MDY’s New Spin on Favorite Authors
UNLOCKING STAR POWER ON THE BOOKSHELF WITH A CREATIVE, COLLECTOR’S SPIN ON LITERACY.
Magen David Yeshivah is kicking off the school year with a creative spin on reading engagement. Under the new MDY Reads theme, “All Star Authors,” students in grades one through five are trading in traditional bookmarks for something far more collectible: custom author trading cards. Designed to mirror the excitement of classic baseball cards, each card features a photo of a beloved children’s book author, fascinating biographical fun facts, and details about their signature works.
The literacy team and library staff carefully curated a balanced mix of picture book and chapter book creators to ensure the program appeals to readers across all elementary grade levels. To heighten the anticipation, cards are released precisely on the featured author’s birthday! The initiative officially launched on September 16, honoring H. A. Rey, the creator of Curious George, as cards were distributed directly to classrooms to launch the new theme.
Rather than releasing all materials at once, this rolling birthday-release schedule creates recurring touchpoints for reading excitement throughout the academic year. Teachers are encouraged to feature these selected creators during story times and reading groups, with librarians on hand to help classes select the perfect titles. To keep momentum going, school staff are actively developing custom storage solutions and interactive elements to enhance the overall collecting experience for students.
By pairing literary discovery with the universal thrill of collecting, the initiative aims to transform how young readers connect with the people behind their favorite stories, turning monthly author birthdays into school-wide celebrations of reading.
