The Importance of Re-reading during the Coronavirus Pandemic

A while ago, we posted a blog on the importance of re-reading books and other materials. Two of the key takeaways were these: “While many students are given credit of some sort for reading books during the school year (or completing a summer reading assignment), they are rarely, if ever, given credit for re-reading material. … Continue reading “The Importance of Re-reading during the Coronavirus Pandemic”


Grading in the Age of Coronavirus

Last week we asked a lot of important questions about the state of education while the country is in lockdown from COVID-19, and we asked for our readers’ feedback to be able to draw some broad conclusions. Today, we’re going to talk about a related topic that’s on many students’ and educators’ minds — grading. … Continue reading “Grading in the Age of Coronavirus”


The Ups and Downs of Distance Learning in the Age of Coronavirus

Today, we’re trying a new format for the blog, since we’re all facing a very difficult situation stemming from the global pandemic. Education, while not at a standstill, has greatly changed by moving entirely to distance learning for the moment, and we need to determine a number of things as we move forward. Two of these … Continue reading “The Ups and Downs of Distance Learning in the Age of Coronavirus”


The Importance of Text in an Online World

We live in an age of screens, from smartphones and tablets to video instruction and other forms of eLearning. Our attention span has gotten shorter as we move from one tweet to the next, and short, in-your-face videos as opposed to pages and pages of written text. But does that mean text as a medium … Continue reading “The Importance of Text in an Online World”


Stop the Summer Slide Early this Year

As the last of the school bells ring sometime in May or June of every year, kids race out of classes and into a summer they hope will be filled with fun and adventure. Very few think about reading and the need to keep up with their hard-earned skills from the previous academic year. This … Continue reading “Stop the Summer Slide Early this Year”


Graphic Novels and Other Resources for Stuck-at-Home Kids

In our blog on graphic novels and comics, we discussed how visual input can reinforce characters and themes, especially for those who struggle through rigorous text. Now that we’re all practicing social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the schools and libraries are closed, it’s even more important to match students with reading material that … Continue reading “Graphic Novels and Other Resources for Stuck-at-Home Kids”


The Importance of Reading during the Coronavirus Pandemic

We’re all going a little stir-crazy these days, even though we’re only in the early stages of coronavirus lockdown and just learning how best to practice social distancing. We’re being told not to gather in groups larger than 10 people, and that means businesses, movie theaters, restaurants, and even schools and libraries are being shut … Continue reading “The Importance of Reading during the Coronavirus Pandemic”


Dolly Parton’s Literary Legacy Continues

A short time ago, we discussed Dolly Parton’s creation of the Imagination Library program in 1995. The non-profit program, underwritten by local libraries and other community institutions, provides one free book a month to children from newborns to five years old. From its small start in Sevier County, where Parton grew up, the Library has grown … Continue reading “Dolly Parton’s Literary Legacy Continues”


Guest Blog: 8 Factors to Consider when Choosing an eReader

By Kenny Trinh Editor of the gadget review publication netbooknews.com (https://www.netbooknews.com/) [Editor’s note: Periodically we like to open up our blog to others in the reading and education industries, to get a wider perspective of the discoveries and trends happening in these fields. Mr. Trinh graciously offered to contribute today’s post, which has been edited … Continue reading “Guest Blog: 8 Factors to Consider when Choosing an eReader”


Authors, Developing Words — Arthur C. Clarke

[Editor’s note: This post is part of a continuing series on how writers craft words to express their ideas and to connect with readers.] “The universe is not only stranger than we imagine, it’s stranger than we can imagine.” So said Arthur C. Clarke, pioneering scientist and one of the “Big Three” science fiction writers … Continue reading “Authors, Developing Words — Arthur C. Clarke”