Sealaska Heritage sponsors Baby Raven Reads, a program that promotes early literacy, language development and school readiness. The program is for Alaska Native families with children up to age 5. Among other things, events include family events at the Walter Soboleff Building clan house, where families are invited to join us for storytelling, songs, and other cultural activities. Parents and guardians also receive free books through the program. New books published through the program are available online or through the Sealaska Heritage Store on Seward and Front Streets in Juneau at the Walter Soboleff Building or by contacting the store at thestore@sealaska.com or 907.586.9114. (More on Baby Raven books)

The following shows a family event on March 25, 2017. This event focused on SHI’s newly released book, Raven Brings Us Fire, which was given to enrolled families. To help bring the story to life and make connections to literature, we acted out a version of the story and invited local firefighters. (Photos by Brian Wallace)

Participants practice cutting and gluing paper fire trucks.

Dad and his little Killer Whale play puppets.

Children explore the tactile bin.  What do we use to make a fire?

Hawk and Raven work together to bring fire to the people.

Raven and Eagle demonstrate balance (wooch yax).

Children practice crawling under smoke.

A firefighter shows children what he would be doing during a house fire.

Gunalchéesh to Capital City Fire/Rescue for serving our community.

A Junior Juneau Firefighter.

Babies inspect the ‘fire’ that Raven threw into the woods during a skit. For more information on Baby Raven Reads, contact LaVina VanSickle, lavina.vansickle@sealaska.com or 586.9125.