Caught Reading!

Our resident book worm has been very busy getting this month's featured books into the hands of our gallery staff members. One of our long-time floor managers, Jillian, was recently snapped this morning checking out A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams. [Teachers, check out a great related lesson plan here!]

About Jillian:

Jillian was born in Louisiana and raised in Winchester, Virginia. An outdoorsy girl, Jillian spent a lot of time riding horses or pursuing art. A graduate of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, Jillian has been working at Amazement Square since October 2006. She loves good food, good friends, good movies, good books, and great art!

Favorite Book as a Child:

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardem. “I liked the illustrations and how it was about Africa, which was so far away and exotic.”

Favorite Book as an (sort of!) Adult:

“One of the only novels I have read more than once is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I love the way she writes about women during that time period.”

What Year of Authors element are you most excited about?

March’s Author of the Month, Dr. Seuss! “His creativity and ability to get kids reading and thinking in such a silly manner while teaching life lessons is brilliant!”

Why check out Amazement Square’s African-American Authors this month?

“This month’s programming is really exciting because it features stories from strange and exotic places as well as authors who write about aspects of American history that are important and relevant. I’m most excited about the Poetry Slam – that sounds awesome!”

Welcome to The Year of Authors Blog!

2008 is the The Year of Authors at Amazement Square! This year-long program will focus on introducing beloved children's authors to new and old readers alike through interactive and exciting programs.

Did you know that according to the National Endowment for the Arts report Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America, reading rates are declining rapidly in all groups, especially among youth? Our goal is to make books exciting, relevant, and essential in the lives of every young person and their families.

This blog is your resource for author information, program updates, recommended reading, tips for parents and teachers, and so much more! Remember, this is your resource! If there's anything you'd like to see, drop us a comment or an email!

Happy Reading!