We are a nationally recognized and award-winning literary arts and literacy organization that brings the rewards of reading and writing to young people in Chicago and nearby Evanston, Illinois.
For the past ten years, we have been connecting girls and teen mothers, and now boys, to their strengths through literature, engaging them in book groups where they read and discuss literature and write poetry. This nurturing literacy model creates a sense of accomplishment, self-esteem and hope. In our book groups, young people learn to "make sense of the world" as they "make sense of the word."
Watch our video to learn more about us.
There have been days I opened
old and ugly doors.
They were full of sadness and anger.
But now I've opened a door
full of happiness and gratefulness.
Adriana Reyes
Age 19
Second Chance Alternative High School book group
Here are a few of the books we are currently using in our book groups:
Karen Hesse’s children’s book “Come On, Rain!” depicts the glorious feeling of a rainstorm on a hot summer day. The story is told by Tess, a sprightly little girl who wills the scorching sky to bring rain to end to a three-week heat wave. When a storm finally comes, she and her friends dance in the streets with their mothers, rejoicing as relief pours down upon them.
Parents and children alike delight in both Hesse’s masterful storytelling and Muth’s exquisite watercolor illustrations. This book makes readers of all ages long for a storm, so that they, too, can dance in the rain!
Click here to read poems written by our book group members in response to "Come On, Rain!".
“A Piece of Cake: A Memoir”, by Cupcake Brown, is the inspiring memoir of a young woman who by her own faith and determination survived a life of childhood abuse, rape, prostitution, homelessness, and drug addiction.
Group members respond to her remarkable story by reflecting on the lessons their own lives have taught them, and sharing their individual experiences of strength and healing.
“Hole in My Life” tells the true-life story of Jack Gantos who, at the age of 21, was looking for a way to pursue his passion for writing and adventure without having to take on a dead-end job. In exchange for $10,000, Jack agrees to help two strangers smuggle drugs from the Virgin Islands to New York City; a stunt that eventually lands him in federal prison.
While reading this story, young men in our book groups discuss how one determines the difference between good and bad decisions, and how knowing one’s self-worth is the only catalyst for long-lasting change.
Click here to read poems written by our book group members in response to "Hole in My Life".
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