Arts Dec 09 Literary critics reveal their favorite books of 2025 By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport, Simon Epstein, Daria Nastasia
Politics Jul 10 Latino voters in Pennsylvania embrace political sway in pivotal swing state Religion and politics overlap in Reading, an old industrial city in one of the most pivotal swing states. By Luis Andres Henao, Associated Press
Nation Sep 01 Watch 9:49 Can a longer school year help students recover from pandemic learning loss? More than three years ago, schools received the first installment in the biggest ever one-time infusion of federal money dedicated to education, about $190 billion to protect against COVID and reverse the academic setbacks that followed the pandemic. One district… By Geoff Bennett, Layla Quran
Arts Jun 23 Watch 8:13 Critics share their picks for this summer’s most anticipated reads It's summertime and the reading is easy. At least, we hope you’ll all get the time to enjoy books during vacation and travel. Jeffrey Brown is here to help and speaks to two big-time readers who offer some guidance. It’s… By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport, Alison Thoet
Education Jun 20 Watch 6:34 District extends school year to help students catch up from pandemic learning loss The school year is either already over or is wrapping up in most places around the country. As another year finishes, there are still real concerns about learning loss dating back to the pandemic and the ongoing struggles to catch… By Laura Barrón-López, Dorothy Hastings
Aug 22 Watch 3:02 Rapper Noname’s Brief But Spectacular take on community learning and solidarity By Melissa Williams, Elizabeth Burton Noname is a rapper and founder of the Noname Book Club, which encourages readers to support local bookstores and books by authors of color. The club now has 14 chapters across the United States. Here's her Brief But Spectacular take… Continue watching
Feb 26 Watch 4:47 Author Charles Yu on using satire to point out Asian American stereotypes By Jeffrey Brown, Courtney Vinopal The February pick for our ‘Now Read This’ book club was “Interior Chinatown," winner of the 2020 National Book Award. It’s a funny and biting satire of stereotypes of Asian Americans in popular culture. The book's author, Charles Yu, also… Continue watching
Dec 29 Watch 8:08 Booksellers look back at the best titles of 2020 By Jeffrey Brown, Rhana Natour In a year of isolation and pain, book sales are up as many turn to reading for a distraction, understanding and pleasure. Jeffrey Brown talks to two booksellers for our look at the year in books. Continue watching
Jul 02 Watch 4:10 Drag Queen Story Hour offers a different kind of page-turner By Julia Griffin Children’s story hours are intended to instill a love of reading in young kids. But one reading program also seeks to spread messages about self-love, acceptance of others and appreciation of diversity: Drag Queen Story Hour, a national organization that… Continue watching
Apr 30 Watch 8:36 What parents of dyslexic children are teaching schools about literacy By Lisa Stark, Education Week Fewer than 40 percent of fourth and eighth grade students nationwide are proficient readers. Now, led by parents of children with dyslexia, a learning disability that makes reading and spelling difficult, some states are trying to change how reading is… Continue watching