SIBA Spark: Dear America Pen Pal Project
Focusing on uplifting and inspiring news from members of the SIBA community fighting the good fight!

The Dear America Pen Pal Project is a nationwide letter exchange for children ages 5-15 hosted in partnership with independent bookstores from coast to coast. Children will be matched with pen pals from different parts of the country, and their letters are mailed between the participating bookstores. The brainchild of Lauren Dutch from Story Books and Toys in Oakland, CA, the goal of the program is to unite children from across the country.

So far, there are seven bookstores participating from California to South Carolina. Four of the participating stores are SIBA members: Red Stick Reads in Baton Rouge, LA, The Book Worm Bookstore in Powder Springs, GA, Fairytales Bookstore in Nashville, TN. and The Storybook Shoppe in Bluffton,SC. The Storybook Shoppe hosted their first letter writing workshop on Wednesday, June 25 with enthusiastic response from the community. The children had fun writing about their pets, favorite foods, and, of course, favorite books. Everyone left excited to get to know a new friend.

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