End Book Deserts

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Features the innovative people and programs who spread the love of books and reading culture in our nation’s high poverty areas.

Molly Ness


    • Feb 6, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 26m AVG DURATION
    • 70 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from End Book Deserts

    Exploring Scholastic's Impact on Literacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2024 18:21


    Exploring Scholastic's Impact on Literacy and Book Access In this episode of End Book Deserts, the podcast discusses book access and literacy culture with Judy Newman, the Chief Impact Officer of Scholastic. Newman shares how Scholastic, a member of the National Book Access Association, is advancing the work of organizations that distribute books and promoting reading for pleasure among children. She touches upon the company's multiple initiatives, such as partnering with organizations like Comic Kids and Reach Out and Read, philanthropic projects, and exciting employee engagements. The discussion also highlights the role of teachers in building literacy, the impact of COVID-19 on their work, and the importance of a community in ending book deserts. Key Points: 00:00 Introduction to End Book Deserts 00:32 Exploring Scholastic's Impact on Literacy 01:19 Scholastic's Role in Building Literacy Communities 03:26 The Power of Comics in Literacy 04:34 Scholastic's Efforts to Encourage Young Writers 05:39 Impact of COVID on Scholastic's Work 07:24 Scholastic Employees' Contribution to Literacy Culture 10:14 Upcoming Initiatives and Partnerships at Scholastic 11:53 The Power of Story: The Story of Ruby Bridges 15:31 The Importance of Reading for Pleasure 17:28 Conclusion and Invitation for Future Discussion 17:48 End Book Deserts: Final Remarks and Contact Information

    Books on the Bus

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2023 29:22


    In this episode of the End Book Deserts Podcast, Dr. Molly Ness interviews authors Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr, who share their experiences and adventures during a year-long road trip to visit Title I schools in all 50 states. They discuss their mission to provide free books to under-resourced areas, the impact of their visits on students, and the research conducted during the trip. They also reveal their plans for the future, including online virtual school visits. Tune in to learn more about their inspiring journey and the importance of book access in under-resourced communities.

    Meet the Writers

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2023 20:14


    We kick off the new season with New York's Meet the Writers! Meet the Writers has reached more than 45,000 students citywide and distributed 25,000 books signed by visiting authors. Their collaboration with schools helps to create a culture of literacy and reading.

    GELF & Scholastic team up in Tennessee

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2023 25:48


    We revisit the Governor's Early Literacy Foundation working to end book deserts in Tennessee, with support from Scholastic.

    New Worlds Reading Initiative

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2023 20:39


    Find out how the state of Florida is earmarking funds in recent legislation to #endbookdeserts.

    A Conversation with Pitney Bowes About Literacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2023 24:28


    I love when many people come to the table to bring books to kids. That's why we are excited to create this episode with Kathleen Ryan Mufson and Pitney Bowes. 

    Drag Story Hour

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2023 20:20


    We're thrilled today to be joined by Jonathan Hamilton who is the executive director of the Drag Story Hour!

    Diverse Books for All Coalition

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2023 31:26


    Join Carolyn Lyons and Kyle Zimmer to understand this new coalition advocating for literacy equity!

    Brooklyn Book Bodega

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2023 19:47


    Brooklyn Book Bodega provides access to and ownership of books, builds community, and creates a passion for learning through free events and literacy-based community programming.

    KPMG

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2023 24:35


    Find out how this financial firm commits to literacy.

    Dollar General Literacy Foundation

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2022 30:48


    Find out how Dollar General Literacy Foundation commits to the work to #endbookdeserts

    Reading For Our Lives with Maya Smart

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2022 27:04


    Jennifer Nielsen

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2022 29:29


    Middle grade author Jennifer Nielsen chats libraries, book access, and building reading culture.

    E Train & End Book Deserts

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2022 25:06


    I turn the microphone on my youngest guest to discuss ways to motivate young readers. 

    I Love Books

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2022 39:32


    Tune in for a conversation with literacy expert Cornelius Minor and Jonathon Beatty - as we chat hip hop, literacy, and entrepreneurship.

    World Read Aloud Day 2022

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2022 27:35


    Celebrate the power of connecting through text on February 2, 2022. Join me as I chat with Dwaine Millard, Senior VP of Literacy Initiatives at Scholastic.

    celebrate senior vp scholastic world read aloud day
    Busload of Books

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 3, 2022 37:55


    Join authors Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr as they discuss their yearlong adventure - driving a school bus (with their four children) across the country visiting Title 1 schools in the work to #endbookdeserts.

    Book 'Em

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2021 29:58


    A look into the work to #endbookdeserts in the greater Nashville area.

    Governor's Early Literacy Foundation

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2021 23:45


    Director James Pond explains how almost 45 million books have found their way to Tennessee's children in the work to end book deserts.

    My Very Own Library

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2021 35:14


    A Chicago-based community literacy program provides students with educational programming and book fairs to #endbookdeserts.

    Summer Reading 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2021 28:51


    Discover the partnership between Scholastic and Save the Children to #endbookdeserts and engage kids nationwide in summer reading.

    Always Dream

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2021 25:35


    Discover how former Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi went from ice skating to literacy activist and the work of her foundation Always Dream to #endbookdeserts.

    Reading is Fundamental

    Play Episode Listen Later May 4, 2021 33:04


    Since 1966, this literacy giant has been leading the field in the work to #endbookdeserts

    We Need Diverse Books

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2021 35:11


    Join Cornelius Minor and Nawal Qarooni Casiano in a conversation about books and programs that reflect the stories of our diverse children.

    Madison Reading Project

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2021 20:33


    Madison Reading Project connects our community with free books and literacy enrichment programs that ignite a love for reading.

    Young, Black, and Lit

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 22:25


    This Chicago-based group works to #endbookdeserts by distributing affirming, representative books to black children.

    World Read Aloud Day 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2021 43:18


    Join literacy advocate Pam Allyn and Superbowl winner turned children's book author Malcolm Mitchell to celebrate the joy of reading aloud.

    super bowl malcolm mitchell world read aloud day pam allyn
    Blue Manatee Literacy Project

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2021 27:42


    Discover how an Ohio-based bookstore turned into a full-scale community literacy project.

    Reach Out and Read

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2020 32:57


    Find out how the pediatricians promote family literacy and work to #endbookdeserts.

    Little Free Library During COVID

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2020 19:29


    Little Free Library holds a new role in the pandemic and their push to #readincolor.

    Reach Incorporated

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2020 29:36


    Find out how DC teens publish books and work to #endbookdeserts in a literacy-building project

    Hope in a Box

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2020 23:16


    This organization donates literature featuring LGBTQ protagonists and coaches educators on LGBTQ themes and inclusive pedagogy - so that all children feel accepted in their communities.

    Book Access in a Pandemic

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2020 28:34


    BookSmiles, Book Depot, and United Through Reading respond to the pandemic and their creative solutions to end book deserts.

    pandemic united through reading
    The Author Experience

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2020 33:10


    Find out how connecting authors and children to share stories is essential to #endbookdeserts.

    Unite for Literacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2020 19:26


    This episode explores how the term 'book desert' was coined and overviews the presence of book deserts.

    Leaders Readers Network

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2020 27:18


    This Texas-based project aims to change the world through education equity and literacy for all.

    Pam Allyn & Scholastic

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2020 27:37


    Find out how LitCamp has pivoted during #covid19, and the resources from Scholastic to #endbookdeserts.

    scholastic pam allyn
    Middle Grade Authors Take Action

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2020 27:15


    Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and Padma Venkatraman create a literacy initiative and social media movement to end book deserts during the COVID19 pandemic.

    take action middle grade kimberly brubaker bradley padma venkatraman
    Book Access During COVID19

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2020 21:31


    We check back in with previous guests to see how they’re addressing book access during the COVID pandemic.

    Too Small to Fail

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2020 19:24


    The Clinton Foundation’s early childhood initiative, Too Small to Fail, shows that talking, reading, and singing is learning.

    Pajama Program

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2020 16:52


    Find out how books are an essential component of this organization, working to create safe bedtime routines for children living in book deserts.

    Baseball and Books

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2020 30:06


    Discover what a World Series winning pitcher is doing to promote reading culture.

    Barbershops and Beyond

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2020 30:09


    The Conscious Connect and Barbershop Books work to end book deserts across community spaces

    barbershops barbershop books
    Children's Literacy Foundation

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2020 27:43


    Join author-illustrator Jason Chin and Vermont-based CLIF for how to #endbookdeserts in rural communities.

    Book Harvest

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2020 35:00


    Find out more about North Carolina-based Book Harvest and their belief that reading and learning are a right, not a privilege.

    Literacy INC

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2020 15:06


    New York-based LINC ends book deserts through community programming.

    Book Love Foundation

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2020 25:31


    Teacher Penny Kittle discusses her foundation’s work to #endbookdeserts by supplying classroom libraries to high school teachers.

    Nic Stone

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2020 29:01


    Best selling author Nic Stone discusses her efforts to promote reading culture.

    LitWorld and Pam Allyn

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2020 25:26


    Pam Allyn explains the collaboration between LitWorld, Scholastic, and World Read Aloud Day.

    Books In Baltimore

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2020 29:11


    #OneBookBaltimore and the Maryland Book Bank works to #endbookdeserts in Baltimore and the mid-Atlantic.

    Book Spring

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2019 26:08


    A Texas-based program, BookSpring launches children into a world of reading.

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