{"product_id":"unnecessarily-beautiful-spaces-for-young-minds-on-fire","title":"Unnecessarily Beautiful Spaces for Young Minds on Fire","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"The story: back in 2002, some friends in San Francisco had an idea for a youth writing and tutoring center. They rented a building for this purpose, only to learn that the address was zoned for retail; they could do their writing and tutoring, sure, but they had to sell something in the front of the building. So they decided to sell pirate supplies, and to decorate the storefront as if it were a real shop for working buccaneers. It was a ludicrous solution to a bizarre problem, and it ended up being the key to everything\u003c\/i\u003e.\" - from the introduction by Dave Eggers\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery kid in the world needs a safe, welcoming - and especially weird - place to write. That's the theory behind \u003ci\u003e826 Valencia\u003c\/i\u003e, a writing and tutoring center started in 2002 by writer Dave Eggers and friends, in San Francisco. That center inspired similar centers around the world, from New York to Melbourne - all with their own bizarre themes designed to make learning fun, and destigmatize tutoring centers for kids falling behind. In Boston, there's the \u003ci\u003eGreater Boston Bigfoot Research Institute\u003c\/i\u003e. In Minneapolis, there's the \u003ci\u003eMidcontinent Oceanographic Institute\u003c\/i\u003e. Los Angeles has a convenience store for time travelers. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFilled with stunning photos of each space, along with detailed spreads showing the range of creative \"merchandise\" the centers have for their theme, the book also includes interviews with center directors and staff on their space, and how they've used it in programs, one-on-one connections with young learners, and community outreach, in hopes of creating a blueprint that others might follow. Dozens of centers are featured, from cities across the US and around the world. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA celebration of creating joyous and welcoming wild spaces for young minds, \u003ci\u003eUnnecessarily Beautiful Spaces for Young Minds on Fire\u003c\/i\u003e seeks to inspire more communities, schools and libraries, and civic and corporate organizations around the world to build their own centers for young writers. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCenters featured include: \u003cbr\u003eSan Francisco (826 Valencia, 826 Valencia: Tenderloin, 826 Valencia: Mission Bay)\u003cbr\u003eNew York City (826NYC)\u003cbr\u003eLos Angeles (826 LA: Echo Park, 826LA: Mar Vista)\u003cbr\u003eRoxbury MA \u003ci\u003eBoston area\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e(826 Boston)\u003cbr\u003eCincinatti (WordPlay Cincy)\u003cbr\u003eChicago (826Chi)\u003cbr\u003eLas Vegas (The Writer's Block)\u003cbr\u003eWashington DC (826DC)\u003cbr\u003eMinneapolis (826 MSP)\u003cbr\u003eAustin (Austin Bat Cave)\u003cbr\u003eSacramento, CA ( 916 Ink)\u003cbr\u003eTulsa (Tulsa Library Intergalactic Spaceport and Emporium) \u003cbr\u003eDetroit (826michigan: detroit)\u003cbr\u003eAnn Arbor\/Ypsilanti (826michigan: Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti) \u003cbr\u003eKalamazoo, MI (Read and Write Kalamazoo)\u003cbr\u003eLouisville, KY (Young Authors Greenhouse)\u003cbr\u003eOakland, CA (Chapter 510 and Dept of Make Believe) \u003cbr\u003eNew Orleans (826 New Orleans)\u003cbr\u003eBuffalo, NY (Just Buffalo Literary Center)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInternational:\u003cbr\u003eRotherham England (Grimm \u0026amp; Co)\u003cbr\u003eLondon England (The Ministry of Stories)\u003cbr\u003eStockholm Sweden (Berattarministeriet)\u003cbr\u003eRedfern Australia (Story Factory)\u003cbr\u003eLustenau Austria (W*ORT)\u003cbr\u003eTorino Italy (Fronte del Borgo)\u003cbr\u003eAmsterdam Netherlands (Noordje)\u003cbr\u003eDublin Ireland (Fighting Words)\u003cbr\u003eMilano Italy (La Grande Fabbrica delle Parole)\u003cbr\u003eCampi Bisenzio, Italy (Porto delle Storie)\u003cbr\u003eEast Sussex England (Little Green Pig)\u003cbr\u003eToronto Canada (Story Planet)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"McSweeney's","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":53391596126481,"sku":"9781944211820","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0928\/6890\/3185\/files\/cover_97270c52-2b94-44fd-a26d-54b54c3a98c6.jpeg?v=1776866953","url":"https:\/\/www.stablebookgroup.com\/products\/unnecessarily-beautiful-spaces-for-young-minds-on-fire","provider":"Stable Book Group","version":"1.0","type":"link"}