The Night of a Million Readers

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On April 23rd, the charity, World Book Night will be promoting literacy and the love of reading through having volunteers distributing a million books – free. Their goal is to share the joy of reading with at least a million adults and teens who don’t read, or only read lightly. A list of 30 books is provided from which the approved distributors can choose. So…what are you waiting for? Continue reading

Sunday Salon: The Power of Language and Literacy

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Whether we like it or not, we are judged on how effectively we can communicate. Learning the mechanics is not enough. Learning to understand the context of what is read and how it applies to life, both personally and professionally, is as important. And we must start with our children. They need as much access to printed material as they can get. Families need to build and maintain a home library for the entire family. And remember is it not just for show. It should be one of the most visited and active parts of your home.
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This Holiday, Give Literacy as a Gift

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For me, the best part of my job is watching children and young adults find that special book; a treasure they clutch to their chest and/or start reading as soon as they pull it off the shelf. This is why I encourage the support of any program that helps create and build upon this passion, knowing it will be a part of them all of their lives. Literacy cannot be undervalued – ever. Continue reading

What is this New-Gen you speak of?

I feel the main point here is not about the state of book reviewing, but this identification of a “new generation” of reader and how or even if we should change what we do and how we do it. How concerned should we be that this New-Gen reader may be a death knell to this “cultural product” called book reviewing? Continue reading

Storytelling: A Resource Worth Saving

Traditional knowledge, as expressed in storytelling, does much for the cultures where it has been developed and is still practiced. It is also an aspect of culture we should all share and preserve, as in a way; it is part of us all as a society.

We can only benefit from the richness and diversity it offers, and we will lose much if it is exploited, or worse destroyed. Continue reading

Lost In Translation

Modernity has opened the doors to many things; culture benefiting the most. Through art and literature, we are truly a global society. But those cultures require a way to travel so they can be studied, understood, and appreciated.

For those of us who love to read, we learn about others through the art of storytelling, whether it is fiction or non-fiction.

And since there is no global language, it is imperative we have those people within our society who are able to help us comprehend those cultures and all that they have to offer, including (and especially) their nuances. Continue reading

Sunday Salon: Revelation Through Evaluation

For any of you who read books, regardless if you then rate and review them publicly, I suggest you take a look at Shannon Hale’s post and answer her questions. You may find some aspects of your reading personality revealed that will surprise you. Perhaps you will re-evaluate what you read and how you read it; how you express yourself and your opinion to others. Continue reading

A Canon Under Fire

There is no clear cut answer, no cookie cutter way of pleasing everyone, everywhere, every time. Parents do need to be involved in their child’s education. That is a given. However, a school board should never have subjugated themselves in such a fashion. It sets a precedence for those in the ideological majority believing they are justified in taking away the choices of those in the minority. Continue reading