Valentine’s Day/Nor’easter edition! Just got in from shoveling, so let’s start with a pick-me up:

• Those kids reading aloud to shelter cats that went viral this week.
  The Animal Rescue League of Berks County, PA started a Book Buddies program when their program coordinator noticed her son preferred reading to a feline audience. From their website: “He struggled with reading at school and so she brought him in to read to the cats and he loved it so much, he asked to come back. She knew if her son liked reading to the cats, then other children would as well.” Click on the pictures to start the slideshow.
•  We also loved this story of jazz musicians in the New Orleans Public Library promoting literacy through music and reading.

And we have a couple of links to share from within the CLiF community:

• Check out the Year of the Book page set up by Lisbon Regional School in Lisbon, NH. This is a great idea: an online, multimedia place for the community to learn about Year of the Book info, events, and book giveaways.
• Here on the blog we’re happy to welcome new guest blogger Caitlin Corless. Her column, Middle Ground, covers middle grade and young adult books. Read her first post here.
• Finally, check out our Valentine’s Day card to all our e-news subscribers (and if you haven’t yet subscribed, you can do so here).
• And if you’re looking for a way to show your sweetheart, parent, child, or friend you care without heading for the candy aisle, consider a gift to CLiF in his or her honor. Make a gift in honor by noon today and we’ll email you a special valentine for you to give them. And a child in need will receive a couple of brand new books. That’s spreading the love!

Happy Friday!