April is National Poetry Month and we’re kicking it off by celebrating the talented young poets who bravely submitted their work to our Kids’ Poetry Contest. We were so impressed with the dozens of submissions we received and are proud to share these students’ work (with their permission)*. Winners and runners up were selected in … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight / Education
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to Karen Gross of Bennington, VT and Washington, DC. Karen is an educator and author, writing books for both children (early-childhood through Grade 6) and adults. Her Lady Lucy Series is well-known and has been read to over 3000 children across the globe. Watch a clip of Karen’s presentation from CLiF’s … Continued
Literacy is one of the most important abilities we can pass on to children. This is not just vital from a technical life skills perspective, either. Reading, writing, and communications skills open us all up to a diverse and rich world. They help us to connect more deeply with one another and better understand the … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight / Education
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to David Martin of Lyndonville, VT. David likes to write books about animals for new readers. He only saw himself as a writer after reading lots of books to his own kids, and never thought he would leave New York City. Watch a clip of David’s presentation … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight / Education
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to Natalie Kinsey-Warnock of Glover, VT. Many of Natalie’s book borrow from her life in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. She describes herself: “I am an athlete, naturalist, artist and writer…I am an outdoorswoman, enjoying hiking astronomy, bird watching, and creating watercolor and pastel paintings of wildflowers, birds, and landscapes. … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight / Education
CLiF’s wrapped up its virtual storytelling series on April 7. Thank you to everyone who participated! End-of-Winter Schedule: Wednesday, March 10, 1 p.m. – Meet author/genealogist Natalie Kinsey-Warnock; watch her presentation hereWednesday, March 17, 1 p.m. – Meet author/musician David Martin; watch his presentation hereWednesday, March 24, 1 p.m. – Meet author/educator Karen Gross; watch her presentation hereWednesday, … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight / Education
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to Terry Farish of Kittery, ME/Portsmouth, NH. Terry writes children and young adult books. She writes about the New American experience, and, as she wrote, “to understand us in our small world.” Watch a clip of Terry’s presentation from CLiF’s Virtual Author’s Series here. Things to think about: Here … Continued
Racism isn’t something any person is born with. It’s something that is taught. Unfortunately, it is often taught by actions, rather than words. We live in a society where it’s easy for kids to learn about racism very early on, so it’s important to be honest and open about what it is, what it means, … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight / Education
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to Gina Perry of North Hampton, NH. Gina writes and illustrates her own books, and illustrates for other authors. Watch a clip of Gina’s presentation from CLiF’s Virtual Author’s Series. Things to think about: Here are a few ways to get to know Gina’s work better: CLiF has created … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight / Education
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to Jim Arnosky of South Ryegate, VT. Jim, self taught in writing, art and the natural sciences, has written and illustrated over 130 books on nature subjects and has illustrated 46 other books written by various authors. Jim loves to fish, boat, and play his guitar. In his … Continued
You might be tempted to dismiss outbursts and temper tantrums as “kids being kids,” and while emotional reactions such as crying, frustration, hunger, and pain are normal, your child never learning how to healthily manage their emotions is not. Children aren’t born knowing how to cope with their feelings, and the adults in their lives … Continued
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to Linda Urban of Montpelier, VT. Linda wrote: “In my books, I write about the small things that matter in a big way.” She writes picture, early chapter, and middle grade books. Watch a clip of Linda’s presentation from CLiF’s Virtual Author’s Series here. Things to think about: … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight / Education
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to Steve Swinburne of South Londonderry, VT. Steve is a life-long naturalist and explorer of wild places. “As an author, I love writing about wildlife and this amazing and beautiful planet we share. As a guitar and ukulele player, I love connecting music and nature.” Watch his intro video! … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight / Education
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to Marek Bennett of Henniker, NH. Marek – a comic, musician, and educator – creates comic books based on primary sources and real experiences and places. Marek’s work ranges from his newest book – Sharjah Sketchbook about art, education, immigration & more in the Middle East – to the Freeman Colby … Continued
Kids need books. Access to books is the number one way to ensure kids develop strong literacy skills, which are crucial to their future success. Books help develop empathy, vocabulary, and comprehension. They also provide a positive escape for many children from the challenges in their lives. They can be a connection to a larger … Continued
CLiF Note: Susan Elliot and our friends at P.E.O. International recently gave a presentation on CLiF’s work to their group and collected new books and donations for low-income, at-risk, and rural kids. Consider giving or hosting a CLiF team member to give a short presentation what CLiF makes possible for kids to your club or … Continued
You did it! You helped us raise $17,363 for new books for children with incarcerated parents on Giving Tuesday! You made this our most successful Giving Tuesday ever! Thanks to our generous friends, Rick and Linda Roesch, who matched all donations up to $5,000. Hundreds of children will receive new books from their incarcerated parents … Continued
This week, we give thanks for the things that make us grateful, and that’s you! All of us at CLiF appreciate the support our friends give us, which allows us to give thousands of low-income, at-risk, and rural kids each year memorable literacy programming and new books! The kids we serve appreciate your support, too. … Continued
CLiF has served over 350,000 children since 1998.