WEST HARTFORD, CONN. (May 6, 2018) – New York Times bestselling children’s author and illustrator Judy Schachner will headline Children’s Reading Partners’ 20th Anniversary Celebration on May 24 at Real Art Ways in Hartford.  Best known as the creator of Skippyjon Jones – a Siamese kitten with oversize ears and an even bigger sense of adventure – Ms. Schachner will share her experiences growing up disadvantaged in New England and explain how a rich imaginative life helped her survive difficult times.  A Q&A and book signing will follow, and books will be available for purchase. 

In addition to the talk by Ms. Schachner, attendees will learn how Children’s Reading Partners is changing children’s lives and discover how they can get involved. Past program directors will also be honored. 

Children’s Reading Partners is part of the Jewish Community Relations Council at the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. Since its founding as the Hartford Jewish Coalition for Literacy in 1998, it has helped more than 6,000 at-risk students in Greater Hartford improve their reading skills by pairing them with trained volunteers of all faiths and backgrounds. It has also provided 6,500 new books to students and their classrooms. Children’s Reading Partners is co-chaired by Rona Gollob of Simsbury and Robin Landau of West Hartford.

The program and kosher dessert reception begin at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 24, 2018, at Real Art Ways, located at 56 Arbor Street in Hartford. The couvert is $20; kindly RSVP to Jill Nulsen at 860.727.6119 or jnulsen@jewishhartford.org.

The celebration is sponsored by Michael S. and Carolyn W. Levine, the A.I Savin Family Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, Naomi and Michael Cohen, Rona Gollob, the Landau Family, MSA Worldwide, Retirement Visions, The Rotary Club of West Hartford and the Zachs Family Foundation.

To learn more about Children’s Reading Partners, visit the home page or follow @love4literacy on Facebook.