John Schu has made a career out of advocating for the people and things he cares about most: kids, books, and the people that connect them. John is a children's book author, a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University, and the children's librarian for Bookelicious. His greatest joy is sharing his love of reading with countless educators and students around the world.

"In classic John Schu fashion, The Gift of Story embraces the human impact stories have on children, on instruction, for schools, for the home, and for our hearts. John Schu provides a wealth of strategies and resources to build a robust, diverse, and intentional library. The Gift of Storyis a heartfelt literary love letter to all the emphatic, enthusiastic, and empathetic readers who impact the reading lives of children." --Alice Lee, ED.D., Elementary Principal and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

"This is just the book my heart needed! The Gift of Story takes a dive into the affective benefits that reading can bring ALL readers. You'll learn how stories can heal hearts and minds, inspire change and growth, clarify perspectives, build compassion, and connect all readers together. Don't miss out on this very special and beautiful celebration of literacy." --Becky Calzada, Library Coordinator, Leander ISD, Texas

"John Schu'sThe Gift of Story resonates with my librarian heart. This book serves as a reminder that connecting, inspiring, and motivating students to read is an important and sacred job. Mr. Schu weaves together educators working in various roles to share a plethora of ideas, inspirations, and stories to build up literacy in a learning community. The Gift of Story is all about the heart. Thank you, John, for sharing your heart so we can make connections with all the hearts we serve as educators and librarians." --Tamiko Brown, SLJ School Librarian of the Year 2017

"The Gift of Storywill remind educators why we do this work. My heart needed this book. In the spirit of Mr. Schu, I want to buy this book for every educator I know." --Colby Sharp, Fifth-Grade Teacher and Co-Founder of the Nerdy Book Club

"John Schu is every educator's librarian. With his inspiring connections and cherished insight, he shines a light on the right story for every reader. This gifted storyteller has penned his magic to the page and it's exactly what all our 'book hearts' need." --Ali Schilpp, SLJ's 2019 School Librarian of the Year

"John Schu has an innate ability to connect readers with the book their heart needs--this time, he's written it. The Gift of Story equips educators to share their heart through story; to nurture connections among our readers and stories that extend beyond the academic elements to also include the affective ones that change readers, their hearts, and the world." --Elisabeth Stayer, Librarian & Educator

"John Schu is a legendary presenter for a reason-his love of books and literacy inspires educators and students around the globe. The Gift of Story is a John Schu presentation in book form. It's uplifting. It's motivating. It's life-affirming. Happy reading!" --Travis Jonker, Elementary School Librarian, Wayland Union Schools (MI)

"The Gift of Story by John Schu is indeed a gift to hearts everywhere. It covers the importance of dialogue, questions, and basic human experiences as they relate to reading. Then ultimately how they connect to the heart of the reader. This book will rejuvenate the hearts of educators and all who read it while developing spaces for all readers to share their love of stories." -- Kerry-Ann Reeves, Fifth-Grade Teacher, City School District of New Rochelle

Publisher: Routledge

Pub date: 2022-05-10

Length: 184 pages