What Others Are Saying about Kathryn Starke
“My teachers love your style and feel like you are truly here for them to become better reading teachers.”
-Principal, Richmond, Virginia
“We loved having you here. We are where we are today because of your coaching. Your impact on us translates to incredible growth of our students, the greatest gift of all. Thank you.”
-Head of School, Charleston, South Carolina
“I’ve been teaching for 15 years and have never had anyone provide the best feedback. I feel like I can ask her anything.”
-4th grade teacher
“Kathryn is a positive person that my staff instantly trusted, respected, and learned a great deal from.”
-Principal, Massachusetts
“Kathryn is approachable and supportive in all aspects of literacy coaching.”
-3rd grade teacher
“I feel like I’m a better first grade teacher because of your guidance, direction, support, and expertise in reading.”
-First Grade Teacher
“I was ready to quit teaching until I had the opportunity to work with Kathryn Starke. She is living proof that passionate teachers exist. Her enthusiasm for teaching is contagious.”
-Elementary Teacher
“Kathryn’s presentation is wonderful for a range of educators from novice to advanced. I am confident that our teachers will excel with their newly required reading strategies and, in turn, our students will succeed.”
-Program Manager, AmeriCorps
What Others are Saying About A Touchdown in Reading
"Kathryn Starke’s A Touchdown in Reading is an essential resource for all educators to have in their playbook to support their students in reaching their literacy goals. All students will benefit from the multiple instructional strategies highlighted in this book for teachers to guide them to success. Specifically, for teachers working in urban settings or schools that have been historically marginalized, this book will provide the motivational tools necessary for promoting literacy and best practices in their classrooms."
- Joshua P. Cole, Ph.D. Milken Educator, author and Executive Director of Strategic Engagement, VCU School of Education
"Kathryn Starke is a premier voice in this country for literacy instruction. Her prominent work is grounded by her firsthand experiences in the field working with students and as a literacy coach for urban and suburban school districts across the country. Let her help you create a literacy-rich environment in your classroom, school, and district."
- Donna Dalton, author and former CAO, Chesterfield County Public Schools
"Kathryn Starke is a remarkable literacy coach and writer. As a former superintendent, I have witnessed her skillful use of proven strategies to train teachers and significantly improve literacy rates for our students. This book scores another touchdown for educators and their students."
- Dr. Marcus Newsome, Director of the Virginia Superintendents Leadership Academy
"Growing up in Dallas, Texas, football is a large part of life. I have had the opportunity to work with Kathryn and NFL players to help elementary schools across the country tackle reading. Kathryn’s expertise and passion for urban literacy education is evident in her successful execution of this national educational initiative every single year."
- Michelle Staubach Grimes, author and literacy advocate
"My parents were lifelong educators, and I believe to my core that readers become leaders. Accordingly, it is with great enthusiasm that I write in support of the latest educational gift from Kathryn Starke, A Touchdown in Reading. The book is a how-to guide for elementary educators who are working to make sure literacy lessons at every grade level will enable each child to succeed in his or her reading journey."
- BK Fulton, author, chairman Soulidifly Productions
What Others are Saying About Amy's Travels
"Amy's Travels is a delightful adventure of a little girl who moves with her family every few years to a different continent. This appealing journey enables children to obtain a broad perspective of the world as seen through the eyes of Amy, the central character. By focusing on each of the seven continents, the reader is able to conceptualize both their vast differences and stark similarities. Beautifully written and magnificently illustrated, Amy's Travels is the perfect selection for teachers when developing children’s background experiences for Social Studies at any grade level."
- Dr. Katherine Wisendanger, Professor, Literacy and Culture Program, Longwood University
"Amy's Travels is a wonderful story about a young girl who has visited each of the continents. The story is based on the life of author Kathryn Starke’s’ friend Amy. Not only does this book provide a window into each of the continents, it also provides lesson plans and activities for grades K-5. This book provides an opportunity for students who otherwise would never have the chance to visit any other continent."
- Alison Perry, Elementary School Teacher, Richmond, Virginia
"Amy's Travels is a stimulating and interesting text, which teaches children varied world perspectives in a meaningful and relevant way. The reader is taken in turn for a fleeting visit to each continent, starting with Antarctica and ending with Australia."
- Lois Henderson, BookPleasures.com
"I realy enjoyed seeing my preschool daughter enjoy Amy's Travels. It was great to see her thoughts of sharing the book with others, as long as they didn't take her copy becasue she isn't willing to part with it. I would highly suggest this book to parents and elementary school teachers. The book woul be wonderful for use in the classroom as well as a fun learning tool at home."
- Tiffany Schlarman, Book Reviewer
"Amy's Travels is an excellent complement to elementary geography. There are opportunities fro map reading, learning the continents,and countries too. Curriculum ideas in the back expand the learning."
- The Reading Tub
"Given that my son just finished learning about the seven continents at school, I was happy to share the book Amy's Travels with him. This children’s book by Kathryn Starke is a cool blend of geography and culture that promotes all the things we love to encourage as multilingual families."
- SpanglishBaby
"Amy shares her knowledge of the seven continents of the world through young and imaginative eyes. The book comes with lesson plans thta are very useful for teachers of grades kindergarten through fifth."
- Patrice Russo Belotte, Book Reviewer
"Written by second grade teacher Kathryn Starke, Amy's Travels is a softcover children’s picturebook that invites young readers to accompany Amy along her trip to all seven of Earth’s continents. From the rainforest jungles of Africa to the mountains of South America and the cultured cities of Europe, Amy's Travels offers a child’s eye view of the delights of encountering new people, places, and cultures. Simple color drawings on every other page add a unique touch of charm to this storybook, especially recommended for sharing with children before a family trip."
- The Midwest Book Review
"Amy's Travels meets the social content compliance guidelines of the California Education Code cited in the State Board of Education guidelines in Standards for Evaluating Instructional Materials for Social Content. These guidelines ensure the materials portray democratic values, cultural pluralism, and the diversity of our population by emphasizing people in a variety of positive roles."
- California Department of Education
"This children’s book by John B. Cary second grade teacher Kathryn Starke, is a creative way to tackle some of the requirements of the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs). With social studies lessons for kindergarten through fifth grade teachers following the story, Starke takes her young readers from Antarctica to Australia while secretly folding in such SOL requirements as “relative locations” and “varied world perspectives.” The simply told narrative is based on the real-life travels of Starke’s former college suitemate Amy Kramer, whose father worked for the foreign services. The illustrations by Jennifer Carter, Laura Starke, and first-grade John B. Cary teacher Charity Wells are childlike and endearing. Amy's Travels will be included in the Henrico County Library’s fall program."
- Style Weekly, Richmond, Virginia