Blog authors

Maria Cleary

Hi, I’m the series editor of Helbling Readers and Helbling Young Readers and I really believe in the power of books. Students who read develop all language areas and increase their motivation and self-esteem. I’m always stuck in a book, and when I’m not, I’m making up stories of my own.

Nora Nagy

I’m an English Language and Literature teacher and I also edit and write activities for readers. I'm also a PhD student in Applied Linguistics/TESOL, and my research area are multimodal social semiotics and language/literacy education, with a special focus on visual narratives and museum visits in literacy and thinking development.

I know that telling and reading stories shapes our personalities in the most magical way. Reading is a powerful educational tool: students can explore the world, master languages in all kinds of social situations and have fun at the same time. Good readers make excellent speakers and writers. I always read a variety of books at the same time, and I love fiction and poetry just as much as I love reading about the visual arts. I believe in slow reading because this way I can enjoy my favourite books even more.