A Story Shared, And Memories Made
Author Karen Schaufeld delights Camp Read A Lot with her book, “Larry and Bob”
Karen Schaufeld, an author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, lawyer, and ardent early reading advocate whose children’s books are inspired by the natural world, made a special appearance at Shenandoah University’s Camp Read A Lot at Sully Elementary School in Loudoun County, Virginia, this summer.
Living on a farm in Loudoun County, she draws inspiration directly from nature for her books, which include “The Lollipop Tree,” “How to Eat a Peach,” “Vultures, A Love Story,” and “Larry and Bob.” The first-through-fifth-grade campers prepared for her visit by reading her work with teachers, who also discussed her creative process, focus on nature and word choices. Schaufeld’s website states that she “feels it is essential to use more advanced vocabulary than is typically seen in most children’s books. When children hear these words read aloud, they develop better language skills.” Beyond writing books, Schaufeld founded the nonprofit, All Ages Read Together, to help prepare preschool children for school success.
During her visit, Schaufeld read aloud “Larry and Bob,” her tale of an unexpected friendship between an eagle and a smallmouth bass, engaged in a Q&A session, and donated and signed copies of her books for campers.
Powerful partnerships
Shenandoah is deeply grateful to Schaufeld for her generosity to Camp Read A Lot, which launched in 2017, through a partnership between the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation and the Master of Science in Literacy program at Shenandoah University.
Schaufeld’s belief in the power of reading at any age, but most particularly in a person’s childhood, is a perfect match for the camp initiative, which was created to combat summer learning loss.
In 2022, the program expanded across two locations, taking place this year at Sully Elementary and Minnieville Elementary in Prince William County, Virginia. At the camps, children also build their own personal libraries, and this year, many of those will include Schaufeld’s book. The children will also carry with them memories of its author.
The campers truly appreciated her work and visit. “We learned that she wrote some cool books,” one camper said. “She also said maybe fish have tears,” another camper added. On the final day of camp, campers voted overwhelmingly for “Larry and Bob” as the winner of the annual Best Book of Camp Read A Lot 2026 Award, out of 13 featured titles.
Benefits of Camp Read A Lot
By pairing diagnostic instruction with author visits and the joy of summer camp, Camp Read A Lot accomplishes far more than preventing loss of skills. Young readers return to school in the fall with full bookshelves and a deeper passion for books, while graduate students at Shenandoah University gain practical clinical experience necessary to excel as future reading specialists.
