Blog

Across the country, secondary schools are facing a silent crisis: older striving readers are being left behind by intervention programs designed for elementary students. At Storyshares, we believe that every student deserves the chance to learn to read, regardless of their age. We are proud to share a story of transformation from our partners at Phoenix Charter Academy Chelsea, a school that refused to accept flatlining literacy scores as the status quo.

So many decodable texts felt too simple, too repetitive, or just plain boring, especially for older elementary students who want real stories but still need structured phonics practice. At the same time, the books my students wanted to read were often linguistically out of reach, forcing them to choose between something interesting and something accessible.‍That’s when I realized there was a gap. ‍So I decided to write the books my students were missing.

As I set out to create Storyshares, I thought I had to choose between two rigid paths: be a nonprofit to stay "pure" to the mission, or be a for-profit to scale.‍I eventually realized that dichotomy was an oversimplification. Today, Storyshares is a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC). This isn't just a legal designation; it’s the engine that allows us to solve the adolescent literacy crisis at scale.

Too often, we treat literacy as siloed — disparate strands of skills and the sole responsibility of the ELA teacher rather than a deeply interconnected ecosystem where the parts all dynamically work together.

We are thrilled to announce a major expansion of our partnership with 95 Percent Group — the launch of the 95 Readables™ nonfiction series for Grades 2–5.

The Storyshares team had an inspiring first experience as a vendor at The Reading League Conference, where we joined our partners at HILL for Literacy to showcase LIFT, connected with passionate educators and leaders, and proudly represented the often-overlooked world of adolescent literacy.

Do It. Prove It. Share It. Grow It: How Hope for Youth and Families and Storyshares Are Changing the Story for Striving Readers

As you start a new season of learning, consider nudging your kids, students, or even yourself to rediscover the local library. Chances are, you’ll find it’s far more than you expected — a vital resource at the heart of your community.