Happy New Year from the Big Read! We hope your year is off to a great start and will be filled with many blessings. It is always sad to come to the end of the holiday season and the excitement surrounding Christmas and the New Year. We are now in the time, since we live …
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Jack Ridl | Poetry is what poets write
In this episode, Dr. Deb Van Duinen has a conversation with Jack Ridl. Jack Ridl taught at Hope from 1971 until retiring in 2006. With his wife Julie, Ridl founded the Visiting Writers Series at Hope College, later named the “Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series” in his honor, He is the author of several collections …
Behind the Read and Podcast Recommendations
Last week we announced our new podcast, Behind the Read, a podcast offering listeners insights and perspectives on all that goes into, around, and behind the act of reading. Our host and program director, Dr. Deb Van Duinen, will talk about all things reading, literacy, and books with friends of the Big Read Lakeshore. Podcasts …
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Lakeshore Libraries
I recently traveled to Powell’s Books in Portland, Oregon, the largest used and new bookstore in the world! This inspired me to share a few of my favorite things about libraries and feature the libraries that serve our Lakeshore community. Libraries offer a wide collection of books, movies, audiotapes, CDs, and various services like internet, …
Six authors joining our program this year!
We are thrilled to announce our 2021 program! will be headlined by six Native American authors and poets: Joy Harjo, Lydia Whirlwind Soldier, Angeline Boulley, Dr. Debbie Reese, Kevin Noble Maillard and Cynthia Leitch Smith. “This year, I’m excited to announce our program will be centered around Native American voices. It’s important to amplify the …
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#ReadingTogether: Tips & Tricks for Reading with Little Readers
Earlier this year, we featured a series entitled Reading Together on our Little Read Lakeshore social media accounts! This series provides intentional tips for reading, discussing and exploring themes of books with Little Readers. And surprise! Two NEW tips are spotlighted only here, our blog! Let your kids see you read! 👀 Tell them what you …
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Literature is Everywhere!
Are you wondering how to get outside and enjoy reading this summer? There are so many outdoor activities and places for you and your family to choose! A great strategy for reading is finding a spot outside where you feel refreshed and at peace. Being outside is a great way to make reading fun. You …
Introducing Our 2021 Selections!
We are excited to announce that we have received an eighth consecutive grant from the National Endowment of the Arts! Our program will highlight poetry and Native American history this November. This year, we will concentrate on Poet Laureate Joy Harjo’s An American Sunrise, a collection of poems that traverses the homeland from which her …
Poems Can Be Confusing! Strategies for Reading Poetry
Last week I challenged readers to choose a line from the poem “Relic” by Jennifer Foerster and reflect on the meaning of the line. Using reading strategies like this can help make poetry more accessible to readers new to poetry by breaking up the poem into more manageable parts. Poetry has a reputation for …
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Celebrating Traditions and Stories Through Poetry
My name is Brooke Carbaugh and I am a current Hope College sophomore from Orbisonia, Pennsylvania. I am a newcomer to the lakeshore community, but I love the proximity to Lake Michigan, eating ice cream, and hiking through Michigan’s beautiful landscape. As the newest member of the BigRead team, I am excited to begin the …
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