Why Reading Bedtime Stories to Kids Is Important

Who doesn’t have fond memories of bedtime stories? Well, it turns out storytime is loved by both parents and kids. In fact, a recent survey revealed that storytime ranked higher in popularity among parents than bath and cuddle time ― although as any book-loving mom or dad will tell you, reading and cuddling tend to… Continue reading Why Reading Bedtime Stories to Kids Is Important

The World’s First Novel Was Written By A Woman

In 11th Century Japan, a woman named Murasaki Shikibu or ‘Lady Murasaki’ (which is believed to be a nickname) wrote what is considered to be the world’s first novel. During this time in Japan, women were tradition- ally excluded from learning to write Chinese. Normally, only men wrote in Chinese, since it was a sign… Continue reading The World’s First Novel Was Written By A Woman

Remembering Beverly Cleary

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Beverly Cleary was born Beverly Bunn on April 12th, 1916, in McMinnville, Oregon, and lived on a farm in Yamhill until her family moved to Portland when she was school-age. She was a slow reader, which she blamed on illness and a mean-spirited first-grade teacher who disciplined her by snapping a steel-tipped pointer across the… Continue reading Remembering Beverly Cleary

Writer Superstitions

Most famous writers adopted bizarre habits and superstition year-round in an attempt to get their masterpieces words down on paper. Charles Dickens Charles Dickens (1812–1870) carried a navigational compass with him at all times and always faced north while he slept. He believed this practice improved his creativity and writing. Dr. Seuss The author and… Continue reading Writer Superstitions

Six Seuss Books Will Soon Be Out of Publication Due To Racist Imagery

It has recently been announced that six Dr. Seuss books will no longer be published because of their use of offensive imagery. Dr. Seuss Enterprises said it has decided to end publication and licensing of books by Theodor Seuss Geisel. The titles include And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street (1937), and… Continue reading Six Seuss Books Will Soon Be Out of Publication Due To Racist Imagery

Do You Hear an Inner Voice When Reading?

What do you hear as you are reading this article? If you hear an inner voice speaking the words to you, you are part of the 80% of people who have reported hearing an inner voice as they read to themselves. A study conducted by Professor Ruvanee Vilhauer, from New York University’s Department of Psychology,… Continue reading Do You Hear an Inner Voice When Reading?

An Unfinished Story by Louisa May Alcott Is Finally Published

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The “Little Women” author wrote “Aunt Nellie’s Diary” in 1849 when she was just 17 years old. Over the years, Lousia May Alcott had a varied career that included writing poems, short stories and thrillers, and now, 171 years later this little-known piece has been published. To find this previously unpublished story is a rare… Continue reading An Unfinished Story by Louisa May Alcott Is Finally Published

Female Fairytale Author Finally Gets Rare English Edition

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A story by Madame d’Aulnoy, the 17th-century French writer who coined the term “fairytales”, is to be published in English for the first time in more than 300 years. d’Aulnoy, who is considered the most intriguing pioneer of the literary fairytale, invented “conte de fée” or fairytale, when she published her major collection of them… Continue reading Female Fairytale Author Finally Gets Rare English Edition

Who Really Wrote The Night Before Christmas?

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The controversy has swirled since the 19th century. The family of Major Henry Livingston, Jr., who died in 1828, claimed he was the real author of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” though they had no physical evidence. For decades, the debate has ebbed and flowed with most scholars believing Moore is the author. What we… Continue reading Who Really Wrote The Night Before Christmas?