Last Rays of Summer Reading
Enjoy those last rays. Happy Reading! Original Artwork by Grace Ahmed
What’s New
Articles by CLiF Staff
Mr. Tim’s Bike
By Caroline Jones Let me begin by saying that “Mr. Tim’s Bike” sounds like an awesome children’s book, and someone should get started on writing it right now. We can talk later about splitting the profits. So here’s the deal: Mr. Tim is a para-educator at J. J. Flynn Elementary School in Burlington, and I … Continued
If you’re a parent and…your child has no imaginary friend
Like countless other children, my son recently saw the acclaimed new Disney Pixar movie, Inside Out. And like countless other parents, I quietly wept through just about the entire movie. Among the many striking moments, characters, and messages in the film was one specific creature who got me thinking – Bing Bong, the since-forgotten imaginary … Continued
Cure for Jet Lag
By Caroline Jones Someone once told me that the best way to cure jet lag is to spend a day surrounded by high-energy children, bumping around the state of Vermont from one CLiF event to the next like a pinball whose internal clock is seven hours ahead. I’m not sure how medically sound that advice … Continued
Growing up CLiF
By Caroline Jones, CLiF’s Summer Intern I know what you’re thinking: “Who is that budding reader and aspiring politician in the blue dress in the front row? Why is she in this group of small children holding books with pre-scream Governor Dean in this painfully ‘90’s photo?” Fear not, faithful readers. ‘Tis I, Caroline, CLiF’s … Continued
Books Abroad
Embarking for a recent family vacation, I knew that books would be an important ingredient for the first international trip with my nine-month-old daughter, Nora. Six flights and countless retellings of The Pout-Pout Fish later, I was grateful for the durability of the humble board book. What I didn’t count on, however, was that books … Continued
Mothers and Kids: Togetherness
At CLiF, much of our work occurs behind the scenes. We spend many hours scheduling events, organizing logistics, communicating with coordinators who are on the ground in various communities throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. While we love what we do, nothing compares to hanging up the phone, logging off our email, and stepping out from … Continued
Spread the Word: CLiF is seeking a summer intern
The Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) is looking for an energetic, intelligent, and motivated Summer Intern. This individual will receive an in-depth introduction to how a busy and productive non-profit is run. CLiF seeks an intern with a strong interest in literacy and children to work in the Waterbury Center office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays … Continued
Sustaining Momentum through Creativity
What do skiing, books, and microcontrollers all have in common? The CLiF Community Literacy Conference, of course! In all honesty, the skiing was only a background as attendees sat slopeside in the conference room at The Mountain Club on Loon. While the spring skiers glided past the window, teachers, principals, librarians, and other eager past, … Continued
If you’re a parent and…you’ve got a slugger
Well, maybe not a “slugger.” More like a clunker. His pitching is anything but fast, his tiny hands can barely close his glove, let alone catch with it, and he usually forgets to run the bases when his bat finally makes contact with the ball. No matter. It’s baseball season, and my son is itching … Continued
General / If you're a parent and...
If you are a parent and… your child learns to read
I’ll be honest – I burst into tears. At first I didn’t believe it. Emmett’s friend (who is nine) had been sitting with him looking at a book when she alerted me: Emmett can read. I said, “What?! Really? Are you sure?” “Watch,” was her response. She pointed to the word car, and Emmett said, … Continued
CLiF Spotlight: The “girl book” problem
I was caught off guard by a recent Twitter conversation started by Shannon Hale, author of the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy and many others. The powers that be at this school decided that regardless of her qualifications as a presenter, Hale was for girls – and boys wouldn’t be interested. … Continued
General / If you're a parent and...
If you are a parent and… learning to ski leads to a teachable moment
When the temperature sneaks above 20 and the sun pokes out of the winter grey, I seize the opportunity to take my son skiing. He’s gone a handful of times, and each trip out to the slopes is a clean slate. I never know if our day will end within minutes with chilled fingers and tears or … Continued
CLiF Spotlight: Why Book Drives Work
Define “the best.” Here are three possible answers: Indie bookstores, the people who support them, and the people who run them. This year, the generous patrons of five bookstores donated 789 books to the low-income, at-risk, and rural kids CLiF serves. The first wave of these books arrived in mid-December, brightening the holidays for many kids. Just like every … Continued
CLiF Spotlight: National Readathon Day
What better way to spend a cold winter Saturday afternoon than reading? This Saturday, January 24 is the first National Readathon Day. A project of the National Book Foundation, GoodReads, Mashable, and Penguin Random House, National Readathon Day aims to raise awareness about the millions of Americans who struggle with low literacy skills. From noon to 4 … Continued
Happy New Year!
Wishing you a 2015 filled with reading, writing, and joy! Original artwork by Grace Ahmed.
CLiF Spotlight: Family Holiday Dinners, or the Best Events Ever
I love this season. I love that so many cultures have holidays this time of year, when it’s cold and the nights are darkest and we’re most in need of shared light and warmth. It’s hard to pick a favorite CLiF event, but our holiday family events for Year of the Book communities are right up … Continued
General / If you're a parent and...
If you are a parent and… every day is Thanksgiving
As parents we often exhaust ourselves prodding our kids to use their manners: “Remember to say please.” “How do you ask nicely?” “What’s the magic word?” “What do you say now?” We want them to be polite, appreciative, socially appropriate beings, and sometimes forcing them to use manners doesn’t feel like the most effective or … Continued