Minnesota Reading Association Newsletter

Fall 2026

Dear MRA Community,

Warmest greetings from your Minnesota Reading Association friends. In the coming school year, we have some very exciting changes and opportunities. First, we are proud to connect with our mission: to inspire lifelong readers and empower educators through professional learning, advocacy, and equity-focused literacy practices.

We’re thrilled to announce two fantastic opportunities for you and your students this fall! We are partnering with BookBreak to offer a free virtual author talk and some exciting professional development that will help you begin to build a Culture of Reading within your school community. Hurry, hurry, the deadline for signing up is SEPTEMBER 15, 2026!!!

How to Sign Up Your School: To secure a spot, please have one representative from your school (e.g., librarian, literacy coach, teacher, or administrator) complete this form. To have access for the spring, schools must sign up by September 15, 2026.

What is BookBreak? 

BookBreak is your all-in-one partner for building and sustaining a strong Culture of Reading, incorporating virtual author visits and more to support whole-school literacy goals. Created by experienced K-12 school librarians and teachers, BookBreak now serves more than 2,000 schools with virtual author programs, ready-to-use instructional content, and professional development. 

You can learn more with this 4-minute video clip: What is BookBreak?

Check out our full line up of authors coming to BookBreak during 2026-2027!

K-12 Free Virtual Author Talk 

BookBreak is offering a FREE author talk to all members of the Minnesota Reading Association community. These interactive sessions are designed to inspire a love of reading and come with valuable pre- and post-talk lesson plans and other resources to extend learning. 

Each school can choose one virtual author talk from the incredible authors listed below:

• Yamile Saied Méndez, What Will You Be? (K & 1st), October 1st (also available in Spanish!)

• Katherine Arden, Small Spaces (6th-8th), October 6th

• Pam Muñoz Ryan, Esperanza Rising (4th & up), October 13th

• Andrea Beatty, Ada Twist Scientist (2nd & 3rd), October 22nd

• Tiffany D. Jackson, White Smoke (9th-12th), October 27th

Elementary talks are 15 minutes, and middle/high school talks are 30 minutes. A recording of the session will be available for 30 days after the event, ensuring no student misses out.

BookBreak Virtual Professional Development (FREE!)

During August and September, BookBreak is hosting two powerful, 100% FREE professional development events designed for teachers, librarians, and district leaders who want to build a thriving ecosystem of reading delight without overloading their schedules.

🗓️August: Keeping the Joy of Reading in the Science of Reading

Date: August 18, 2026 at 6:00 pm ET

Format: A fast-paced, 30-minute masterclass

Join two veteran school librarians for a high-impact session packed with actionable strategies to bridge the gap between hard data and reading for pleasure.

What you’ll learn:

• How to seamlessly collaborate across classrooms and libraries to maximize your impact.

• How to put the joy back on the lesson plan, without adding to your daily workload.

• Practical ways to balance essential skill-building with genuine motivation.

🗓️September: Culture of Reading Virtual Conference

Dates: September 15–18, 2026

This is a 4-day virtual event featuring a dynamic lineup of authors, illustrators, librarians, professors, and literacy experts.

Whether you are looking for classroom-ready activities or district-wide frameworks, this conference offers a flexible mix of keynote sessions, bite-sized mini-sessions, and expert panelists. 

Registration is open for all sessions! Browse BookBreak PD & Register HERE

Meet Your MRA Leaders

We are made up of volunteers. Volunteer and… Join MRA today!

Dr. Carey Seeley Dzierzak is currently the Literacy Achievement Manager for Intermediate District 287.  She has been an educator for over twenty-five years.  She has been an elementary teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, literacy coach, and district and site leader. Carey is committed to literacy as a tool for empowerment. She has dedicated her career to making learning joyful and meaningful for students of all ages.  As a co-president of the MN Reading Association, Carey is committed to serving our state and instilling a love of literacy as well as the tools to help ALL students succeed. We welcome your feedback and input.  

Lynnea Krienitz West is a 25+year educator, classroom teacher, reading specialist, technology integrationist, and currently practices as a Library Media Specialist in the Edina Public Schools at Normandale Elementary French Immersion School and Cornelia Elementary School. Lynnea's teaching approach emphasizes curiosity, communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Her working geniuses are Galvanizing and Innovation. She mostly thinks about how ideas are free, la joie de lire, and how children are as magic as dragons.

Jamie Halvorson is the President-Elect of the Minnesota Reading Association and an elementary educator with a passion for literacy and student success. With experience as both a classroom teacher and academic intervention teacher, Jamie loves helping students discover the confidence, curiosity, and joy that comes from becoming a reader. She is excited to connect with literacy educators across Minnesota and advocate for strong reading instruction for all students.

With Warmth, Peace, and Appreciation

We’re so glad to be in this school year with you. Here's to a year of growing readers, elevating voices, and learning together. Together, we’re committed to nurturing a vibrant, equitable, and forward-thinking MRA, one that reflects the needs and strengths of every teacher, learner, and reader across Minnesota. Pass this along to a friend! 

Dr. Carey Seeley Dzierzak & Lynnea Krienitz West
Co-Presidents, 2026-2027         

Jamie Halvorson, President-Elect2026-2027