Michelle Kuo arrived in the rural town of Helena, Arkansas, as a Teach for America volunteer in 2004, bursting with optimism and drive. But she soon encountered the jarring realities of life in one of the poorest counties in America. In this memoir, Michelle shares the story of her complicated but rewarding mentorship of one student, Patrick Browning, and his remarkable literary and political awakening. Fifteen and in the eighth grade, Patrick begins...

Pairing a book with such activities as a trip to the zoo, a nighttime look at the stars, or a walk in the forest can connect children to nature while inspiring discussion and questions. Teacher and librarian Kathleen T. Isaacs spotlights recent informational and picture books appropriate for children ages up to 10 that will help parents and caregivers encourage children's wonder and enthusiasm for nature. Themed chapters such as Backyard and Garden,...

"For Will Schwalbe, reading is a way to entertain himself but also to make sense of the world, to become a better person, and to find the answers to the big (and small) questions about how to live his life. In this delightful celebration of reading, Schwalbe invites us along on his quest for books that speak to the specific challenges of living in our modern world, with all its noise and distractions.'"--

The best-selling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran presents an impassioned tribute to the importance of fiction to democracy that blends memoir with close readings of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Babbitt and The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. "A passionate hymn to the power of fiction to change people's lives, by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Reading Lolita in Tehran. Ten years ago, Azar Nafisi electrified readers with her million-copy...

"In the late 1950s, Random House editor Jason Epstein would talk jazz with authors like Ralph Ellison while pouring drinks in his office. By the late 1960s, he was poring over profit-and-loss statements. What happened? Beginning in 1965 after RCA bought Random House and then with subsequent purchases of publishing companies by multinational conglomerates, the business of publishing started to change. With more of an emphasis on rationalization, many...

"For children, reading level and experience level are not always the same. Eager readers are often interested in ideas and topics that seem advanced, but situations and subjects that sixth graders can handle with aplomb may be emotionally confusing for a younger child. Early and eager readers deserve stories they can get into, information that's challenging and up-to-date, and ideas that are new and stimulating, all while remaining age appropriate....

"In December 2008, twentysomething Jill Grunenwald graduated with her master's degree in library science, ready to start living her dream of becoming a librarian. But the economy had a different idea. As the Great Recession reared its ugly head, jobs were scarce. After some searching, however, Jill was lucky enough to snag one of the few librarian gigs left in her home state of Ohio. The catch? The job was behind bars as the prison librarian at a...