New to Can we read? Start hereš
Welcome! And thanks for being here.
Spending time you donāt have trying to find great books for your kids?
Can we read? is your weekly guide to childrenās books, raising readers, and how to build a culture of reading in your home.
Get reviews of books old and new, help in finding the right titles for your family, and inspiration for creating a culture of reading in your home right in your inbox every Tuesday and Wednesday before 10AM CT.
Iām a lifelong bookworm who has always been crazy for childrenās books ā when I had two children of my own, now 8yo and 5yo, I became obsessed. (The title of this newsletter was inspired by my then-3yo daughter, who asked me that question 25+ times a day. The answer was ā is still ā always yes.)
Iāve built our large home library book by book (you can read more about thatĀ here) and have learned everything I can about childrenās literature and raising readers. Iām a full-time work-outside-the-home parent with a career that has nothing to do with any of this ā which is to say, Iām self-taught, but I know a lot. (Hear it directly from a subscriber: āThe recommendations are spot on and itās so well-researched.ā) I have a BA in English and am a professional writer in my day job ā not that I think either of those qualifies me as an expert, but they do, perhaps, contribute to the quality of my newsletter.
This is, nothing more and nothing less, a love letter to childrenās books, old and newer, and the magic of reading them together.
Youāll receiveā¦
ā¦the guidance of someone with both knowledge and experience.
I take the guesswork (and time!) out of finding excellent books for you and the children in your life.
As a free subscriber, youāll receive:
Every public post and issue ā one a week, which always features 4-5 book reviews, plus extras at my whim. (Youāll get what paid subscribers receive regularly, but in a smaller quantity over longer intervals.)
As a paid subscriber, youāll receive:
An instant digital download, 100 Books to Build Your Library (a $5 value)
Weekly reviews of 4-5 childrenās books, as well as special seasonal editions, and one-off topical deep dives
Access to all past posts and issues in the archive
Advice, inspiration, and support in raising readers
Practical, actionable ideas for creating a culture of reading in your home
Personalized book recommendations at any time
Founding subscribers:
If youāre feeling extra generous and want to consider yourself a true patron of my work, you can subscribe at the āFounderā level. The suggested fee is $120/year but you can enter any amount greater than $65. That will get you all of the benefits of a paid subscriber, plus warm fuzzies.
I never want price to be a barrier to entry, so I will comp a paid subscription to anyone experiencing financial hardship. If this applies to you, simply let me know (by subscribing for free and hitting reply on any message, or sending an email to canweread@substack.com) ā no explanation necessary.
If youād like to underwrite one of those subscriptions, you can donate oneĀ here.
Why subscribe?
There are a million booklists online ā I tell youĀ whyĀ I recommend each title and why you and your kiddo/s might enjoy it
I save you time and energy by doing the work for you. Many subscribers use each issue to put books on hold at the library, or make purchases to build or freshen up their home libraries ā and it all comes right to your inbox
I offer help and support in your efforts to raise readers
Subscribers have said:
š āI enjoy the variety of formats ā from quick lists to deeper explanations. Itās a nice mix.ā
š āThis newsletter is great because it helps me make the emotional labor more efficient ā I am working with curated, high-quality information from the start, rather than sifting through the whole wide world every single time; and immediately applying it to my own needs and life ā making my library list online, adding books to various lists for the future, etc. I don't want to ānot have to think aboutā this kind of thing ā I think about it often and I enjoy thinking about it; I just want to think about it in a way that maximizes the actual impact of all my energy.ā
š āYour passion, interesting commentary, and fantastic book selection have been the highlight of my inbox. You have introduced me to so many authors and titles I had no idea needed to be in my life and I love your tone of writing. Not pretentious, not unrealistic, just right. I feel like we could be having a coffee and talking books and itās just really nice to read.ā
Iām not a parent ā is this newsletter still for me?
Absolutely. You donāt have to be a parent to find value in this newsletter. I have many subscribers who are grandparents, aunties/uncles, teachers, librarians, therapists ā you name it. If there are children in your life in any capacity and your relationship might be strengthened by books and reading, this newsletter is for you.
Thank you for allowing me to pop into your inbox and mental space every week. Itās an immense pleasure to be even the smallest part of your life.
Take good care and read good books š
Sarah
Hi Sarah, I'm stuck in my bedroom separated from my wife and 7 month old in the living room looking for things to read because of covid, and I'm really happy that I stumbled on your newsletter!
As someone who didn't grow up reading a lot but who later in life started reading more, I've wondered what I would read to our daughter. I knew intuitively even before she was born that reading with her would do tremendous good for her and our relationship, but since I hadn't read many children's books, I always just chose whatever was convenient and sounded vaguely familiar, downloaded via the Libby app and my local library subscription.
That photo you have on this page of you reading with your children - you had me at that. Read a few of your posts after that and decided to subscribe. Thanks for doing people like me a big favour, and for being generous by sharing much of it for free. Depending on how deeply our daughter and I get into the reading habit, I believe I might become a paid subscriber in the future. Cheers, Sarah. Sincerely, Nick.
Hey Sarah, I think this works well as your center piece content in your magazine layout. Have you had any other comments about the concept? I appreciate your comments and opinions!