Archive for 2011
Ben Franklin (January 17,1706) and the Public Library
January 17, 2011
How did the public library come to be? Most Americans in the 1730s had limited access to books. They were rare and expensive and there were no public libraries. Only the very wealthy and the clergy had access to large numbers of books and Ben Franklin, being the pragmatist that he was, set to change […]
Awards win readers, but do they grow lifelong readers?
January 16, 2011
Like many people, I like lists and I like awards. A list of award recipients gives me the chance to take stock of my reading which is cause for some pats on the back followed by, “Oh My!” How many of these notable books have I read is followed by the nagging question: “How many of […]
What’s in a word—Mark Twain—sanitized?
January 7, 2011
Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer are once again under siege. Over a hundred years after Twain’s death, both books will be released in February in a censored format- removing two derogatory racial slurs: ‘injun’ and ‘nigger.’ The editor of the new version, Alan Gribben of Auburn University at […]
Reading Together is featured on Reading Bug Blog
January 3, 2011
Last month, Diane Frankenstein gave an inspiring talk to parents at Central Middle School in San Carlos. If you missed it, you won’t want to miss her tips that she has shared with us below. Read on to find out how to make reading with your family an enjoyable experience for everyone! read more>>