Reading Tips

We'll get back with you as soon as possible. For immediate assistance, call (512) 472-1791, from 8:00 - 5:00 Monday through Friday ...

Submitted by: Garrett Lenderman I’ve read books my entire life, and I have my parents to thank for that. My mother was an avid reader of “grocery store” novels growing up, and encouraged me to read books with her on Sunday afternoons. And my father, whenever he would catch me ...

Submitted by: Catherine Makk My favorite childhood reading memory features Little House on the Prairie. I remember going to the backroom of my Aunt Theresa's farmhouse. It had a little sitting room that was a small library, and she had all of these old books. I read all of the ...

Submitted by: Kelly Breeden My favorite books as a child were The Value Tale series written by Ann Donegan Johnson and Dr. Spencer Johnson. My mom purchased these treasures that tell inspiring stories of famous people, while sharing examples of different values such as leadership, honesty, helping others, and saving ...

Submitted by: Brett Smith Reading, for me, is about time with my girls. Every night, after bath time, we sit down to read their favorite books. Like most parents, time with my kids is precious. My girls have grown up in a completely different time than I did. The world ...

Submitted by: Ellen Curtis I have such fond memories of this book from when I was a little girl. Although I think it is now available in full size, I distinctly remember my well-worn version was a very small mini-book. But, it taught me a BIG lesson in girl power, ...

Submitted by: Amy Silvey Every night, after the bedtime protests have subsided, my 6-year-old daughter picks out the books we'll read together. "How many can we read?" she always asks. My answer will vary from two to three, though I'm usually convinced to allow more. How can I not? I ...

Submitted by: Kellie Clark Moy I actually recall the moment that the electrical spark in my brain, called reading, occurred. It was 1974. I was 4 years old and sitting on the floor of the family den with my copy of The Read-It-Yourself Storybook resting in my lap. I turned the ...

Submitted by: Vickie L. Ever since he was a baby, we have a daily ritual we’ve done with my son, who is now almost 3 and a half. Every night after bath time, he gets into his pajamas, and sits on either his dad’s or my lap to read two ...

A Keller Williams Red Day Interview We were lucky enough to spend a few minutes with Jenny and her two-year-old daughter, Sadie, at Half Price Books to find out what they are currently reading. What did we learn? The classics rule the roost in their household. Sadie, the youngest in ...

Submitted by: Jac Laczko Ever since I was little, I loved the feeling of having a book in my hand. From Barbara Park to Markus Zusak, the endless words never ceased to inspire me. Even now, I posses a deep love and respect for where the simple collection of words ...

Submitted by: Erika W. and Audrey W. My husband’s aunt gave City Dog, Country Frog to our daughter Audrey on her first birthday. Audrey has always been an animal lover; in fact, our whole family fell in love with this book before we even opened it, because the dog on ...

Submitted by: Amanda Black When the need for giving a gift arises, my go-to author for children’s books is definitely Todd Parr. I love Todd because his books are brightly colored and all about inclusion. My kids especially love The Feelings Book. It talks about feelings and uses a lot ...

Remember the last day of school? Anxiously waiting for the bell to ring? Thoughts of swimming pools and playgrounds running through your head? Summer is supposed to be fun - a break from the routine of school and homework. Unfortunately, during this much deserved break, students can suffer from the ...

Submitted by: Amanda Shaver, Volunteer Manager The schedules that people keep these days can be incredibly daunting; as a society, we are busy. We are busy people with busy lives and schedules that we can maintain only with the kind of delicate balance of a tight-rope walker. I am definitely ...

Submitted by: Christina Nelson, Librarian at T.A. Brown Elementary Personal Background Reading has always been my escape. Ever since I can remember, I have always loved to read. Some of my favorite childhood memories were when my mother would take my sister and me to the local public library. In ...

Submitted by: Marty Kennedy, BookSpring Volunteer Ahhhhhhhh, the bedtime story. What a wonderful thing. There is no better reason to get snuggly and cozy with your little ones, dazzle them with adventures and spark a passion for reading which will last their lifetimes. Pinocchio, Henry and Mudge, Fancy Nancy, take ...

Submitted by: Janelle Nichols, Guest Blogger The phrase, “A picture paints a thousand words, “ is one that definitely applies in my case. In the picture you see a mother and daughter lying in bed reading. What you don’t see is the bond that is being created through this special ...

Submitted by: Lisa Moore, Junior League of Austin, Community Volunteer Bath, bottle, books, bed. The four B's that make up my girls bed time routine. Although we can skip the bath, the other three are non-negotiable. Bottles and books are demanded by my girls; bed is our demand. My daughters, ...

Submitted by: Jill Gonzalez, Director of Programs Do you remember how you lost your first tooth? Do you remember the fear you might lose your tooth? The worry, the excitement, of knowing the tooth Fairy was coming to visit you? Watching my 6 year old nephew lose three teeth in ...

Submitted by: Jill González, Director of Programs Today is “Make a Friend” day. Choosing a book for today’s blog was a challenge! There are so many wonderful books about making friends. Some of my absolute favorites are: Frog and Toad are Friends, A Splendid Friend Indeed, Big Dog, Little Dog, ...

Submitted by: Lisa Moore, Junior League Community Volunteer and Guest Blogger My daughter Madeline loves books. We spend a lot of time reading, rereading and reading books again and again. When thinking of a favorite author, for both Madeline and me, I thought about which book didn't invoke a sense ...

Submitted by: Joan Wabschall, Executive Director When I think of children's authors/illustrators, I think of Eric Carle. His book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar has been translated into more than 55 languages. In all his books, his art is distinctive and easily recognizable as a "collage technique." He uses hand-painted papers ...

Submitted by: Jill González, Director of Programs Brrr! It’s cold today, a perfect day to cuddle up and enjoy the classic story, The Mitten. Jan Brett, author and illustrator of The Mitten retells a classic story with amazingly detailed illustrations. Growing up in the north, I was well acquainted with ...

Submitted by: Brenda Brantley, Communications Manager One of my family’s favorite children’s author and illustrator is H.A. Rey. Known for his timeless classic, the Curious George series, Rey’s illustrations in Katy No Pocket, are what my daughter most likes to discuss during her bedtime story. Katy No Pocket, is the ...

Submitted by: Shelley Renee, Read-A-Thon Program Manager This book starts on a Tuesday evening around 8 when it appears that a number of frogs have suddenly discovered they can fly. It is a surreal and almost wordless Caldecott Medal-winning illustrated story with fantastic realistic images of frogs flying on lily ...

Submitted by: Chrys Dougherty, Ph.D. The turn of the year is a good time to remember things that are worth acting upon. We should remember what reading does for the mind. Well-read individuals have larger vocabularies, are more knowledgeable, and are less likely to have common misconceptions. We should remember ...

Submitted by: Lisa Moore, Junior League of Austin Community Volunteer Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at Fountain Plaza Preschool through BookSpring. I walked in the classrooms to see the smiling faces of 3, 4 and 5 year olds. Overwhelming excitement permeated each class. Today a volunteer would ...

Submitted by: Amanda Shaver, Volunteer Manager During this season of giving, I feel so fortunate to be a in the position to work with so many amazing individuals and groups who do so much for the people in our community—not just during the holidays, but all year long.  All of ...

Submitted by: Executive Director Joan Wabschall At this time of year, I enjoy listening to Christmas carols and seeing the wonder of Christmas in the eyes of children. Many people are familiar with the lyrics to “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth”, but a lesser known ...