This July, we celebrate the 250th birthday of the American Declaration of Independence. The celebrations revolve around that fateful July 4th, and rightfully so, but often overlooked in the festivities is the nature of the Founders to want a good and smart nation. Enlightenment era math, science, and philosophy occupied much of the late-night eating […]
Ben Franklin and the First Library Read More »
Hi! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Simran Chugani. I believe in fairies. I believe that tire swings and monkey bars can cure an afternoon low. I believe a good poem is the greatest magic in the world, and a bad movie is the greatest way to make a friend. I believe in
I Believe in Fairies Read More »
As writers who serve with the Florida Writers Foundation, we’re passionate about improving literacy skills in our home state, an issue that extends far beyond our ability to sell books. While state data shows some improvement in student literacy, the national trend for both students and adults reveals a decline in reading scores since 2022.
Beyond the Numbers: How Literacy Affects Millions of Floridians Read More »
Diego Gallegos on the Love of Reading By Nylda Dieppa “ I just really couldn’t imagine my life without reading.” Diego Gallegos I recently had the pleasure of interviewing my eleven-year-old grandson Diego Gallegos about his Orange County Regional Spelling Bee win, his love of reading, and how reading has impacted his life.
Diego Gallegos on the Love of Reading Read More »
When Trent and I were looking for a place to live together, we agreed that Newaygo, Michigan, was one of the few places that would work for both of us. It was under two hours from his teenage daughter in Battle Creek. It had woods and a river for Trent. It had a library and
It started with the Newaygo Public Library Read More »
When I was little, I used to sit in the closet of my father’s office surrounded by books. I would open them and look through the pages wishing I could read. By the time I learned, I spent the rest of my life catching up, reading as many books as I could. I am a
Literacy Saves Lives Read More »
My town, Maitland, is small. So is Maitland Public Library. But it’s our library and it’s a treasure, a beating heart of the community from the get-go. It occurs to me that a ridiculously high number of my most satisfying experiences as a writer have taken place within its venerable walls, and within those of
A Heartfelt Thank You to Libraries Read More »
Literacy is the ability to read, write, and comprehend proficiently. Those who are literate have the world by the tail. They can get through school without the stigma of being insufficient; without the pressure of being “found out”’; without the crushing weight of feeling they are unworthy, unnecessary, and less than everyone around them. They
Literacy, You, and Me Read More »
As we celebrate another holiday season, gift-giving tops our to-do lists. As writers—and this may be preaching to the choir—we have a perspective on that both personal and universal. Most of us have books on our wish lists. We want books, and constant reading anchors our growth as writers. But asking for books also helps
The Gift of Reading Read More »
In a public high school in the Midwest, mid-1970s: Something I had said, done, written, or scored on an aptitude test got me slotted into advanced-placement English class. I don’t recall having any say in the assignment. Regardless, it wasn’t working; for me. Henry James? Steinbeck, Faulkner, the Brontë sisters, Fitzgerald? I didn’t get them. I
From Sweathog To Reader, or How Ice-Nine Saved Me Read More »
