PJ Library, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s popular national program that sends free Jewish-themed books and music each month to tens of thousands of children up to age 8, is launching a new edition: PJ Our Way. The new two-year multi-city pilot project, being launched in St. Louis in partnership with Jewish Federation of St. Louis, expands the PJ Library program to Jewish kids ages 9 to 11 and, for the first time, lets them choose the books they receive.
Every month, children can go online to pick from a selection of high-quality titles reviewed by a panel of PJ educators, parents and kids. They also will be able to write reviews, upload their own video trailers, and share ideas on the PJ Our Way website. Those who want to take an even more active role can apply to the National Design Team, where they will have early access to PJ Our Way books and work with PJ Library to create videos and reviews for the website.
All participants, including those who previously signed up for the original PJ Library program, must register for PJ Our Way. The website, PJOurWay.org, is now open for registration. Once registered, each child will receive a copy of “Jordan and the Dreadful Golem,” by Karen Goldman, as a welcome gift. After that, they will be able to choose from a selection of books each month. Selections made by the 10th of each month will be delivered 4-6 weeks later.
St. Louis is one of 10 cities to receive the pilot program this year. The other cities are Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Marks JCH (Brooklyn), Miami, North Shore (MA), Seattle, and Silicon Valley. For more information about PJ Library or PJ Our Way, contact Jennifer Lotsoff at JLotsoff@JFedSTL.org.
Jennifer, my granddaughters live in DeKalb, IL, and there is no PJ library available to them; they are too far out of the Chicago area. Are grandmothers allowed to subscribe here and mail those wonderful books to the kids? They are 3 and 6 years old.
Barbara
Our 1 1/2 grandchild lives in NY. Is she a candidate to receive books. Our St. Louis grandchildren have loved this program. Thank you…Alice Ludmer