A huge shoutout to St. Marcus School in Milwaukee for hosting an incredible “Morning with Maya” breakfast and book signing on Saturday! It’s so exciting to see your school use Reading for Our Lives as a key tool to onboard and engage new families. Connecting with parents, staff, and community members to talk about boosting kids’ reading skills—and their love for it—was truly energizing.
I loved the chance to dive into how everyday conversations spark brain growth. Because here’s the thing: dialogue fuels development. Whether we’re chatting about daily life, storybooks, or even the letters on signs, we’re doing powerful work to build kids’ brains, vocabularies, and social skills. Yes, we’re all about fostering a love of reading, but it starts with nurturing a love of conversation and language. Without that rich vocabulary and understanding, kids can’t truly grasp what they’re reading—even if they can sound out the words. It was great to show parents how they can build these language skills to help their kids thrive in school.
Thanks again, St. Marcus, for making Reading for Our Lives a cornerstone of your mission to partner with parents to help kids thrive, in and out of school!
Maya Payne Smart is a writer, parent educator, and literacy advocate who has served on the boards of numerous library and literacy organizations. She and her family live in Milwaukee, where she serves as affiliated faculty in educational policy and leadership in the College of Education at Marquette University. Her website, MayaSmart.com, provides tips and tools for parents to nurture, teach, and advocate for kids on the road to reading.