U.S. News & World Report, which publishes the most widely quoted annual set of rankings for American colleges and universities, recently shared their list of “10 Books to Read Before College.” Describing these books as “assigned texts [that] are regularly used in freshman-level classes and offer students a chance to come together to discuss a

Research shows the benefits incoming students glean from participating in a common academic experience as they join a new campus community (Hunter, 2006; Mintz, 2019). These findings have led many institutions to develop Common Reading programs for new members of their campus communities. These programs, centered around a group of faculty, staff, and students selecting

On the University of Oregon campus, incoming students are reading Under the Feet of Jesus as part of the Common Reading program. Written by Cornell Professor Helena María Viramontes, Under the Feet of Jesus tells the story of the men, women, and children who labor under dangerous conditions as migrant workers in California’s fields. At the center

Where the Dead Sit Talking by Brandon Hobson explores the themes of loneliness and trauma as a young Native American boy named Sequoyah experiences life in the foster care system. This 2018 National Book Award Finalist is about a broken teenager’s search for his identity and the hardships of being displaced. Sequoyah lives his life always keeping his feelings buried, until he is placed with the Troutt family. There he meets Rosemary, a friend and confidant who, like him, is a Native American child living in the foster care system.

Character units are a part of many lesson plans across schools. Kids are often looking for heroes and character units are a great way to introduce young readers to not just heroes, but how important character is and that it can help everyday people turn into heroes. Welles Crowther did not see himself as hero.

Debuting at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and soon to be a major motion picture, SMALL GREAT THINGS was chosen for the 2017 National Teachers of the Year social justice booklist for high school – adult readers, a resource for educators, parents, community members, and policy makers interested in reaching young people on issues of social justice.

Women’s history is still under-discussed and undervalued, doubly so when it comes to the history of women of color.  We’re highlighting some of our recent favorite titles, bringing these women’s stories and perspectives to the forefront.

The following letter was contributed by Christian Coleman, Digital Marketing Associate at Beacon Press.  We live in a time where a president makes barefaced remarks in speeches that African Americans and Latinx people are prone to violence and corruption. His statements, obviously, pay no respect to the centuries-long history of African Americans and Latinx people organizing together

  The New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), New York Magazine and Vulture have announced the return of “One Book, One New York,” the exciting city-wide initiative that brings book-loving New Yorkers together to read the same book at the same time.     Throughout the month of April, New Yorkers

Popular Community Reads Pick Hits the Big Screen There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. Each and every morning, A wakes up in a different body and lives a different life. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached.

  Outreach Coordinator Carol Luers Eyman says one of the best things about Nashua Reads is reader discovery. “People become open to reading a book that they might not have picked up on their own, and after discussing it with others, often come to appreciate a type of book they don’t ordinarily read.” Isn’t this the

BROWN GIRL DREAMING is the critically acclaimed and award-winning book by Jacqueline Woodson. It’s a memoir about Jacqueline’s experiences on what is like growing up as a young African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the aftershocks of Jim Crow and her own growing awareness of the Civil Rights Movement. Having won the hearts