James Patterson in Libraries and on the Air

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James Patterson continues his literacy campaign and this time he is targeting school libraries.

Patterson has agreed to donate $1.5 million to school libraries during this year. Originally he had pledged $1.25 million, but decided to increase that because of the response he received from school libraries.

Patterson and Scholastic have received more than 10,500 grant applications from school libraries for amounts ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Those requests include a myriad of ways the libraries would use the money—from new books and better shelves to flood-damage repairs. Scholastic is matching Patterson’s donation with “bonus points” teachers can use for educational materials.

“It's clear that our school libraries require critical help,” Patterson stated in a release. “I know we can't solve the issues overnight, but I hope at the very least we're able to raise awareness about the important position the school library plays in the educational achievement of children.”

Patterson also plans to help some school libraries stock their shelves. He is partnering with First Book to donate 100,000 copies of his new middle-grade book, Public School Superhero (Little, Brown) to under-resourced schools and youth programs.

That’s appropriate because children who go to those schools will identify with Public School Superhero, co-written by Chris Tebbetts and illustrated by Cory Thomas, which is about an African American sixth-grade chess devotee named Kenny Wright who lives in an inner city.

PATTERSON ON THE AIR
Patterson’s documentary Murder of a Small Town, which he wrote and produced through James Patterson Entertainment, is getting an airing on local PBS stations.

The documentary looks at crime and the families affected by it in Belle Glade and Pahokee, Florida, an impoverished area in far western Palm Beach County. The documentary also explores the murder of a popular Belle Glade grocery store owner, who was killed during a botched robbery. The murderer was a former high school football player.

The Murder of a Small Town documentary will be airing on local PBS stations. Check your local listings.

Oline Cogdill
2015-04-05 18:15:00