Carol Gordon wrote an interesting article in November 2010 School Library Journal, examining 7 commonly held beliefs about reading and what studies show in relation to those beliefs: 1. Young people get better at reading by reading, just as they learn by doing 2. The social aspects associated with reading are motivational 3. Free choice is a factor in reading motivation 4. Free voluntary reading is as effective, or more effective, than direct instruction 5. People will read when they have access to reading materials 6. It is important to design inclusive summer reading for all students 7. The pleasure hypothesis – reading is itsRead More →

Letters About Literature is a national reading promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, presented in partnership with Target and the Arizona Center for the Book at the Arizona State Library. The contest invites young readers to write a personal letter to an author, reflecting on how that author’s work somehow changed their view of the world or themselves. State and national prizes are awarded. The national winners will receive a $500 Target Gift Card, plus each will secure a $10,000 LAL Reading Promotion Grant in his/her name for a community or school library so that others can experience personal relationshipsRead More →

What impact, if any, does access to print material have on our children’s reading? In an unprecedented, near- exhaustive search uncovering 11,000 reports and analyzing 108 of the most relevant studies, children’s book lending and ownership programs were shown to have positive behavioral, educational, and psychological outcomes. The study, “Children’s Access to Print Material and Education-Related Outcomes,” was commissioned by Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and conducted by Learning Point Associates, a nonprofit education research and consulting organization and affiliate of American Institutes for Research (AIR). Read more about the study at RIF’s Literacy Issues page.Read More →

School Library Journal’s  Debra Lau Whelan (September 30, 2010) reports: If you’re excited—or confused—about the future of ebooks but don’t know which ereader to buy or the role of digital books in your school, you’re not alone. These issues, along with ways to incorporate ebooks into lessons and present them to students in a cohesive way were among the compelling issues explored yesterday during “Ebooks: Libraries at the Tipping Point,” the first virtual summit brought to you by School Library Journal and Library Journal. Read the entire SLJ articleRead More →

Publisher’s Weeklyreports:  Last week, 21 YA authors debuted “The Contemps,” a web site dedicated to promoting realistic teen fiction to readers, librarians, and booksellers. “As much as we love other genres, the marketplace can feel dominated by paranormal, fantasy and dystopian novels,” said Contemps cofounder Lisa Schroeder in a statement. “We want to celebrate the unique way that contemporary stories help teens feel they’re not alone in this real world.” The site will feature posts by the participating authors (each of whom has a book being published within the coming year), contests, and other activities.Read More →

Publisher’s Weekly (1/25/10) reports: Monday marked the official launch of inkpop, an interactive writing platform and community for teenagers created by the HarperTeen imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books. Inkpop serves as an online community for young writers; the publisher calls inkpop the “anchor” of its digital strategy for the teen market. “As with all of our online consumer programs, the concept of community-building is aligned with our ongoing corporate digital marketing efforts to cultivate a two-way dialogue with our readers,” said Susan Katz, president and publisher of HarperCollins Children’s Books, in a statement. “Inkpop provides us with an interactive platform to engage directly with ourRead More →

The real and the virtual mesh in Penguin Young Readers Group’s new campaign to promote Vampire Academy Signature Edition, a hardcover edition of the first volume of Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series. Razorbill released the book on November 25 with a 100,000-copy first printing. The campaign employs Augmented Reality (AR), a new wave of interactive online technology that brings a flat image to life with additional content when the image is held up to a Webcam. Visit Penguin’s Official Vampire Academy Site and read the full article in Publisher’s Weekly.  It’s totally cool!Read More →

November 3, 2009 was RIF’s (Reading is Fundamental) 43rd birthday!  Founded in 1966, RIF is the oldest and largest children’s and family nonprofit literacy organization in the United States. RIF’s highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8. Through community volunteers in every state and U.S. territory, RIF provides 4.5 million children with 16 million new, free books and literacy resources each year.  All RIF programs combine three essential elements to foster children’s literacy: reading motivation, family and community involvement, and the excitement of choosing free books to keep.  RIF’s accomplishments are due in part to the generous support of the U.S. Department ofRead More →