Reading / Literacy

A Little Free Library loving third-grader on the power of books

"They fuel our minds like cars and gas" - Madison I think we might have met the poster child for the Little Free Library phenomenon. Her name is Madison and she is a third grader at Wade Park, a Cleveland public school. She was interviewed as part of a feature on the "huge impact" of Little Free Libraries for  WKYC. Needless to say she stole the show. [youtube]http://youtu.be/GGHeh6OPhg4[/youtube] Full story at WKYC h/t The Root

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American Education Week Salutes Public Schools

  NEA President Lily Eskelsen García attends Mrs. Wesby's 1st grade class at Shwab Elementary School in Nashville, Tenn., on November 17, 2104  Happy American Education Week!   This year’s theme is "Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility" and "presents all Americans with a wonderful opportunity to celebrate public education and honor individuals who are making a difference in ensuring that every child receives a quality education."       How it began: Alarmed that 25 percent of the country's World War I draftees were illiterate, representatives of the National Education Association and the American Legion met in...

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After years of military rule books and hope are returning to Myanmar

After decades of repression and censorship the people of Myanmar are getting their books and libraries back! Since the military leadership lost power in 2011, the country has developed a network of mobile libraries to compensate for the vast network of public libraries that are in various states of disarray. Through the non-profit Daw Khin Kyi Foundation foundation, created by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and new leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, resources are being harnessed "to promote health, education and living standards". As you can imagine, little energy went to the development or care of the library system during military rule. The libraries were...

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First Editions / Second Thoughts: A Book Collectors Dream Auction to Benefit Pen America

Outlined in ink and filled with a deep crimson oil paint, the words “PAST STUFF” have been hand-painted on the front cover of the third volume of Ed Ruscha’s Catalogue Raisonné of the Paintings by Ruscha. Underscoring this work’s unique quality, traces of the brushstroke are visible in the paint, and the hand-painted letters have wavering borders. A red censor-like block has also been painted over Ruscha’s name on the text’s spine.  The goal of the Pen American Center is simple and to be supported at all cost:  To defend freedom of expression and to celebrate the literature that such freedom...

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November is Picture Book Month

  Picture Book Month  is an international literacy initiative celebrating the print picture book. Founded by author & storyteller Dianne de Las Casas the goal is to simply share the love of the picture book.  In this digital age where people are predicting the coming death of print books, picture books (the print kind) need love. And the world needs picture books. There’s nothing like the physical page turn of a beautifully crafted picture book Every day in November, there is a new post from a picture book champion explaining why he/she thinks picture books are important. The website features tons of activities and a teacher's guide to help...

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