Shared Experience
by Claire Wood
Shawn Stoffel deployed to Afghanistan two weeks after his daughter Riley was born. When Shawn came home ten months later, Riley immediately knew her father’s face and voice from video recordings of bedtime stories he made before he left. United Through Reading provides recording capabilities and story books, allowing military families to continue the simple yet comforting routine of reading together, an invaluable tool for literacy and strong family bonds. […]
Community Connection
by Terri Barnes
When NYC teacher Alvin Irby saw one of his first grade students wait impatiently for his haircut at the local barbershop, it gave him an idea: Put children’s books in barbershops, specifically those serving black communities. Recipient of the 2017 Innovations in Reading Prize, Barbershop Books provides a growing number of barbershops across the United States a selection of children’s books aimed especially at boys ages four to eight, leveraging the power of male influences to help young boys become readers. […]
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. […]
