General / Book Recommendations
If you have ever had a small child living in your home, chances are there are several Dr. Seuss books lying around. He is, after all, the best-selling children’s author of all time. Did you ever notice, though, that there are two different types Dr. Seuss books? Quite frankly, until recently, I did not. In 1937, … Continued
My girls are trying to figure out life by living, learning, testing, playing, fighting, and reading. Reading is the cool trick we do every night before bed. After a long day of living, learning, testing, playing and fighting, it’s like a much needed form of therapy, but the relaxing, entertaining variety (if there is such … Continued
Photo credit: http://www.blog.thehoya.com/i-got-a-pocket-got-a-pocket-full-of-poems/ That’s right. Find your favorite poem (even one you wrote), scribble it on a piece of paper, and put it in your pocket when you get dressed tomorrow morning. Thursday, April 18 is national Poem in Your Pocket Day, and we’d love for you to join us as we celebrate here at the … Continued
Book Recommendations / How You Can Help
I imagine a long time ago, cavemen and women gave their cave children some food, whatever it may have been, and those cave children duly ate it. Task accomplished. Done. Now everyone start looking for more. Here in America in 2013 things are a might bit different. Just a might. Now that we live in … Continued
CLiF Spotlight / How You Can Help
Queen City Ghostwalk, the Burlington company that has, for over a decade, provided haunted history tours to locals and visitors, has found a delightfully creepy way to celebrate National Poetry Month. On Thursday, April 18th, they will present Fright by Candelight, an evening of dark poetry to benefit CLiF! The program will take include readings from well-known … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
Oh, the cruel and fickle ways of spring! How it one day inspires such hope and joy and enthusiasm, then the next it spits snow in your face and mocks you in your optimistic, non-down jacket. The slant of the sun, the extended daylight, the intermittent peeps of warmth, all turn you against what were … Continued
Flight goggles firmly on their heads, Vermont author and CLiF presenter SS Taylor and New York City illustrator Katherine Roy voyaged to the Newbury Elementary School in Newbury, VT last Friday to give three presentations to all the students from Grade 1 to Grade 6 about the multi-year process they navigated to create their new epic children’s book The Expeditioners.
Are you looking for a creative, rewarding, and flexible job? The Children’s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) is a nonprofit based in Waterbury Center. For 15 years CLiF has inspired a love of reading and writing among more than 140,000 low-income, at-risk, and rural children in almost 400 towns throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. Communications Director: 30-35 … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
People, it’s almost over!!! Winter is almost over! I did not learn this from the Weather Channel, the Farmer’s Almanac, Punxsutawney Phil or the calendar. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel because I know that Sunday is… OPENING DAY OF BASEBALL SEASON!!!! Nothing says summer like the roar of the … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
We at CLiF don’t usually talk about people behind their backs, but, um, can we talk about Jon Klassen for a minute? Okay, are you aware that he won, not one, but two Caldecott Awards this year? Who does that? Honestly, where did this guy come from? What? Oh. Canada, of course. Right. Did you … Continued
CLiF Spotlight / How You Can Help
Here at CLiF we feel lucky to have such a wide range of supporters. We receive donations from authors, educators, retirees, families, small businesses, and foundations, just to name a few. But it’s a rare and touching occasion when a young donor approaches us with an interest in supporting CLiF. That is precisely what happened … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
At our house no one is ever hungry, they are “staaarving!” No one is ever tired, they are “exhaaaausted!” That’s how we roll. To just say things straight would be “sooo incredibly booooring!” And we are not just prone to hyperbole either, we like all types of colorful language, especially idioms. Idioms like… Quit dilly-dallying … Continued
Do you want to get students excited about reading nonfiction? Invite some lizards to school. Twice in the past two years, Lunenburg Elementary School has invited creatures that include reptiles and canines to visit students. The ulterior motive, of course, is to get them to read all sorts of books about dogs, lizards, mushers, snakes, and even … Continued
General / Book Recommendations
Recently, while at the library seeking new reading material for my son, Emmett, two books jumped out at me. Each had an enticing title, intriguing subject matter, and captivating imagery. And Then It’s Spring and Peaceful Piggy Meditation grabbed my interest, and without hesitation, I checked them out and nestled them into our stroller. Though the books are … Continued
At the Highgate Apartments in Barre, VT the quiet of a recent Saturday morning ended abruptly as the unmistakable roar of a race car engine announced to all children within earshot it was time to meet Thunder Road driver Troy Kingsbury, check out his awesome car, and get some cool new books to read.
General / Book Recommendations
Time magazine recently reported on “Why Math Is the Hot New Bedtime Reading.” WHAT? Everyone knows how we here at CLiF feel about books and reading. And I have a particular soft spot for the soothing, relaxing, entertaining bedtime read. I mean, I have been reading my kids into a sleepy stupor for as long … Continued
Recently, the CLiF team visited Newbury Elementary School in Newbury, VT. NES is one of six elementary schools in Vermont and New Hampshire that have received CLiF’s Year of the Book grants. Year of the Book provides around $25,000 worth of fun literacy-based programs, support, and free new books for students to choose and keep … Continued
Ah. The much needed mid-winter break. Who doesn’t need a little rest from the hectic day to day of the school schedule right now? I know that teachers worry that reading and writing skills will slip over break and kids will return to school at the end of the week two steps behind. If you … Continued
CLiF has served over 350,000 children since 1998.