Literacy United

10/13/2026

A good book can be a mirror.
And it can be a window.

A mirror lets a child see a little bit of themselves in a story.

A window lets them see someone else's world.

Both matter.

Children need books that reflect different families, experiences, cultures, abilities and communities. They also need stories that introduce them to people and experiences different from their own.

The right book can make a child think:

“That's me.”

Or:

“I never thought about it that way.”

Both are powerful reasons to keep books in children's hands.



This idea is supported by Reading Rockets and other literacy resources discussing “mirrors and windows” and diverse classroom libraries.

10/13/2026

It’s that time again! October family bookworms - join Literacy United free parent education, reading enrichment for the kids, and a yummy meal from Charlestons. We’ll be back University Christian Church of Fort Worth. Please sign up at the evite so we can get a count!

https://evite.me/2sB2WnfVfb

10/12/2026

October is ADHD awareness month and at our house it is ADHD month pretty much every month. All 3 of my kids have ADHD. You are highly likely to have it if you have dyslexia or autism so here we are. I know you are shocked. And I know I talk a lot about Clara but today you get to hear about my Jack. Jack comes to reading intervention sessions Literacy United with Shannon Mehaffey. He has dyslexia but it’s complicated by his ADHD so a traditional lock step dyslexia program is a bit tedious for him. He needs lots of exposures to letters and sounds, confidence building, and different ways of practicing with text that are highly engaging. Before I even had my Jack, I had a mantra in adhd land for the children I see, it’s high level and brilliant 🤣…..”we don’t do boring”. He is the poster child for this. Jack also can hyper focus on his ever changing interests. Right now it’s learning everything about the Rubik’s cube and who knew there were so many versions. Reading is really hard for Jack but we started really early (speech at 2, reading support and med management the day he turned 5). When I started in private practice, I was going to treat reading disorders. That’s what I was trained for. Turns out 50% of people who have reading challenges also have ADHD. This was what I focused my dissertation research on because I have seen over the past 20+ years about 3 kids with just reading disorders while the majority of the children we see also have ADHD. No one mentioned the ADHD part in reading specialist grad school. Thats a whole other post. Today, though, here’s to the Jacks of the world - kind, curious, energetic, creative, brilliant. May we continue to build a world and schools and reading clinic that includes all of us - not just the ones who fit neatly into simple diagnostic criteria or into pre-packaged 1 size fits all programs!

10/12/2026

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10/11/2026

Thank you Worth Report for great coverage. Donating books and materials is essential for our little nonprofit, an easy lift for families who have the resources and access our families do not. These donations allow us to focus our financial resources at Literacy United on staffing our programs with certified reading specialists and special educators. Every dollar we don’t spend on materials is a dollar invested in teaching children to read - a process that is complex and requires specialized training in the science of reading (how the brain learns to read). Remember everyone - we are in a literacy CRISIS. It is wholly unacceptable that just under 40% of FWISD students can read at grade level by third grade. Providing intensive reading services and doing so early is a big part of the solution!

About 650 donated books will go to local children, allowing Literacy United to redirect money toward reading specialists.

10/10/2026

What a wonderful way to celebrate Fall Break at Literacy United!

Our Camp Rise and Read kids loved showing off the books and games purchased from our Amazon Wish List and donated by BYU Cougs Care! Just look at those smiles!

Your generosity is helping us change lives through literacy, one child at a time!

10/09/2026

Reading doesn't stop at the classroom door.

It's reading the directions on a new recipe.

It's helping your child with homework.

It's understanding a note from school.

It's filling out an application.

It's reading a menu.

It's understanding information you need to make a decision.

It's being able to say, “I can do this myself.”

Literacy touches almost every part of everyday life.

That's why at Literacy United, we care about more than reading levels. We care about what stronger reading skills make possible.

10/09/2026

Before Brigham Young University takes the field against the Horned Frogs on Saturday, Oct. 3, Cougars fans are hoping to give back to the Fort Worth community and readers. Cougs Care, a BYU Alumni Association initiative that hosts service-based tailgates before nearly every BYU road game, partnered....