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Last month, Open Books provided
1,405 hours
of reading and writing programs to
815 students
from
20 schools
across Chicago.
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Open Books Picks:
Top Young Adult Books for Reluctant Readers
Blow your teen's (or your own!) summer slump to smithereens with these exciting and engaging reads for young adults.
The Hunger Games Trilogy
by Suzanne Collins
Because I Am Furniture
by Thalia Chatas
Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Unwind
by Neil Shusterman
Uglies
by Scott Westerfeld
The Books of Ember
by Jeanne DuPrau
When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead
Low Red Moon
by Ivy Devlin
Dark Song
by Gail Giles
Scars
by Cheryl Rainfeld
Rikers High
by Paul Valponi
Check out more suggestions from the American Library Association. Happy reading!
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New Faces At Open Books We are thrilled to introduce our newest crop of happy helpers -- the summer 2011 literacy interns! These six charming, passionate people will inspire hundreds of students to dive into books this summer. Get to know Tucker, La'Toya, Alice, Rachel, Adina, and Delna! |
All Books,
All The Time!
Looking for a great way to support our programs? We're always looking for book donations...and we now have an always-open dropbox where you can leave them! We're also delighted to accept them at the store during business hours, and we offer free pickup service in the city of Chicago.
All books -- fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, craft books, dictionaries, encyclopedia, kids' books, etc. -- are welcome... and we now accept CDs and DVDs in good playable condition too!
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Dear friends of Open Books,
School may be out, but learning at Open Books is definitely in! This month's newsletter is all about ways to beat that nefarious summer slump, and helping students remember (or learn for the first time!) the fun and joy of reading.
We are about to set out on an ambitious, jam-packed, and exciting summer reading schedule designed to motivate and inspire reluctant readers the city over. During the next several weeks, we'll increase Open Books Buddies from once to twice per week at four local schools, help hundreds of students uncover their stories in our Adventures in Creative Writing field trips, and pilot ReadThenWrite with two energetic groups of teenage authors.
Thanks in advance to all of you who volunteer with Open Books or support us in other ways - and for those out there on the sidelines, I hope that you'll consider joining us for this exhilarating season.
Happy reading!
Anna Piepmeyer
Program Director
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Hello Summer, Goodbye Summer Slump!
When the final bell rings on the last day of school, many students will say goodbye to their studies for the summer and embrace the warm weather as a much-needed break.
Students from all socioeconomic backgrounds are in danger of succumbing to the "summer slump," forgetting a large portion of the material learned during the school year. However, for students in low-income communities, the long break from school can be detrimental to their academic progress, and set them even further behind their wealthier peers.
One of the reasons for the slump appears to be access to books. While more affluent students often have expansive home libraries and families who regularly travel to libraries and bookstores, students from poorer communities may have few, if any, books at home, and may not be encouraged to read for fun while school's out.
This year, Open Books will do our part to re-engage students in reading and learning through Open Books Buddies and through our brand-new ReadThenWrite program.
Support us and help ensure that students have enough exciting books not just to see them through the summer, but all year long!
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Changing Gears On Changing Lives
Changing Gears, a WBEZ public media project exploring the reinvention of the industrial Midwest, featured Open Books (specifically our social enterprise funding structure) in its series on nonprofits. With local, state, and federal budget deficits growing, government funding for nonprofits is more uncertain than ever, and nonprofits are left looking for ways to diversify their revenue streams. WBEZ explores how social enterprises such as Open Books that mesh traditional business principles with a social mission are the vanguards in the nonprofit world.
Click here to read the article and hear the clip!
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Celebrate!
Many of us will celebrate the milestones of our loved ones this summer, from wedding and baby showers to birthdays, graduations, and everything in between.
If you are hosting or attending an event this summer, consider making a donation to Open Books in lieu of traditional gifts! Your donation provides critical reading support for students who need it the most, and is a great way to honor a cherished friend or a momentous occasion.
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Did you know that Open Books publishes 3 newsletters every month? Sign up for What's In Store, Volunteer Vanguard, and Literacy Landscape now!
Open Books is a nonprofit social venture that operates an extraordinary bookstore, provides community programs, and mobilizes passionate volunteers to promote literacy in Chicago and beyond. We enhance lives through reading, writing, and the WONDROUS power of used books. |
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