As we celebrate the 90th Anniversary of Black History Month, there are many reasons to rejoice and many remarkable achievements that deserve to be acknowledged. However, along with the encouraging news on so many fronts, there is one issue that we simply can’t ignore: the on-going gap in the reading scores of young African-American children as reported in the NAEP (often referred to as the nation’s report card). WHY WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS Unfortunately, according to the report

Supplemental reading provides a unique opportunity for kids to explore different genres and different topics that go beyond required classroom assignments. When a young reader can choose from a broad range of books, she is more likely to find something that she wants to explore and therefore she is more likely to spend more time reading. Testing Pressure As classroom teachers are asked to spend more time preparing for high-stakes standardized tests where does supplemental rea

With all of the excellent reading programs to choose from and the investment in expanded reading programs, supplemental reading time may be one of the most important components for improving reading comprehension. How can that be? From a Home Filled With Books I was talking with a friend yesterday, one of our children’s book illustrators, Tom Wrenn, who has a young daughter. Before we ended the conversation, I reminded him to read aloud with her every night. He chuckled and r