Libraries Are So Much More Than Books!
Yesterday I sent a nine-year-old boy home from the library with three juggling balls and four balloon animals.
What’s New
If You’re A Parent And…You Need Graphic Novel Recommendations
My 8-year-old has discovered graphic novels. This format makes me feel old – I know my mom read comic books as a kid, but I could not understand the appeal of the graphic novel. I remember a conversation with a school librarian who said she needed to take a class to learn to read them. … Continued
Why Writing Matters As Much As Reading
My first grade teacher, Mrs. A., told me I could be a writer. For a voracious young reader, this revelation was life-changing. I’d loved to read and make up my own stories from a very young age, and while my parents encouraged it, no one had ever read one of my stories and told me … Continued
Who Decides What Kids Can Read?
Did you know it’s Banned Books Week (September 25 – October 1, 2016)? According to bannedbooksweek.org, “The Banned Books Week Coalition is a national alliance of diverse organizations joined by a commitment to increase awareness of the annual celebration of the freedom to read. The Coalition seeks to engage various communities and inspire participation in Banned Books … Continued
CLiF Spotlight: CLiF’s Write to Read Contest!
Looking for a fun project for your students that will result in a new set of classroom books? Read more about CLiF’s first book giveaway contest! The book giveaway is a key component of all CLiF programs. Research proves that if kids can chose their own book, then they will be more likely to read … Continued
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Blog Gives Young Readers a Voice
When my library first began our youth book group a few years ago, there was one girl who never missed a meeting. She loved to read, and she always left the library with a smile and a big stack of books in her arms.
If You’re a Parent and…Your Child Wants a New Pet
My daughter lobbied hard for a fish. I put it off until after summer travels, but I had to make good on my promise after Labor Day. I got a book about caring for fish out of the library; I wanted us prepared for the cleaning, feeding, and choosing the correct fish for our environment … Continued
CLiF Completes Year of the Book Research
In 2015, CLiF received a grant from the Canaday Family Charitable Trust to study whether schools that had received a Year of the Book Grant (YOB) were able to sustain their momentum around literacy once the grant ended. CLiF contracted with Evergreen Evaluation and Consulting, Inc. (EEC) to conduct an external evaluation that addressed the following questions: How … Continued
Celebrating Remarkable Women
This summer we’ve been basking in the glory of so many female heroes, in politics and in sports especially. I didn’t get to watch much of the summer Olympics, but I sure did read about many of the extraordinary feats of athleticism and personal, political and historic victory. Many of the young female athletes from … Continued
Forget the Kids, Time for Mom and Dad to Head Back to School!
As summer ends, we all begin to think about preparing our children for the school year to come – new backpacks, sneakers, pencils, and notebooks. You have double and triple-checked the list that you received in July – outlining everything that your child will need in the year to come, but you stop to wonder … Continued
If You’re a Parent and…Harry Potter is an Obsession
I missed the original Harry Potter buzz – I’m not sure how as I worked in a bookstore off and on from 1996-2002, during which the first four books were released. I made up for this last week, when I got swept up in my eight-year-old’s excitement over Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I could … Continued
Changing Ideologies; My First Time in a Prison
Recently, while scrolling Facebook, I found myself stopping to watch a video comparing prisons in Norway to those in the United States. Before clicking on the video, my heart had already sunk to the bottom of my chest – I knew exactly what was coming next, but I still wanted to know more. I wanted … Continued
The BFG is Back in a Giant Way
In my experience the movie version of a book is almost never as good as the actual book.
CLiF Spotlight: Summer Readers Celebrates!
July 4th has come and gone, but during the holiday, NBC reported Americans celebrated by: Traveling: 43 million Americans traveled this Independence Day weekend. This represents the highest fourth of July travel volume on record. Eating: approximately 150 million hot dogs were consumed as 64% of Americans attended a barbeque or picnic, according to Wallethub. Shopping: the National Retail … Continued
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Independence Day from all of us here at CLiF!
If You’re a Parent and…You Aim for a Less-Screen-Summer
In most of my life roles, I can feel overwhelmed by the information on how to be or do them better, how we can achieve that ideal balance where all parties (kids, friends, coworkers, and family members) feel heard, valued, and bolstered as individuals and also “team” members. No where do, I think, we as … Continued
CLiF is Hiring!
Are you an enthusiastic, organized professional with communications experience and a love of literacy? CLiF seeks a part-time Communications Manager to manage our external communications, media relations, and overall outreach. CLiF has a small, committed staff and an 18-year history of substantial growth and results. Communications duties include: pitching media stories and op-ed essays to … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
Cece Bell and the Superhero Power of Stories
El Deafo is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel about a young rabbit who loses most of her hearing at the very young age of five.