Shared Experience
by Karen Pavlicin-Fragnito
Reading Shakespeare in prisons is not new, but doing so in solitary confinement, with those considered to be the most dangerous and hardened inmates, was unheard of—until Laura Bates gave it a try. Laura’s book Shakespeare Saved My Life shares the success of her Supermax program and the transformation of convicted killer Larry Newton. Though he’ll spend his life in prison with no chance of parole, Larry says he’s free. Laura’s book has prompted other prisons to set up similar programs. […]
Turn the Page
by Naomi Krueger
Children’s librarian John Schumacher, otherwise known as Mr. Schu by his students and Twitter followers, reads an average of 2,000 children’s books a year and posts his recommendations for books with staying power. Elected to the Newbery Committee, John takes his love of books way beyond a few blog posts. His road trip to promote Katherine Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan took him to the zoo in Atlanta where he met the real-life inspiration for Ivan. The gorilla even autographed John’s book. […]
Beyond the Flap
by Terri Barnes
Bestselling author James Patterson doesn’t just make millions. He also gives away millions, in scholarships for teachers, grants to independent bookstores, and programs for young readers. In this exclusive interview, he talks about the influence of his advertising career, his preference for collaborative writing, why he feels it’s important we have “really good bookstores,” and why getting kids to read is a “bit of an obsession” for him. […]
