daughter, Kelley Van Auken, who has fundraising and administrative experience, we started My Very Own Book to keep the program alive and expand it to more schools.
What is the mission of MVOB?
The mission of My Very Own Book (MVOB) is to increase literacy skills of students in low-income neighborhoods by motivating them to read outside of school hours and to put new books in the homes of families who often can’t afford the luxury of purchasing their own books.
The MVOB program runs just as it did when I was a Reading Specialist, with students being rewarded for minutes read outside of schools hours with certificates and new, free books of their choice. We provide each school with more than double the books they need to set up a school “free bookstore” with ample choices (the extras are returned at the end of the year). We still provide Star Reader Medals, but we also provide an extra small prize for Gold Readers and honor the top reader from each school at a banquet.
During our first program year, the 2009-2010 school year, we served three schools. Due to outstanding support from the community, in 2010-2011 we were able to expand to serve five schools. In those first two school years, students earned more than 10,000 new books for reading for approximately 8 million minutes. This school year we are serving seven schools and expect to give out more than 11,000 new books.
How can the community help MVOB?
- Join our e-mail list. E-mails update you about our program, volunteer opportunities and events (such as our family friendly Touch-A-Truck event). We never e-mail more than once/week and you can unsubscribe at any time. Go to http://www.myveryownbook.org/Email.html to sign up.
- Make a monetary donation, payroll deduction donation, or donate new books. Go to http://www.myveryownbook.org/Donate.html to make a donation on-line or for more information.
- Host a Book Drive. Talk to your employer, child’s school, religious institution, social organization, etc. about hosting a new book drive. If you broach the subject and they want to learn more, we can take it from there. We can do as little or as much as they want to make it easy and successful. We can even have a vendor sell books on-site (optional). Elementary schools can do something in conjunction with the book fair. There is lots of information on the website Donate page listed above or you can e-mail Kelley Van Auken with questions.
- Host a giving party. For your child’s birthday, the holidays, office gathering, or just because, host a party and ask guests to bring monetary or new book donations rather than gifts. E-mail Kelley with your idea and for more information.
Dallas Morning News - November 4, 2011 (re-ran Nov. 18th with picture)
Note: Next to this article, our Touch-A-Truck article below was printed again.
Frisco OnLine.com - October 25, 2011
Dallas Morning News - October 21, 2011
FriscoOnline.com - October 6, 2011
Continued below
My Very Own Book runs reading incentive programs in seven Title 1 elementary schools. Students read outside of school hours and are rewarded with certificates and new, free books of their choice every six weeks. In just two school years since their formation, MVOB has given out more than 10,000 new books. The Board members of MVOB wish to thank the outstanding owners/drivers of the 32 vehicles for dedicating their entire Saturday to support this cause. MVOB also thanks the 103 hard-working volunteers, especially the many NHS high school students, without whom the event could not have happened.
To sign up to receive an e-mail next year announcing the 2nd Annual Touch-A-Truck (e-mail will not be used otherwise), to sign up to receive MVOB Update e-mails (never more than once/week), or to see event pictures, go to www.myveryownbook.org.
Dallas Morning News Kid Beat (all areas) and NeighborsGo - September 30, 2011
 
Dallas Child - October 2011 Issue
Similar event listings were in various on-line and print publications
Advocate Magazine - October 2011 Issue
MVOB and Touch-A-Truck Event on The Beat 97.9 Radio Station - August 21, 2011
The interview was broken into three segments, so be sure to listen to each one by clicking on the links below. THANKS to Jazze for choosing to interview President Helen Van Auken.
Segment 1
Segment 2
Segment 3
Family Friendly Event: Touch-A-Truck: Frisco-Online.com - August 17, 2011
On October 1st children throughout North Texas should put their imagination in gear and go to Valley View Center mall in Dallas for the family friendly Touch-A-Truck event hosted by local non-profit My Very Own Book. This is a car show like no other, where kids are invited to sit in/on, honk the horn, explore, and learn about the vehicles on display from the people who own and operate them. Confirmed vehicles include City of Dallas fire truck, police car and bus, Texas Motor Speedway 60’ trailer and race car, dump truck, 18 wheeler, stretch limo, antique trucks and cars, sports cars, smart cars, electric truck, tractor, motorcycles, etc. There will also be other kid friendly activities, such as “cake” walks to win new, free books. Check out our website every week to see the cool vehicles that have been added to our event line-up (www.myveryownbook.org/touchatruck.html)!
Touch-A-Truck
Saturday, October 1, 2011
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Valley View Center mall
13331 Preston Rd. in Dallas
East parking lot off Preston (enter on Dilbeck Ln.)
Entry fee: $5/person; $15 for four people
Entry fee covers all activities.
Tickets can be purchased at: www.myveryownbook.org/touchatruck.html.
Proceeds from the event go to My Very Own Book, which provides new books to students in low-income neighborhoods as a reward for reading outside of school hours. In just two school years they have given out more than 10,000 new books.
If you have a cool vehicle that you would like to bring to the event, please go to the website to fill out the participation form. Questions: contact Kelley.VanAuken@myveryownbook.org.
Rewards of Reading: Dallas Morning News - June 5, 2011
Dallas Morning News - April 24, 2011
A similar article appeared in Advocate Magazine
Award Winning Children's Book Author to be Keynote Speaker at Local Non-profit Event; Frisco-Online.com - April 7, 2011
On May 14, 2011, local 501(c)(3) non-profit My Very Own Book will host their second annual dinner, Giving to Change Lives, at The Eisemann Center in Richardson at 7:00 p.m. Attendees will have the privilege of hearing from keynote speaker Tim Tingle. A resident of Texas, Tingle is an award winning children’s book author and Choctaw storyteller. His great-great grandfather walked the Trail of Tears and he says memories of this family epic fuel his writing and telling.
Tingle’s first children’s book, Crossing Bok Chitto, won over twenty state and national awards and was an Editor’s Choice in the New York Times. The book fits the Giving to Change Lives theme of the event. It tells the little-known true story of how the Choctaw helped slaves who escaped from Mississippi and crossed onto their sovereign land. The latest book from this author, Saltypie, has recently been chosen as one of only 25 International Reading Association Notable Books for a Global Society. In addition to being an award winning author, Tingle is also a famous storyteller and keynote speaker. He has spoken at state, national, and international conferences, and was a featured speaker at the Smithsonian Institute two years in a row.
To add to the enjoyment of the evening, guests will also be treated to a sit-down dinner, outstanding silent auction and recognition of MVOB’s top five elementary school readers. My Very Own Book rewards children in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in North Texas schools for reading (or being read to) outside of regular school hours. Participating students receive a certificate and new book of their choice every six weeks during the school year. So far this year students have earned 5,041 new books. MVOB President, Helen Van Auken, shared that 61% of low-income families have no children’s books at all in their homes. “We want to make book ownership a reality for all children. A successful annual dinner will allow us the privilege of expanding our program to an additional two schools, thus serving approximately 3,500 North Texas children.”
My Very Own Book would like to extend a special thanks to Borders, Cinemark USA, PaperBackSwap, Ashley and Jack Ternan, Chamonix II Dallas, Ltd., Muralicious and all of our Sponsors and Silent Auction donors. To learn more about Tim Tingle, go to http://timtingle.com. For more information about this event or to make a reservation, go to http://www.myveryownbook.org. The deadline to make a reservation is Tuesday, May 10, 2010.
PaperBackSwap.com Gives Thousands of Books to Local Non-profit; Frisco-Online.com - January 21, 2011
The largest Book Club in America, PaperBackSwap.com, recently donated almost 6,000 new books to local 501(c)(3) non-profit My Very Own Book. The books will be used in MVOB’s reading incentive program, which is run in five elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods: two in Dallas ISD, two in Richardson ISD, and one in Plano ISD. Students in the participating schools read outside of schools hours and are rewarded every six weeks with a new, free book of their choice.
PBS began the School Book Donation Program last year to provide books for students because of the company’s belief in both the power of reading and the power of giving. The schools selected to participate in the Books for Schools Program are based on needs of the students. PBS club members who wanted to support the program selected a school and donated their extra credits to purchase books for the students. For each credit donated by a member of PBS, PaperBackSwap and supporting organizations provided books for the school. Overall, the 2010 program has provided approximately 30,000 books to 30 schools, five of which are MVOB schools.
“We are very pleased with our club members' amazingly generous and quick response to this program - they obviously feel strongly about the education of children in America. Access to books is crucial to foster a child's love of reading, so the books our members have donated will have a big impact on these kids' lives. We hope to be able to continue this program and help more needy schools all over the country,” said Richard Pickering, Founder of PaperBackSwap.com.
PaperBackSwap.com is a free online book club where members swap books just for the cost of postage. People join PBS by posting on the PaperBackSwap.com website good condition books from their bookshelf that they are willing to share. Two startup credits are given by PBS to start the member’s swapping. Credits are earned by sending out books to other members. Any available paperback or hardcover book may be ordered for one credit, and audio books may be ordered for two credits.
Complete information about the online book club is available at www.paperbackswap.com. To learn more about the school book donation program or to nominate a school, go to www.paperbackswap.com/donations/schools/php. To learn more about My Very Own Book, go to www.myveryownbook.org.
Students Earn Awards, New Books for Reading; McKinneyNews.net - October 24, 2010
Elementary students throughout North Texas are choosing to turn off video games, computers, and televisions after school. Their entertainment of choice: reading!
At the beginning of this school year, students in five Title 1 elementary schools began participating in My Very Own Book’s (MVOB’s) reading incentive program. Students at Elisha M. Pease and Maria Moreno in Dallas ISD, Audelia Creek and Spring Valley in Richardson ISD, and Mendenhall in Plano ISD are reading outside of school hours and are being rewarded for doing so every six weeks.
After the first six weeks of school concludes, the five schools hold awards assemblies in which students are presented with Bronze, Silver, and Gold certificates based on the number of minutes they read. All students, regardless of the level of certificate, also receive a coupon for a new, free book of their choice from the school’s “free bookstore.” MVOB provides each school with double the number of new books they need to provide the students with a great selection. In just the first six weeks of school the students have already earned more than 1,000 new books.
Spring Valley Instructional Facilitator Randi Barton runs the program within the school for MVOB. She states, “I am amazed at how excited the whole building is about MVOB! Students ask when they need to bring the new books back and their faces light up when they realize they can keep them forever.”
My Very Own Book has been honored to have the support of so many individuals, corporations, and foundations. The community has really embraced this program and their generosity has allowed the non-profit to expand from three to five schools. MVOB wants to especially thank Borders Bookstores on Preston in Plano, on Greenville in Dallas, and on Bethany in Allen for hosting book drives which resulted in more than 6,000 new books being donated.
To learn more about My Very Own Book, go to http://www.myveryownbook.org.
Dallas Morning News - October 22, 2010
MVOB Supporters Cook for Books; Frisco-Online.com - September 28, 2010
You know a group of supporters are dedicated to a cause when they get up early on a Saturday to be at a fundraiser at 9:00 a.m.!
On Saturday, September 25th supporters of My Very Own Book (MVOB), a non-profit which runs reading programs in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods, did just that. In addition to raising money for new books for students, another incentive for the supporters to come was the event itself at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Dallas.
At the MVOB Cook for Books event, supporters were able to play “chef contestant” or “culinary judge” for a day. “Chefs” were divided into two teams and taught by culinary school instructors how to cook an elaborate meal, from salad to dessert, for a large group of people. Their food was then judged by two special guest judges, Chef Mo Assi and Chef Asdren Azemi, as well as “judge” attendees. It was a rare treat to have their food critiqued by star chefs such as Chef Assi, Executive Sous Chef of Lawry’s The Prime Rib, and Chef Azemi, owner and Executive Chef of Ruffino’s Restaurant.
All guests at the event were able to enjoy the food during the Cook for Books luncheon. Four guests also won exciting door prizes, such as a Le Creuset risotto pot, and the winning “Red Team” was awarded aprons embroidered with the MVOB logo. Both teams’ food was excellent, as evident by their high scores and the championship being determined by only two points.
MVOB wishes to thank The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Dallas, particularly instructors Chef Pound and Chef Konowalow, and the outstanding student volunteers; our special guest judges Chef Assi and Chef Azemi; top Sponsors, Chef Works and Le Creuset; and food donors Ben E. Keith, Crystal Creek Cattle Co., European Imports Ltd., FreshPoint, and The Lemmons Company.
The public can see event photos and sign-up to receive e-mails about future events at www.myveryownbook.org.
Star Chefs Support Local Non-profit; Frisco-Online.com - September 20, 2010 A similar article also appeared in McKinneyNews.net
Chef Mo Assi and Chef Asdren Albanese Azemi are lending their talents to support local non-profit My Very Own Book. MVOB runs reading incentive programs in neighborhoods where many families cannot afford to purchase their own new books. Children are rewarded for minutes read outside of regular school hours with certificates and new, free books every six weeks during the school year. Students are motivated to read and book ownership becomes a possibility for all children.
Chefs Assi and Azemi will be guest judges at a fundraising cooking class and contest held at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Dallas on September 25, 2010. “The opportunity for amateur cooks to learn how to prepare a full meal under the instruction of culinary school chefs and then have their food judged by such outstanding chefs is a great opportunity,” states MVOB President Helen Van Auken. “We are very grateful all the chefs involved are taking time out of their busy schedules to support our non-profit.”
Chef Mo Assi, born in Jerusalem, is modest about his successes: winning a chef’s competition at San Pellegrino, guest chef for a popular cable television cooking segment, penning recipes and cookbooks and now Executive Sous Chef for Lawry’s The Prime Rib.
After three years at Texas Christian University, Chef Azemi, another success story, enrolled in the French Culinary Institute in New York City. He graduated in the top five of his class and became the protégé of
Bradford Thompson at Lever House in NYC. He returned to Fort Worth and took over his family’s business, Ruffino’s Italian Restaurant, in Fort Worth.
The public may go to www.myveryownbook.org/cook4books.html to sign up to be part of one of the two teams of 20 cooks (no experience necessary). If you don’t want to cook but love to eat, you may sign up as an attendee judge and help the professional chefs pick the winning team. All attendees (chefs and judges) will get to enjoy the food prepared!
MVOB wishes to thank their top Sponsors, Chef Works and Le Creuset, as well as food donors Ben E. Keith, Crystal Creek Cattle Co., European Imports Ltd., FreshPoint, and The Lemmons Company.
"Cook for Books" benefits local charity, MVOB; Dallas Examiner - September 7, 2010 by Jackie Snyder
'Cook for Books' is your chance to be a chef contestant or judge while raising money for MVOB.
Looking for something new and cool to do with all your extra free time now that the kids are back in school? How about something that helps local elementary kids and plans to be a lot of fun? Since 2009 there has been a new kid on the block that may have just the thing. The organization is My Very Own Book (MVOB) and the event is "Cook for Books" on Saturday, September 25, 2010. President, Helen Van Auken has a straightforward plan; get new books into kids' homes that don't have any and get the kids reading them.
While working as a reading specialist in Richardson (near Plano), Helen realized that the kids did not have books in their homes. "Freakonomics" author Steven Levitt notes that even before reading- simply owning books improves reading among elementary school age children (Levitt, Steven and Dubner, Stephen. Freakanomics, A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything. Harper Collins, 2005.) MVOB has gone one step further. Helen and Dot Pitts came up with a plan that encouraged reading outside of school…the kids would read, log their minutes and be rewarded with their choice of new books.
The success of MVOB has been fantastic and has expanded to include elementary schools in Plano, Richardson and Dallas. Enter the fundraiser; Executive Director Kelley Van Auken built the "Cook for Books" event on the current popularity of The Food Network. The International Culinary School of Dallas will host a cooking class for 2 teams that will then present their creations to be judged by Chef Tiffany Derry ("Top Chef" ) and Chef Mo Assi . Attendees can choose to be a "chef" or a "judge" but don't worry- no cooking skills required.http://myveryownbook.org/cook4books.html
Inspired by the ideas behind MVOB? Bring their ideas into your home and school with some of these Tips and websites geared toward Elementary School Children:
Book Adventure is a free reading motivation program for children in grades K-8. Children create a book lists from 7,000 recommended titles, take multiple choice quizzes on their books, and earn points and prizes for their literary successes. http://www.bookadventure.com/
Caught in the act! - Show your child that reading just isn't for the classroom. Let your kids catch you reading whenever possible. Try making a game of it. One way might be to create "I caught you reading!" coupons. Each time they "catch" a family member reading they present them with a coupon. Using the coupons for a raffle- winner gets a prize. Check out this website for more tips and activities. http://www.rif.org/parents/articles/44waysparents_schoolsuccess.mspx
Want more information? www.mvob.org
My Very Own Books is always looking for Donations of new books, money and time! Get your kids involved, call the schools about Scholastic donations, host a drive or put bins in a store.
Dallas Morning News - May 14, 2010 
My Very Own Book Star Readers Enjoy Banquet with Everson Walls; Frisco-OnLine.com - May 5, 2010 An enthusiastic crowd gathered on the evening of May 1st at the Eisemann Center to raise funds to expand the My Very Own Book reading incentive program to more schools and to honor the program’s star readers. At the event Angela Macias from Audelia Creek Elementary, Jaylor Crawford from Elisha M. Pease Elementary and Preston Fink from Mendenhall Elementary were honored for being the top readers from their schools. They were each presented with six new books tailored to their likes, had time to speak individually with the evening’s keynote speaker, Everson Walls, and received a personalized, signed copy of Walls’ book.
Guests enjoyed a sit down dinner and unique silent auction, but certainly a highlight of the event was the address by former Dallas Cowboys player and Super Bowl Champion Everson Walls. He stressed how important it is for children to choose books in the genre they love in order to develop lifelong readers, a key component of the MVOB program. For Walls, it was John Grisham's "The Firm" that started him reading for pleasure and he hasn't stopped since.
MVOB was honored by the outpouring of support from the community and took time during their program to recognize Gold level sponsors Borders Bookstores, Cinemark USA and Ryan Design International. The support of all donors for this event will help MVOB continue to motivate children to read and make book ownership a possibility for all children. President Helen Van Auken stated, “We have many schools who have requested we bring our program to them and this event will allow us to begin our expansion.”
To learn more about My Very Own Book, go to www.myveryownbook.org.
Dallas Morning News - April 18, 2010 
My Very Own Book Annual Dinner: Giving to Change Lives; McKinneyNews.net - March 30, 2010 "Giving to Change Lives" is the theme of the 1st annual dinner of a new non-profit called My Very Own Book. This organization changes children's lives by rewarding students in low-income neighborhoods with certificates and new, free books for reading outside of regular school hours. Literacy skills are increased and students become lifelong readers.
In keeping with the theme, the keynote speaker for the dinner is Everson Walls. Mr. Walls was born and raised in Dallas, is a former Dallas Cowboys player/Man of The Year, Super Bowl champion and national sports commentator. He is someone who knows about giving to change lives as he is a kidney donor and founder of the Gift For Life Foundation.
The sit-down dinner will be held on May 1st at 7:00 pm at the Eisemann Center in Richardson and will include a silent auction. "We're very excited about the generosity of the North Texas community in their donations for our silent auction. We have everything from an autographed Jason Terry jersey to a suite at the Great Wolf Lodge," stated MVOB President, Helen Van Auken. My Very Own Book is also grateful for the support of all of their sponsors, especially gold-level sponsors: Borders Bookstore, Cinemark USA and Ryan Design International.
For more information on this non-profit or to RSVP for the dinner go to www.myveryownbook.org.
Cinemark USA Employees Present Books to Non-profit on Read Across America Day; Frisco-Online.com - March 3, 2010 Read Across America day on March 2nd reminded students about the importance of reading. However, 61% of low-income families have no books in their homes for their children. Fully aware of the importance of reading to educational development and clearly a company with heart, Cinemark USA’s corporate headquarters in Plano decided to try to change this statistic for families in North Texas. To do so, they conducted a two week long drive for new books from their employees and also reached out to partners they work with for book donations. The results are evidence of the generosity of their employees and true dedication to this effort. On Read Across America day Cinemark USA presented local non-profit My Very Own Book with 319 new books, 287 donated by the employees and 32 donated by various partners. My Very Own Book runs reading incentive programs in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods in Plano ISD, Richardson ISD, and Dallas ISD. Students read outside of school hours and are rewarded with new, free books of their choice. In addition to motivating students to read in order to improve literacy skills, a large part of the program is getting books into the homes of families who often can’t afford to purchase their own new books. The books presented by Cinemark USA will provide these students with the resources they need to be able to truly celebrate Read Across America day!
To learn more about My Very Own Book, visit http://www.myveryownbook.org.
Non-profit Group Competing for Grant from Pepsi; McKinneyNews.net - March 2, 2010
With a click of your mouse each day in March you can help local 501(c)(3) non-profit, My Very Own Book, win a $25,000 Pepsi Refresh Project grant. Imagine, just a click of your mouse each day and you can help put thousands of new books into the homes of students in low-income neighborhoods. My Very Own Book runs reading incentive programs in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods in Dallas ISD, Richardson ISD, and Plano ISD. Currently more than 1,500 students are being served and the non-profit plans to expand next year. Students in the program read outside of school hours and are rewarded with new, free books of their choice every six weeks. In addition to motivating students to read in order to improve literacy skills, a large part of the program is getting books into the homes of families who often can't afford to purchase their own new books.
Only 10 projects nationally with the most votes will be awarded $25k grants, so every vote is critical. With over 1,000 projects competing, your vote every day can truly make the difference for North Texas students. To vote for My Very Own Book, go to www.refresheverything.com/MyVeryOwnBook.
To learn more about My Very Own Book, go to www.myveryownbook.org.
Richardson Living Magazine lists My Very Own Book as a charity to give to this holiday season 
My Very Own Book Auction at McKinney Avenue Contemporary; Dallas Art News - November 10, 2009 A similar article/listing also appeared in the Dallas Morning News, McKinneyNews.net, and Frisco-OnLine.com. 38 Artists Come Together to Support Low-income Neighborhood Literacy Programs Despite the fact that the art world is experiencing the same economic struggles as other sectors, 38 artists have generously donated their time and artwork to support a new local non-profit called My Very Own Book (MVOB). Their generous donations are a testament to their support of MVOB’s goals to increase literacy skills in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods and to put new books into the homes of families who often can’t afford to purchase their own new books. The public is invited to attend My Very Own Book’s reception and art silent auction on Saturday, December 12, 2009, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary (MAC) gallery in Uptown Dallas. Guests will enjoy a silent auction with art to suit a wide range of tastes and budgets, an opportunity to meet some of the artists, appetizers donated by Market Street Catering and a free door prize drawing for a $75 gift certificate from Tom Battles Custom Framing. Also, during the event, artist Scott Wade will create his “dirty car art” on the car of one lucky raffle drawing winner. To RSVP or to see photos of the artwork, go to www.myveryownbook.org. My Very Own Book is very grateful to the participating artists, Market Street, and Tom Battles Custom Framing. It is with their support that the organization will be able to distribute approximately 4,500 new books this year to students in their three schools in Dallas ISD, Plano ISD, and Richardson ISD, and hopefully expand to more schools next year. A big thanks goes out to artists:
- Gary Bachers
- Anna Marie Bevacqua
- Trish Biddle
- Mickey Bond
- Douglas Brown
- Jan Byron
- J. Katherine Durbin
- Paula Durbin
- Elliot Fallas
- Monica Fallini
- Misty Oliver Frost
- Deanna Pickett-Frye
- Danna Gann
- Miro Kenarov
- John Kennington
- Carl Lewis/Miraflores Academie
- Kathleen Martin
- Cindy Norris
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- Jean Power
- Lee Reams
- Fran Reisner
- Susan D. Rubin
- Marty Ruiz
- Donna Sarafis
- Vicky Saylor
- Frank Sowells, Jr.
- Ouida Touchon
- Jim VanKirk
- Rahul Vyas
- Scott Wade
- Albert Mukasa Wilson
- Wine Women in Oil (Lori Bryan, Mary Ellen Culbreth, Sheri Dietert, Debbie Lindsey, Micheal Reimer)
- Todd Winters
- Deborah Wood
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Save Money at Wiggly Play Center and Support Kids in Need; Frisco-OnLine.com - September, 29, 2009 During the months of October and November the Wiggly Play Center in Frisco is hosting a new book drive for local non-profit My Very Own Book. Parents who bring a new book(s) to the center will receive discounted admissions, free sodas, and birthday party discounts listed below. My Very Own Book runs reading incentive programs in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods in North Texas. Students read outside of school hours and are rewarded every six weeks with a new, free book of their choice. My Very Own Book’s goals are to increase literacy skills, put new books into the homes of families who often can’t afford to purchase their own books, and create lifelong readers. The organization needs approximately 4,500 books for their program this school year. A facility very in touch with families in North Texas, the Wiggly Play Center shares the non-profit’s goals. “We are proud to be able to support My Very Own Book’s efforts to encourage reading and provide students with books,” says General Manager David Avery. “We hope our customers will take us up on our discount offers and bring new books to the center.” My Very Own Book encourages parents and Moms/Dads groups to plan a book drive birthday party or play date. It is a great way to save money at the center while also teaching children about the importance of giving to others. Discounts offered are: - Donate one new book* per child and pay only $4.50 admission (normally $7.45 M-F, $8.45 weekends).
- Donate two new books per child and pay only $4.50 admission and receive a free soda.
- Birthday Parties: Packages are for eight children with each additional child normally costing $13.99. Bring a new book per child and pay only $6.50.
*MVOB is currently most in need of Pre-K to 2nd grade books. Wiggly Play Center is located at 4944 Preston Road, Suite 100 in Frisco. http://www.wigglyplaycenter.com
My Very Own Book in Dallas Morning News - September 4, 2009 
Local Non-profit Expanding Reading Opportunities; Frisco-OnLine.com - August 24, 2009 With the start of school, families throughout North Texas are focused on doing all they can to help their children succeed academically. Parents in low-income neighborhoods are no different, but lack of resources can sometimes hamper their ability to buy books for reading enrichment in their homes. One local non-profit, My Very Own Book, is doing their part to help these families. At the beginning of this 2009-2010 school year, students at Elisha M. Pease Elementary (Dallas ISD), Mendenhall Elementary (Plano ISD), and Audelia Creek Elementary (Richardson ISD) are being invited to join the My Very Own Book reading club at their school. Students will read outside of school hours and at the end of every six weeks be rewarded for minutes read with a certificate and a new, free book of their choice. This program not only improves literacy skills and puts new books into the homes of families who often can’t afford to purchase their own new books, but also allows the students to experience the joy of earning and owning their very own books. The non-profit and teachers alike are looking forward to the end of the first six weeks when the students enter their school’s “free book store” and are able to choose a new book to take home. My Very Own Book’s goal to serve more than 1,500 students in three schools has been made possible by the generous support of individuals and companies in the community, such as the Borders bookstores in Allen and West Plano. North Texans interested in learning more about My Very Own Book should visit their website at www.myveryownbook.org.
Borders Book Drives in Dallas Morning News GuideLive Calendar - August 16, 2009
 Two Borders Bookstores Support Low-income Students; Allen American newspaper - August 13, 2009 Note: A similar article appeared in Frisco-OnLine.com on August 12, 2009 Borders bookstores know first-hand the educational enrichment and the joy a book can bring to the life of a student. Despite their reasonable prices and weekly coupons, they also fully understand that there are some parents that cannot afford to buy their children new books. A company with heart, they are actively making new book ownership a real possibility for low-income students in North Texas. Now through September 6th the Borders bookstore in Allen and the Borders bookstore in West Plano (addresses below) are running in-store book drives for the 501(c)(3) non-profit My Very Own Book. This school year My Very Own Book will run their reading incentive program in one elementary school in a low-income neighborhood in Plano, in Richardson, and in Dallas ISDs. Students read outside of school hours and are rewarded every six weeks with a new, free book of their choice. My Very Own Book’s goals are to increase literacy skills, put new books into the homes of families who often can’t afford to purchase their own books, and create lifelong readers. The outpouring of support thus far shows that the community understands the importance of My Very Own Book’s goals. In the first week more than 400 books were donated. Showing their commitment to this project, Borders is not just counting on their customers. In addition to the man hours put in on setting up book drive displays and promoting the event, they also offered a 20% discount on children’s books during the first week and will continue to do all they can to make the drive a success. Borders Allen – 965 West Bethany Drive, in Watters Creek complex at the corner of Bethany and Central Expressway Borders West Plano – 1601 Preston Road, Suite J, on the West side of Preston and South of Park Boulevard
My Very Own Book's Celebration of "National Make a Difference to Children" Month; McKinneyNews.net - July 13, 2009 Note: A similar article appeared in FriscoOnline.com on July 16, 2009 My Very Own Book Celebrates "National Make a Difference to Children" MonthMonday, July 13, 2009
July is "National Make a Difference to Children" month. My Very Own Book, a new 501(c)(3) non-profit working hard to make a difference to children through reading incentive programs run in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods in North Texas, invites you to their first fundraiser. The success of this event will be critical in determining how many schools the organization is able to serve during the 2009-2010 school year. The event will be held on Thursday, July 30, from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m. at the Angelika Film Center, 7205 Bishop Road in Plano (Shops at Legacy). Attendees will enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvres catered and donated by Romano's Macaroni Grill, free door prize drawings, and a private viewing of the movie The Reading Room, starring James Earl Jones. Also, the school with the most attendees will win a Domino's classroom pizza party (5 large pizzas). For more information about this event or to RSVP, please go to http://www.myveryownbook.org/MovieEvent.html. My Very Own Book would like to thank our outstanding Host Committee: Aparicio's Mexican Restaurant, Cinemark USA, Domino's Pizza, Meredith & Dan Fisherman, Tanya & Jason Hunt, Melissa Jaye, Lisa Mashigian & Jeanne Rubin, Dawnetta Miller & Blue Martinez, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Romano's Macaroni Grill & Kim Ahrens, Staples, Jack G.B. Ternan, Jr., Barb Walters, and Lynn Wolfe & Milo Gienger. My Very Own Book is a 501(c)(3) organization established to run reading incentive programs in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods in North Texas. Students read outside of school hours and are rewarded with certificates and free new books at the end of each grading period. www.myveryownbook.org
Richardson Living Magazine - July/August 2009 issue
 CBS 11: June 5, 2009 Click here to see the video.
President Helen Van Auken featured as a "Texan with Character" for starting My Very Own Book. Texan With Character: Helen Van AukenRICHARDSON (CBS 11 News) ― Helen Van Auken came out of retirement and went back into the classroom, to share her love of reading with children in need. She has been teaching reading at Audelia Elementary School in Richardson for the past three years. But what she gives back to the kids is much greater than the words on the page.
"I realized we needed to get kids reading more at home," Van Auken said to CBS 11 News. "They needed more reading practice and we needed to get books into their homes."
However, many of the children could not afford new books for their homes.
But Van Auken had a solution. "I came up with this idea of rewarding kids for minutes read at home with free books that they could keep," she said.
The idea worked.
This year, the kids have read over 1.2 million minutes and the school gave out over 1,400 free books. But it is the benefits of increased reading that school principal Michael Savage likes the most. "The kids are learning literacy," he said. "We have seen our TAKS scores go up, but also we have seen the kids get a love for reading. And that has been the best part of the whole thing."
Van Auken didn't stop there. "We didn't want it to end," she said, "and funds were getting hard with the economy, so we decided to start a non-profit, My Very Own Book." The inspirational reader has decided to retire, again, to take her non-profit organization, My Very Own Book, to other schools.
"I would love to see this program in every school that needs us," Van Auken said, "every school that the kids can't afford the books they need to be reading."
Although the children at Audelia Elementary School are sad to see Van Auken leave, they realize that the gift she has left them is much more than a free book.
"I want to create those life-long readers," said Van Auken. "And I think this program is doing that."
"When I watch a child pick out their free books," continued Van Auken, "it is much more rewarding for me than it is for them."
The largest Book Club in America, PaperBackSwap.com, recently donated almost 6,000 new books to local 501(c)(3) non-profit My Very Own Book. The books will be used in MVOB’s reading incentive program, which is run in five elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods: two in Dallas ISD, two in Richardson ISD, and one in Plano ISD. Students in the participating schools read outside of schools hours and are rewarded every six weeks with a new, free book of their choice.
PBS began the School Book Donation Program last year to provide books for students because of the company’s belief in both the power of reading and the power of giving. The schools selected to participate in the Books for Schools Program are based on needs of the students. PBS club members who wanted to support the program selected a school and donated their extra credits to purchase books for the students. For each credit donated by a member of PBS, PaperBackSwap and supporting organizations provided books for the school. Overall, the 2010 program has provided approximately 30,000 books to 30 schools, five of which are MVOB schools.
“We are very pleased with our club members' amazingly generous and quick response to this program - they obviously feel strongly about the education of children in America. Access to books is crucial to foster a child's love of reading, so the books our members have donated will have a big impact on these kids' lives. We hope to be able to continue this program and help more needy schools all over the country,” said Richard Pickering, Founder of PaperBackSwap.com.
PaperBackSwap.com is a free online book club where members swap books just for the cost of postage. People join PBS by posting on the PaperBackSwap.com website good condition books from their bookshelf that they are willing to share. Two startup credits are given by PBS to start the member’s swapping. Credits are earned by sending out books to other members. Any available paperback or hardcover book may be ordered for one credit, and audio books may be ordered for two credits.
Complete information about the online book club is available at www.paperbackswap.com. To learn more about the school book donation program or to nominate a school, go to www.paperbackswap.com/donations/schools/php. To learn more about My Very Own Book, go to www.myveryownbook.org.
The largest Book Club in America, PaperBackSwap.com, recently donated almost 6,000 new books to local 501(c)(3) non-profit My Very Own Book. The books will be used in MVOB’s reading incentive program, which is run in five elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods: two in Dallas ISD, two in Richardson ISD, and one in Plano ISD. Students in the participating schools read outside of schools hours and are rewarded every six weeks with a new, free book of their choice.
PBS began the School Book Donation Program last year to provide books for students because of the company’s belief in both the power of reading and the power of giving. The schools selected to participate in the Books for Schools Program are based on needs of the students. PBS club members who wanted to support the program selected a school and donated their extra credits to purchase books for the students. For each credit donated by a member of PBS, PaperBackSwap and supporting organizations provided books for the school. Overall, the 2010 program has provided approximately 30,000 books to 30 schools, five of which are MVOB schools.
“We are very pleased with our club members' amazingly generous and quick response to this program - they obviously feel strongly about the education of children in America. Access to books is crucial to foster a child's love of reading, so the books our members have donated will have a big impact on these kids' lives. We hope to be able to continue this program and help more needy schools all over the country,” said Richard Pickering, Founder of PaperBackSwap.com.
PaperBackSwap.com is a free online book club where members swap books just for the cost of postage. People join PBS by posting on the PaperBackSwap.com website good condition books from their bookshelf that they are willing to share. Two startup credits are given by PBS to start the member’s swapping. Credits are earned by sending out books to other members. Any available paperback or hardcover book may be ordered for one credit, and audio books may be ordered for two credits.
Complete information about the online book club is available at www.paperbackswap.com. To learn more about the school book donation program or to nominate a school, go to www.paperbackswap.com/donations/schools/php. To learn more about My Very Own Book, go to www.myveryownbook.org.
Throughout the month of November, North Texas Kids is spotlighting local non-profit organizations and the people behind them in our e-newsletter. This week, we are getting to know Helen Van Auken and Kelley Van Auken, Founding Members of My Very Own Book.
Why did you start My Very Own Book (MVOB)?
With cable TV, video games, and the internet available to children, reading books for entertainment is not always their first choice. Children need to be motivated to read so they can learn what authors, series, and genres they like. They need to be given the opportunity to establish a connection to literature, which helps them learn to love to read for entertainment and become lifelong readers.
As a Reading Specialist in an elementary school in a low-income neighborhood, I was conducting a workshop with parents on how to read with their children. We had a great crowd of parents who were very eager to extend learning into their homes. However, after the workshop several of them pulled me aside and shared they had no books at home for their children. (Nationally, 61% of low-income households have no children’s books in their homes.) We brainstormed many options, such as the public library, but that was not an option for many due to the library being too far/not on a bus route, fines for lost books, or work schedule conflicts. These were parents who were eager to help their children, but very real economic barriers prevented them from doing so. I knew all students, regardless of socio-economic status, need to be motivated to read, but these students also needed to obtain books.
In 2006, with district funding, I started a reading club. The students read outside of school hours, recorded their minutes, and at the end of each six weeks period they were rewarded with a certificate (Bronze, Silver or Gold) and a new, free book of their choice. At the end of the year, the student in each class who had read the most also received a Star Reader medal. We were motivating students to read while also helping them start home libraries. Unfortunately, after three years, district funding dried up and I was planning to retire again. In 2009, with the help of a Reading Specialist colleague, Dot Pitts, and my adult daughter, Kelley Van Auken, who has fundraising and administrative experience, we started My Very Own Book to keep the program alive and expand it to more schools.
What is the mission of MVOB?
The mission of My Very Own Book (MVOB) is to increase literacy skills of students in low-income neighborhoods by motivating them to read outside of school hours and to put new books in the homes of families who often can’t afford the luxury of purchasing their own books.
The MVOB program runs just as it did when I was a Reading Specialist, with students being rewarded for minutes read outside of schools hours with certificates and new, free books of their choice. We provide each school with more than double the books they need to set up a school “free bookstore” with ample choices (the extras are returned at the end of the year). We still provide Star Reader Medals, but we also provide an extra small prize for Gold Readers and honor the top reader from each school at a banquet.
During our first program year, the 2009-2010 school year, we served three schools. Due to outstanding support from the community, in 2010-2011 we were able to expand to serve five schools. In those first two school years, students earned more than 10,000 new books for reading for approximately 8 million minutes. This school year we are serving seven schools and expect to give out more than 11,000 new books.
How can the community help MVOB?
■Join our e-mail list. E-mails update you about our program, volunteer opportunities and events (such as our family friendly Touch-A-Truck event). We never e-mail more than once/week and you can unsubscribe at any time. Go to http://www.myveryownbook.org/Email.html to sign up.
■Make a monetary donation, payroll deduction donation, or donate new books. Go to http://www.myveryownbook.org/Donate.html to make a donation on-line or for more information.
■Host a Book Drive. Talk to your employer, child’s school, religious institution, social organization, etc. about hosting a new book drive. If you broach the subject and they want to learn more, we can take it from there. We can do as little or as much as they want to make it easy and successful. We can even have a vendor sell books on-site (optional). Elementary schools can do something in conjunction with the book fair. There is lots of information on the website Donate page listed above or you can e-mail Kelley Van Auken with questions.
■Host a giving party. For your child’s birthday, the holidays, office gathering, or just because, host a party and ask guests to bring monetary or new book donations rather than gifts. E-mail Kelley with your idea and for more information.
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