The CLiF staff is a team of readers and writers dedicated to sharing our passions with children and families. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that when you ask the CLiF team what they’re reading, rarely do you get a short answer. Here are some of the books on our bedside tables. Duncan Why Be … Continued
After five years and four months, the end of December marks the end of my time as CLiF’s Communications Manager. I’m pursuing my dreams of being a professional writer, going full-time at my other part-time job as a staff writer for my local paper, with two books on the way. It’s time for me to … Continued
The holidays are a time of giving and you can give a special gift to a child by purchasing a book at a participating book store. Each year, independent booksellers across Vermont and New Hampshire collect new books for the low-income, at-risk, and rural kids (12 and under) whom CLiF serves. You can help spread … Continued
On Giving Tuesday, our generous donors helped us raise over $4,000 to support writing workshops in Manchester, NH and Highgate, VT as part of our Year of the Book grant program. One of the goals of the Year of the Book program is to increase enthusiasm for reading and writing and encourage kids to do … Continued
It’s Giving Tuesday, a day to give back to causes you care about. Your donations to CLiF will be matched today (up to $10,000 total)! Double the impact you make on a child’s life. This Giving Tuesday, we’re trying to raise $20,000 to support multi-day writing workshops for low-income, at-risk, and rural kids (12 and … Continued
Writing is an essential skill for children’s success in school and beyond. It helps kids express themselves and process their emotions, develop necessary communication and comprehension skills, and use their imaginations. It can also be a great way to tell family stories and connect to others in their communities. CLiF’s $25,000 Year of the Book … Continued
As adults, it can seem as though discussions about climate change are ubiquitous, yet it is not a given that children will always receive a reliable education about it in their formal schooling. Indeed, as one of the prevalent concerns of contemporary times, it is vital parents take responsibility for broaching the issue early on. … Continued
General / Book Club for Grown-ups
When: Friday, November 19, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. EST Where: Anywhere! (via Zoom) Register here. Join us this month for a virtual Young Adult (YA) Night with author Meg Kearney (pictured above), author/librarian Erin Moulton, writer/educator Beth Little, and librarian Yahira Vallario. Open to all ages. The panel will discuss the genre, trends, book recommendations, … Continued
General / Research / Education
CLiF celebrated eleven wins this fall – we kicked off all of our Year of the Book partnerships with in-person events! As we have navigated another fall of closures, shortages, and sickness, we have also succeeded in so many ways. Here are some articles and research pertinent to literacy work in our ever-evolving world. Thank … Continued
Every other year, CLiF offers its Rural LIbrary Conference – a gathering for Vermont and New Hampshire librarians to learn from each other and to gain practical advice on programming, collection developments, grant writing, policy creation, outreach, and more. This year, CLiF will move to a virtual format. This three-day event, held November 30 – … Continued
General / Presenter Profiles / CLiF Spotlight
CLiF would like to introduce or re-introduce you to Amy Huntington of Willliston, VT. Amy has new books coming out in 2021 and 2022, and is featured in a new exhibit at the TW Gallery in Montpelier, VT, The Art of Stories: A Vermont Picture Book Exhibit. To celebrate this exhibit and Amy’s new books, CLiF … Continued
Reading is one of the most important skills that help a child develop. However, as many parents know, helping children learn to read is not an easy task. But if you approach this issue creatively, you may be surprised to find out that it takes a few games to make this process simple and fun. … Continued
CLiF is hiring! We’re looking for a part-time (24 hours/week) Communications Manager to join our team. Work will be based in our Waterbury Center, VT HQ, though may be remote during the pandemic. We’re looking for a dynamic communications professional to manage our external communications, media relations, and overall outreach. Communications duties include: pitching media … Continued
A few weeks ago, I spent a cold Wednesday morning waking up before the crack of dawn, and driving 45 minutes to Edmunds Elementary School in Burlington, Vermont to spread the opportunity to fall in love with literature and reading through CLiF’s Year of the Book program. It was just under 40˚, and I was … Continued
Calling young writers 12 and under in New Hampshire and Vermont – submit to the Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) Halloween writing contest! Send your spookiest (or silliest) Halloween story to danny@clifonline.org by October 31, 2021. Please include your name, age, and mailing address (so we can send the winners books – you will not be … Continued
For my first CLiF event, I went to the Year of the Book kick-off at Braintree Elementary School in Braintree, Vermont. As a smaller school, they have fewer than 100 students, but it was clear to me from the get-go that this didn’t prevent them from instilling a strong love of reading in the kids’ … Continued
I was that kid on the playground who always had a book in my hands. I was excited to do elaborate book reports and talk about the books we read and often disappointed by my classmates’ disinterest. I got teased for being a dork. This made me think I should be ashamed of doing the … Continued
When I was in third grade, I was given a journal to write in, and approximately 20 minutes every day in class to work in it. It was left fairly open-ended: do math problems, write a diary entry, doodle, practice your cursive. While I can’t speak to what the others in my class did, I … Continued
CLiF has served over 350,000 children since 1998.