Every Child Deserves a Story They Love

Every Child Deserves a Story They Love

My motivation behind creating a website about children reading – and everything that goes along with that (including literacy, writing, and storytelling) – stems from a love for the written word that’s been with me as long as I can remember.

I memorized short storybooks my mom read to me before I could actually read them. And once I COULD read, I loved to read aloud to whoever would listen.

I was 9 years old when I realized that I wanted to be a writer someday. My inspiration for that was Mrs. McKay – my 4th grade teacher. She had us writing book reports, poetry, and short stories.

Ten years later, during my second year of college, I still wanted to be a writer, but the practical side of me realized I needed to make a living as a writer. So I majored in Journalism.

A Passion for Stories

A Passion for Stories

In the years since then, I learned that working as a journalist didn’t mean I had to give up writing stories. My storytelling skills were put to good use in the features I wrote for both magazines and newspapers … and in my newsletter.
 
The fact that stories are now seen as important by businesses, too (through content marketing – online information that companies share with audiences), has made me even more aware that the value of stories doesn’t stop when we become adults.
 
Stories should ALWAYS be a part of our lives. Which is why I want to help those who are involved with young people – whether parents, teachers, or librarians – to find new ways of encouraging a love of books in youngsters.
However, the advice I got from a creative writing instructor during my last semester in junior college (several months after choosing journalism as my career) stuck with me. He said I had a gift for storytelling and encouraged me to not give up on writing stories.
 

Helping Kids Discover the Joy of Reading Books

Over the last few decades, I’ve seen a dramatic decrease in the amount of time children spend in reading books – not eBooks they can read on a tablet or listening to audio books, but reading hardback (or paperback) books they can hold in their hands.

I believe that one way to reverse this trend is to read aloud to our kids. And not just when they’re young and unable to read books themselves. In her book The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction, Meghan Cox Gurdon says:

“Reading aloud consoles, uplifts and invigorates at every age, deepening the intellectual lives and emotional well-being of teenagers and adults, too.”

My Mission

My passion for reading aloud to children and the desire to help those who may be looking for new ideas on how to encourage reading among the children they’re working with are the main reasons I created this website.

I have five main goals for this site:

  • To help parents and teachers discover new ways to inspire enthusiasm for reading in youngsters (even reluctant readers) through a variety of methods – including games, activities, and links to helpful resources.
  • To provide book lists will be included here, too … categorized by genre and reading level.
  • To provide in-depth information (through blog posts) about new trends and/or books that are appearing in the marketplace. (Some of these may also be added to the ‘Resources’ page.)
  • To educate parents on the importance of continuing to read aloud to children even after they’re able to read on their own.
  • To help children develop the skills they need to create stories of their own.

Whether you’re a first-time visitor or have been here before … WELCOME!

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