Community Corner
Del Amo Fashion Center to Bring Books to Life at Annual Book Blast
Simon Malls® are welcoming families to experience the magic of reading at the mall. On Saturday, March 22, Simon Kidgits Club® at Del Amo Fashion Center is hosting its free annual Book Blast event and inviting parents and children to bring books to life through special read-aloud sessions, giveaways and story-inspired activities.
Simon Kidgits Club’s Book Blast will provide families the chance to make reading a fun, social experience with various kid-focused offerings. Book Blast event activities will kick off with an exciting read-aloud session presented by author Christie Hsiao, who will read from children’s classics, as well as a portion of her own New York Times Best-Selling book Journey to Rainbow Island during the event, which is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon in JoAnn’s Court. Hsiao, founder of Serenity Media Group who studied film at NYU, will autograph Journey to Rainbow Island, which will be available to Kidgits members for the exclusive price of $15.95. In addition to the reading, children will get a visit from Clifford the Big Red Dog toward the close of the event.
Children are also invited to bring a new or gently used book to the event to be donated to a local organization, helping families give back to their own communities.
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“Because Simon Malls are destinations for families and friends to do more than just shop, Simon Kidgits Club is giving children the chance to experience all that books have to offer in a social setting,” said Jayne Stilson, assistant vice president of business development for Simon Brand Ventures, the business-to-consumer division of Simon Property Group. “We’re combining education with fun and allowing kids to simply have a blast with reading.”
Additionally, Simon is teaming up with Better World Books to provide each child that attends the event a pre-loved book and bookmark to take home.
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The Simon Kidgits Club is a fun and informative program that focuses on health, wellness, education, safety and entertainment for children ages 3-8. Since 2003, the Simon Kidgits Club has kept children and parents alike amused with various events and activities while providing incentives for club members, such as special offers, rewards and games.
Simon Kidgits Club members receive a variety of goodies, including a Simon Kidgits Club T-shirt, membership card, birthday card and gift, discounts and scheduled activities. For more information about the Simon Kidgits Club, visit http://www.simon.com/kidgits/.
Visit Del Amo Fashion Center on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DelAmoFashionCenter, Twitter at https://twitter.com/delamofashion or Instagram at http://instagram.com/delamofashion.
About Del Amo Fashion Center
Del Amo Fashion Center is the South Bay's retail destination for shopping, entertainment and dining. It boasts more than 200 stores, including Macy’s, H&M, Anthropologie, Barnes & Noble, Coach, and more. Visit the outdoor promenade and enjoy dinner at Stacked or PF Changs before a movie at our 18 screen AMC Theater. The indoor mall offers fashion for women, men and children plus jewelry, footwear and electronics. Del Amo Fashion Center serves the nearby communities of Palos Verdes, Lomita, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Redondo Beach and Gardena. For a map and store listings, as well as directions, events and job listings, visit http://www.simon.com/mall/del-amo-fashion-center or call 310-542-8525.
Simon Property Group
Simon Property Group, Inc. (NYSE: SPG) is an S&P 100 company and a global leader in the retail real estate industry. The Company currently owns or has an interest in more than 325 retail real estate properties in North America, Asia and Europe comprising approximately 243 million square feet. We are headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and employ approximately 5,500 people in the U.S. For more information, visit the Simon Property Group website at www.simon.com.
About Simon Brand Ventures
Simon Brand Ventures (SBV), Simon's business-to-consumer arm, is pioneering the transformation of shopping centers into a medium where consumer brands can build relationships with Simon shoppers who make over 2.8 billion visits each year. Simon's vast franchise of market-leading shopping centers nationwide provides SBV the foundation to monetize the distribution system through numerous consumer ventures. SBV and its affiliates have engaged in a number of consumer business initiatives, including the Simon Visa Giftcard® and the American Express®/Simon Giftcard; launch of Simon platform programs such as Simon dTour Live® and Simon Kidgits Club®; a national media delivery channel including static, digital and experiential marketing and advertising vehicles; and multiple national and local marketing alliances with Coca-Cola and Visa U.S.A. among others.
About Better World Books
Better World Books (www.BetterWorldBooks.com) is a for-profit social enterprise that collects and sells books online matching each purchase with a donation, book for book, and with each sale generating funds for literacy initiatives in the U.S. and around the world. One of their key programs which helps consumers contribute to supporting global literacy is through their Drop Box book collection program. By participating in the Drop Box program, both the host of each site and their non-profit literacy partner of choice will receive a portion of the sale of the collected books. Those books that can't be sold are donated or recycled. Not one book will ever see a landfill.
About Christie Hsiao
Christie Hsiao is founder of Serenity Media Group, Inc. Christie believes in the unique power of story to raise awareness and to compel societal transformation. Hsiao has produced several independent films, including The Gold Retrievers with Billy Zane, Steve Guttenberg and Curtis Armstrong, Dark Honeymoon with Roy Scheider, Eric Roberts, Tia Carrere and Daryl Hannah, and Love Is the Drug with Lizzy Caplan, John Patrick Amedori, and Daryl Hannah. Originally from Taiwan, Hsiao moved to California to pursue her bachelor’s degree at UCLA, Hsiao majored in Communications and East Asian Studies and earned an MBA from Pepperdine University. Hsiao went on to study film at NYU, where she wrote, directed, andproduced several well-reviewed short films. Christie just signed with the biggest publisher in the world and now the book is being translated into 47 languages around the world.
About Journey to Rainbow Island
Yu-ning thinks her perfect life on Rainbow Island will never end— until a nasty dragon called the Obsidigon returns from beyond the grave. Now her beloved island is in flames, her best friend has been kidnapped, and the island’s Sacred Crystals have been stolen. To make matters worse, she must venture into the dark corners of the world to uncover secrets best ignored, find a weapon thought long destroyed, and recapture seven sacred stones— without being burned to a crisp by a very angry dragon. With the help of her master teacher, Metatron, Yu-ning embarks on a dangerous journey to overcome not only the darkness attacking her home, but also the scars of sadness that mark her own heart. And while most people just see a normal kid, Metatron— and a few other unlikely allies— pledge their lives to the dark-eyed little girl with a magic bow and a crooked grin.
