MRA Café-Coffee and Conversations
Welcome to the November updates of the Massachusetts Reading Association. MRA Café is a monthly publication that connects our members, inspires joyful collegiality, shares insights into literacy education, and celebrates success stories.
November Reading Challenge
Brighter Day Press (click here for more information) has provided the following November reading challenge book list! How many can you read this month?
MRA Scholarship Spotlight
Sylvia D. Brown Scholarship
The MRA invites you to submit a proposal for the Sylvia D. Brown Scholarship. Proposals are due by January 31, 2026, and must be submitted electronically as a Word document to the Sylvia D. Brown committee chair. A three-to-five-page detailed description of the Action research project must be submitted. At least one of the participants in the project must be a member of MRA. Each participant must submit a Participant’s Information Form and a professional resume.
A sample proposal, information brochure and forms are available on the MRA website: Sylvia D. Brown Scholarship
MRA Conference Corner
MRA Awards Spotlight
Celebrate Literacy Award
Nominate candidates who have shown exemplary accomplishments in any of the following areas maybe suggested for consideration:
Direct literacy teaching
Organizing local literacy programs
Promoting public support for enhancing literacy
Producing teaching materials or special media for literacy programs
Conducting literacy research
Providing young people the opportunity to help in literacy activities
Conducting informal literacy activities of a social, cultural, economic, or political nature, in which literacy activities are included
Reminder: Members of the MRA Board and Advisory Group are not eligible for nomination. Applications must be completed in entirety to be considered.
Nominations deadline: January 31, 2026
MRA Minigrants Are Back!
Massachusetts Reading Association is happy to share with you the exciting opportunity for local councils to make an impact on their community by promoting literacy and professional development. MRA Minigrant applications for the 2025-2026 year will be available beginning this month. The MRA Minigrant is designed to support Local Councils in developing innovative programs that encourage reading and literacy engagement within their communities. These grants are intended to provide funding for programs that foster a love for reading, improve literacy skills, and create accessible educational resources for all age groups.
The minigrant can be used for a variety of initiatives. Some examples of past Minigrants include
● Children’s Literature Festival (Berkshire Reading Council)
● Character Breakfast (Greater Boston Reading Council)
● Project Just Because Back to School Program (Nobscot Reading Council)
● Establishing a Lending Library at the New Bedford Family Resource Center (Southeast Regional Reading Council)
● Books for JRI Kids (Cape Cod Reading Council)
The deadline for applying for the 2025-2026 MRA Minigrant is March 1, 2026. The Google Form is available on the Massachusetts Reading Association website at MRA Minigrants
We hope to see your council take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and look forward to assisting you in promoting literacy within your community.
Donald L. Landry Student Awards
The Donald L. Landry Student Awards were established to encourage students to become active members of professional organizations, and in particular MRA. The award was named after Donald Landry to honor his many years of service to MRA as President and Executive Treasurer. Student Applicants must be enrolled in an Educational Program in MA at the undergraduate or graduate levels and write an essay, responding to a prompt, that is scored by a committee.
Recipients receive
Full Conference Registration, meals and lodging
An Annual MRA Student Membership
Submission information may be found here: Donald L. Landry Awards or you can email: Dr. Marlene Correia (mcorreiamra@gmail.com).
Exemplary Reading Award
The Exemplary Reading Award committee is now accepting nominations for the Exemplary Reading Award.
This prestigious award is sponsored by the Massachusetts Reading Association to recognize outstanding reading and language arts initiatives at all grade levels (elementary, middle, and high school). Its purpose is to call the public’s attention to outstanding school-wide literacy initiatives throughout Massachusetts.
Each council is encouraged to nominate one or more schools for the Exemplary Reading Award. The MRA Exemplary Reading Award Committee will contact each nominated school to inform them of the steps required in applying for the award. All applications are due by December 22nd, 2025. The MRA Exemplary Reading Award Committee will review applications and apply the criteria and guidelines listed below using a standardized scoring procedure. Selected schools will be visited by representatives of the Exemplary Reading Award Committee. The name of the winning school and a description of the school-wide literacy initiatives will be sent to the MRA Board by March 11th.
Please see the attached guidelines and application for your reference. Completed applications should be emailed by December 22nd, 2025.
We look forward to receiving your nominations at prattrobin33@gmail.com.
Recomment the Next Honor Reading Society
Email mraabrieskeulenski@gmail.com or susanflis47@gmail.com to recommend a college or university that would be a great place to start the next reading honor society chapter in Massachusetts!
Upcoming Events and Programming
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TIFFANY HAMMOND Author reading, Q & A and signing with New York Times #1 author Tiffany Hammond @fidgets.and.fries
When: Tuesday, November 4, 2025 , 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM (EST)
Where: Molly's Bookstore, 667-669 Main Street, Melrose, MA
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Do you like to read, write, or draw?
Register here for this year's Young Adult Author Symposium (YAAS)! Registration and all programming are free.
This free festival is returning to Concord-Carlisle High School on Saturday, November 15, 2025 from 9am-2pm. You’ll get the chance to meet authors and illustrators, hear about how they created their books, and learn how you can write or draw your own! The Silver Unicorn Bookstore will be on hand selling books. Pizza and baked goods will also be available to purchase.
Visit our website to find out about the full day's schedule, the breakout session options, and the authors and illustrators who'll be in attendance. Give us a follow on our Instagram, and share our newsletter signup with friends! We hope to see you there!
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The Bellingham Library is excited to announce our second annual Bellingham Local Author Expo. The purpose of this Expo is to highlight the works of authors from Bellingham and our neighboring towns, as well as work of the members of the Bellingham Writers Group.
During the Expo each Author will have a 6 foot table to display their books and other materials. The Expo is an opportunity for you to sell your books, meet with local readers, and learn from other authors.
Here is the planned schedule for the day:
9:00-9:45 am - Author Table Set Up
9:45-11:15 am - Public "Meet the Author" Time
11:15 am-12:15 pm - Keynote by Stephen Puleo, author of The Dark Tide and The Great Abolitionist
12:15-1:00 pm - Lunch for author participants, sponsored by the Friends of the Library
1:00-2:00 - pm Marketing Workshop for authors facilitated by Stephen PuleoJoin us on Saturday, November 15th from 9 am to 2 pm at the library for our 2nd Annual Author Expo
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The Newton Children’s Book Festival is back for 2025!
After a successful inaugural event in 2024, we will be back, hosting the 2nd Annual Newton Children’s Book Festival on Sunday, November 16th, 2025 from 11 am to 3pm at the New Art Center in Newton.
Meet 60+ Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators!
The Newton Children’s Book Festival is a FREE event featuring 60+ children’s book authors and illustrators who will be signing books! Books available for purchase at the event from Newtonville Books.This event is sponsored in part by the Massachusetts Center for the Book.
Books available for purchase and signing!
Newtonville Books is the book seller at our event.
Signed books make great holiday gifts for both teachers and loved ones!
Date
Sunday, November 16th, 2025
11 am to 3 pmSnow date
NoneLocation
New Art Center
61 Washington Park
Newton, MA 02460 -
Join us for a magical day of stories, crafts, and cocoa featuring five amazing local children's authors- Josh Funk, Jannie Ho, Renee Kurilla, Scott Magoon, and AJ Smith. Storytime will take take place every half hour with the first one at 10:30am.
See the storytime schedule below:
10:30am - Josh Funk11am- AJ Smith
11:30am - Renee Kurilla
12pm - Scott Magoon
12:30pm - Jannie Ho
J Join our Local Councils
Please take a look at the map above and consider joining your local council as a member or become involved in the board! You can visit the local council’s website or email the president directly to express your interest today! Our councils are the grassroots movement of MRA and they are the life of the organization. Our councils put on almost 90% of the events from MRA across the Commonwealth yearly! It is dedicated volunteers like you that make us thrive, connected, and become established. We NEED YOU!!! Please take a look at where you live and join your local council today!
Berkshire
Please email for information:
Cape Cod
President: Mary Weatherby
mary.weatherby@comcast.net
Website
Greater Boston
President: Jeanne Conley, Liz Colantuonio
Merrimack Valley
Merrimack Council is currently inactive. If you have an interest in leading literacy initiatives in your area, please contact MRA at info@massreading.org
Nobscot
Presidents: Marley Jallah-Deveaux, Kathy Renfrew
North Shore
North Shore Council is currently inactive. If you have an interest in leading literacy initiatives in your area, please contact MRA at info@massreading.org
Pioneer Valley
President: Sherry Sausville
sausville@stcc.edu
Christina.borgatti@gmail.com
SERRC
President: Kaitlin Donahue
South Shore
President: Kerri Fuller
Thank you for your dedication to literacy. Together, we can ensure every student becomes a confident and capable reader, writer, and learner.
MRA information
The Massachusetts Reading Association is a professional non-profit organization of individuals whose primary purpose is to improve the quality and level of literacy in the state of Massachusetts. The MRA is affiliated with the International Literacy Association (ILA), a worldwide literacy organization. Our Mission The mission of the Massachusetts Reading Association is to promote literacy for all learners through professional development, research, publications, and advocacy.
