Bringing the Joy of Picture Books to Children’s Hospitals
WHAT WE DO
STORYTIME FRIENDS brings the joy and power of storytelling to children in hospitals through weekly video-recorded read-alouds, in-person author/illustrator visits, and picture book give-aways. We believe in having fun and creating a sense of friendship and community through books. We support upholding the emotional safety of patients by helping to reduce stress and lift spirits.
We have partnered with UCSF for our inaugural year and are excited to hear from hospitals interested in collaborating with STORYTIME FRIENDS in 2023-24.
If you work for a hospital and are interested in collaboration, please reach out here.
SERIES HOST
I am a Zambian-American teacher who loves books, word games, and stories. I am a public school elementary teacher and administrator-in-training. I live in Oakland, California. When not practicing “physical distancing,” you’ll probably find me working, studying, on the soccer field, or biking through the hills with friends. A couple of my favorite books are The Negotiator by Frederick Forsyth and The Bear’s Tears by Craig Thomas (I love spy/crime fiction). Favorite kids books include One Crazy Summer and the Anansi series.
Every week, I introduce our featured picture book author and do a read-aloud of their book. The video is broadcast to all children’s rooms.
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Mr. Peter Limata
Watch one of Mr. Limata's upbeat read-alouds!
AUTHORS & ILLUSTRATORS 2022-23
STORYTIME FRIENDS proudly works with authors & illustrators who live in the same communities
as the hospitals we serve. We build on and expand strong creative connections!
Bay Area Authors & Illustrators Featured in our Inaugural Year:
Sandhya Acharya, 10 Gulab Jamuns
Laura Atkins, Sled Dog Dachsand
Mac Barnett & Shawn Harris, A Polar Bear in the Snow
Carmen Bogan, Where’s Rodney?
Nidhi Chanani, What Will My Story Be?
Angela Dalton, Show the World
Hayley Diep, If You Give a Girl a Bike
Alejandra Domenzain, For All / Para Todos
Danielle Dufayet, You Are Your Strong
Michael Genhart, May Your Life Be Deliciosa
Alex Giardino, Me + Tree
Chelsea Johnson, La Toya Council, & Carolyn Choi,
Intersection Allies: We Make Room for All
Nancy Johnson & Constance Moor, Black: The Many Wonders of My World
Darshana Khiani, How to Wear a Sari
Rob Liu-Trujillo, Alejandria Fights Back
Janine MacBeth, Oh, Oh Baby Boy
Marissa McGee, Free the Curls
Bethanie Murgia, What’s Your Name?
Innosanto Nagara, Oh, the Things We’re For
Amy Novesky, Girl on a Motorcycle
Jane Park, Juna and Appa
Meenal Petal, Priya Dreams of Marigolds and Masala
Dr. Rachel Remen, The Birthday of the World
Melissa Reyes, I Am Sausal Creek
Nadia Salomon, Goodnight, Ganesha
Grant Snider, What Color Is the Night?
Meera Sriram, Dumpling Day
Peter Stein, A Tree for Mr Fish
Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Love in the Library
Deborah Underwood, Here Comes Valentine Cat
Muon Thi Van, I Love You Because I Love You
Justine Villanueva, Mama, Mama, Do You Know What I Like?
Natasha Yim, Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas
You can donate any of these books to children at UCSF through our Wish List here.
You can also support us by buying participating authors' books here.
PARTICIPATING HOSPITALS
In 2022-23, we've partnered with UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco and Oakland.
We look forward to developing programs with other hospitals. Please reach out here about collaboration!
SERIES CREATORS
STORYTIME FRIENDS is a collaborative project, co-created by four award-winning Bay Area-based picture books authors, Angela Dalton, Michael Genhart, Meera Sriram, and Alex Giardino. In addition to writing books for children, Michael is also a licensed child, adolescent, and adult clinical psychologist in private practice in San Francisco.
FUNDRAISING
STORYTIME FRIENDS is excited to announce our collaboration with two Bay Area bookstores for a special Valentine's themed BOOK DRIVE!!
BOOK PASSAGE located in Corte Madera and BOOKS INC. located in San Francisco will be selling copies of our featured February and March books. You can purchase copies to donate directly to the children at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in Oakland. For more information, go directly to the store websites or, better yet, drop in to one of the bookstores and purchase your donation copies.
In 2023, we plan to raise $24,000 to pay for our first full year of programming.
These funds will cover the cost of weekly video production, in-person author visits and activities, and the purchase of 500 picture books to be given to the children. We need your support to make this project happen!
A kickstarter campaign is in the works, along with a fiscal non-profit sponsorship.
EVENTS & MEDIA
Featured Authors
STORYTIME FRIENDS is proud to feature three authors in March 2023!
All of these books can be purchased through our Bookshop.org affiliates page or requested from your local library.
If You Give a Girl a Bike by Hayley Diep
Hayley Diep is a teacher, amateur mountain biker, rock climber, skateboarder (long boarder), and surfer. She wrote IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A BIKE (illustrated by Braden Hallett) hoping that more parents, specifically parents of minority children, will introduce their daughters to these sports at a younger age.
What Color Is Night? by Grant Snider
Grant Snider's WHAT COLOR IS NIGHT explores the wonders—and colors—of nighttime. Night is not just black and white. It is full of colors yet unseen. Grant Snider began drawing and writing before he knew what he was doing. His work has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, The Kansas City Star, The Best American Comics 2013, and all across the internet. Grant lives in Wichita, Kansas with his wife, daughter, and four sons. He has a day job as an orthodontist. You can often find him carrying a sketchbook, lost in his own thoughts.
Juna & Appa by Jane Park
In JUNA & APPA, by Jane Park and Felicia Hoshino, Juna embarks on a journey to help her biggest hero--her Appa! This story is a tender ode to fathers and to the many families working behind shop counters. Jane Park is a former school teacher and an award-winning media producer. She is always up for a good adventure, especially ones that involve her kids and their jars. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.
Hospital Connections
Series co-creator Meera Sriram dropped off February's donated books to UCSF staff. STORYTIME FRIENDS thanks the authors and their publishers for their donations of books to the kids at UCSF!
In the News...
STORYTIME FRIENDS is thrilled to announce its collaboration with CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND in Oakland. Fairyland has generously donated 200 admission passes to give to children's hospital patients and their families to enjoy.
Series co-creators Alex Giardino and Angela Dalton sat for a podcast interview with Maria Dismondy of Cardinal Rule Press. Our conversation is called "Sharing Joy in Less Traveled Places," and we share the early vision and long-term goals for STORYTIME FRIENDS. You can listen to the interview here after Nov 15.
If you are a member of the media, please contact us here for a media kit.
Our series host and series creators are available for interviews.