READY READERS and Beatrix Potter’s “Peter Rabbit” are a perfect pair, especially for young readers. Ready Readers is an award-winning, non-sectarian, not-for-profit Missouri Corporation that inspires pre-school children from low-income communities to become readers by sending trained volunteers to read aloud every week at the same time and place to the same pre-school children. At least six or seven times a year the kids receive new books, which have been read to them and which they may take home. Some 450 volunteers are now reading weekly to 6,500 low-income preschoolers in 105 Head Start and similar programs. One of those books will be “A Tale of Peter Rabbit.”

At 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21 at Clayton High School Auditorium, Ready Readers will present The Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC) performing “A Peter Rabbit Tale,” a Beatrix Potter story about the importance of family and the wonderful freedom of being you. The show is recommended for youngsters age five to eight. ITC is the award-winning resident, professional touring ensemble of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. There will be face painting, story time, snacks and other activities, all for $10 per ticket, with all proceeds going to Ready Readers. To make your reservation, call 314-564-8070.

SWIRL, SNIFF AND SIP, the annual wine-tasting party in support of Kids in the Middle, is coming up on Friday, Feb. 26 at St. Louis Cellars, 2640 S. Big Bend Boulevard in Maplewood. The evening includes a variety of wines, specialty beers and hors d’oeuvres for $75 per person ($35 is tax deductible), but for $100 as a Bottle Sponsor you can have your name imprinted on the bottle. To make your reservation to support counseling for kids in the middle of their parents’ divorce, call Crystal Cox at 314-909-9922 ext. 116 or email her at [email protected].

Kids in the Middle is a non-profit organization that provides counseling, education and support for kids and families when parents decide to separate and divorce. It helps kids talk about what bugs them about the divorce and helps them to cope with their fears, anxiety, depression and anger. The organization also teaches parents how to help their children through these difficult changes. Most importantly Kids in the Middle helps parents communicate with each other without conflict to provide kids with safe, loving homes. Housed in Kirkwood, the organization provides services there as well as at 20 schools in St. Louis, and at the Juvenile Court Building in the city. So from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on the 26th you can enjoy a glass or two of wine and know that you are helping kids in the middle of a divorce.

BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP, the much beloved teddy bear-themed retail business, is on the search for Huggable Heroes — young leaders from age 8 to 18 who have made positive contributions in their communities and around the world. Now in its seventh year of recognizing youngsters called Huggable Heroes, Build-A-Bear Workshop will award 10 in 2010, each with a prize worth $7,500 to $10,000 in the form of educational scholarships and $2,500 from the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation to be donated to the non-profit charity of each Huggable Hero’s choice. Over the years Build-A-Bear Workshop has heard thousands of amazing stories of young people who do things both big and small to help improve other people’s lives. Projects have ranged from helping children in underdeveloped countries to supporting cancer and diabetes research, organizing toy drives and sending care packages to our troops overseas.

Build-A-Bear was founded in 1997 in St. Louis by Maxine Clark. Now Chairman and Chief Executive Bear, Clark has received numerous awards for both her business acumen and for her generosity. Today there are more than 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide. When they are selected, this year’s Huggable Heroes will also meet at B-A-B’s world headquarters, where they will meet one another and participate in a photo shoot for the 2011 Huggable heroes Build-A-Bear Workshop Calendar. Boys and girls ages 8 to 18 are eligible, and they may even nominate themselves by visiting buildabear.com/huggableheroes or by picking up an entry form at a participating Build-A-Bear Workshop. Nominations will be accepted through Feb. 26, 2010.

“KIDS WITH ASTHMA CAN” is a free, public event for children with asthma and their parents. The event takes place on Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club, 4245 N. Kingshighway Boulevard, and is sponsored by the St. Louis Regional Asthma Consortium. It is family-oriented and features a play, “Buster Has Asthma,” at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., followed by an “Ask the Doctor About Asthma” session for parents and an activity for children. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 314-977-8253 or visit www.asthma-stlouis.org.