PBS Great American Read. PBS Great American Read is a new eight-part series spotlighting America’s 100 best-loved novels. American voters chose these top novels in a national survey. We are providing a link to the series and timing here. The fall kickoff is scheduled for Tuesday, September 11, at 8pm. Though we were aware of the…
Poetry for teens. This is not what we or our son expected for his summer reading assignment, but that’s what we saw. And this book has just been published, and isn’t available on amazon. What else? Not only is it written for teens, but it is written by teens. We were intrigued. The Telling Room…
Teen science fiction. Hello summer reading! Ender’s Game Our youngest son was assigned this science-fiction novel for summer reading prior to starting 9th grade in August. Bill saw the movie with our other son, and Cynthia generally reads the summer books with our boys, so this one feels like a natural. Before getting started, though,…
Summer intern Celine Olcott joined us for the months of May and June. Celine graduated from Wake Forest University School of Business in May with a Master’s degree in Accounting. Celine has been selected to join the prestigious Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) for a one-year fellowship starting in July, so she is moving to Connecticut….
Books for moms. Yes, we know that we are a tutoring center, and our primary focus is finding and reviewing books for children and teens. But friends gave this book to Cynthia, and we thought it was worth sharing. Books for moms and daughters and women of all ages Cynthia’s friends introduced her to Cleo…
Fantasy books for teen girls. This spring, Cynthia has been reading books for teens by local authors. The first book she read, Sarah McCoy’s lovely novel The Time it Snowed in Puerto Rico, is reviewed here. The next two were a set by S. Jae-Jones, Wintersong and Shadowsong, reviewed here. Fantasy books can be pretty…
Reading development. It’s an important process that explains how students progress as readers. Stages are based on students’ experiences and skills, not their age or grade level. Who is doing this? Our beloved Mrs. Mendenhall will be working part time at A Step Ahead this summer, while she also explores working with the Institute of Reading…
Books for teen girls. Local authors. Our second review is here! A reminder: Books for teen girls contain some very adult themes At A Step Ahead, we are a family-oriented tutoring community, and therefore we want to revisit our warning for parents, private tutors and teachers: These books are not for every teen girl. Each…
Summer intern Celine Olcott will join us for the months of May and June. When Bill and Cynthia are traveling, Celine will be the friendly face around the center, making sure everything stays ship-shape and answering any questions you may have. Originally from New York City, Celine will graduate this May with a Master’s degree…
Books for teens. Local authors. Sounds like a good formula for spring break reading at the beach! We were reading a recent Winston Salem magazine and noted a brief article about books for teens, written by local authors. Great! Cynthia is an avid reader and was looking for a ‘spring theme’ for books, following the enjoyment…