reading

Celebrate the power of words by reading aloud and sharing stories! Go to litworld.org for inspiration.

As you may have noticed, I have not been actively blogging the last couple months. Other things—good, bad and confusing—have claimed my attention (I guess that’s called life!). Anyway, I hope to be on here more frequently. One fun and interesting aspect of blogging is the ability to check your stats to see which are… Read more »

I had planned to repost this earlier, but have had a busy week—ironically, tonight should be pretty calm for us. I would like to offer my good wishes for a wonderful, happy and healthy New Year to all my readers and supporters. I sincerely hope that you are able to realize your best visions for… Read more »

About the Book Title: A Year in the Life of the Secret Garden | Author: Valarie Budayr | Illustrator: Marilyn Scott-Waters | Publication Date: November, 2014 | Publisher: Audrey Press | Pages: 144 | Recommended Ages: 5 to 99 Book Description: Award-winning authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters have co-created A Year in the Secret… Read more »

In previous posts, I’ve discussed how tackling brain-stimulating activities and engaging in sustainable hobbies, such as learning a new language, can help protect your brain and perhaps delay the onset of age-related memory loss. Speaking two languages benefits the aging brain, according to new research, and it can be just as beneficial to learn one later in… Read more »

  I would like to add my voice to those congratulating Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan for winning the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote and protect girls’ rights to education. Seventeen-year-old Malala, who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban in 2012, is the youngest person to ever win the Nobel Prize…. Read more »

Enjoy this update of a previously run post ~     Do you know that the first Sunday after Labor Day is National Grandparents Day? This special day is meant to celebrate the important bonds between grandparents and grandchildren. You can mark this day in whichever way suits your family best. Grandparents might give and/or… Read more »

Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Nili Yelin, A.K.A. the Storybook Mom. A Wilmette resident and NU graduate, Nili is known throughout the Chicagoland area for her interactive style of storytelling and ability to communicate her passion for literature to her listeners. She has an extensive background in performing and developing her own… Read more »

The news provides us with a daily dose of what is wrong and going wrong in the world. And the news is no longer confined to a half-hour at 6 P.M. and 10 P.M.—continuous coverage is on all social media. We all want—and need—to know and understand what is happening here and in other parts… Read more »

  I recently read—and enjoyed—the novel, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, a sweet homage to independent bookstores. Given my long-standing love of bookstores (and libraries), it’s not surprising this story resonated with me. I still have fond memories of the book sellers of my youth: the erudite sales staff at Kroch’s and Brentano’s,… Read more »