Tales from the Birthday Book Club
Once upon a time, children near and far found a book in the mail on their birthday. This is no fairy tale … it’s a real member program for Modern Woodmen kids and their families!
Find a cozy reading nook and immerse yourself in these Birthday Book Club stories, told by two member families.
Feeling seen
Walker family, Indiana | Angie, Tyler, and daughters Winter, 5, and Ember, 2
Representative: Kurtis Iseminger
When Winter Walker and her sister, Ember, get their Birthday Book Club books in the mail, they’re thrilled to see their “Uncle Kurtis” on the back cover. Their parents, Angie and Tyler, love how personalized the books feel coming from their Modern Woodmen representative.
“Getting the books in the mail is kind of like receiving a birthday card,” Angie says. “But it’s even more exciting and serves a purpose, too!”
The Walkers love a good story. They center lots of their family fun time around reading. They visit the library weekly, read bedtime stories every night and even bring their books outside when the weather’s nice.
Angie thinks reading is a great parenting tool. It lets kids express themselves, explains complicated concepts and teaches valuable lessons. She and Tyler enjoy watching their daughters interact with their books and read to each other.
The family’s favorite book is “Thank You Bear” by Greg E. Foley. It’s about a bear and his empty cardboard box. Nobody else thinks the box is special until Bear shows it to his friend, Mouse. Angie and Tyler like the lesson it teaches about finding joy in simple things.
“The Birthday Book Club makes us feel seen,” Angie said. “It’s cool to know that Modern Woodmen cares about reading and provides all these kids with books.”
Classics prevent crashes
Jackson family, Texas | Michelle and son Vijay, 10
Representative: Meredith Smith
Vijay Jackson fears a world without reading. “If you don’t know how to read, you could get in an accident,” says the 10-year-old. “If someone couldn’t read the word “STOP,” people wouldn’t know to stop at stop signs. That could cause a crash.”
Though she may not envision catastrophes like her son, Vijay’s mother is just as serious about the importance of literacy. Michelle has been teaching for a decade. She recently became assistant principal, continuing to share her lifelong love of reading with students.
The first time Vijay received a Birthday Book Club package is a core memory. He was shocked and elated. That excitement has grown every birthday since.
His favorite thing about this member program is that the books are free. That way, more kids like him are able to read … even if they can’t afford books.
When asked what his favorite Birthday Book Club book has been, Vijay doesn’t hesitate. He runs to his bedroom and returns with a classic: “Aesop’s Fables.”
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Birthday Book Club
Modern Woodmen kids who qualify can receive a book in the mail each birthday up to age 12. The high-quality, age appropriate books range from classic tales to contemporary fiction.