Books of Hope

Books of Hope (BOH) was founded in 1999 as a collaboration between the Mystic Learning Center, a nonprofit affiliated with the Mystic Housing Development in Somerville, and the Somerville Arts Council. BOH's mission is to bring hope into young people's lives by building a respectful, responsive learning environment where they can discover the books that live inside them. During each 16-week session, 16 young people meet weekly for three hours and at the end publish books they have authored. These books reflect a variety of genres, including short stories, plays, poetry, and comic books. Youth are also encouraged to sell these books in their communities. Participants are 47 percent Haitian, 22 percent Latino, 19 percent Caucasian, 7 percent Portuguese, and 3 percent African; 28 percent of participants come from families with an income of less than $10,000, and an additional 70 percent are from families with an income of less than $20,000.

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Media Coverage
Young Writers' Words Heard Loud and Clear
By Elizabeth Bernardi, Somerville News
April 9, 2008

Wild: Hear Our Voices... Books of Hope Writers Speak
By Patricia Wild, Somerville Journal
April 2, 2008

Immigrant City Then and Now Exhibit Holds Last Hurrah
By Sarah Gatzke, Somerville Journal
March 25, 2008

Books of Hope to Help Kids Write and Publish Books
Somerville Journal
September 27, 2007

Third Book Fair Showcases African-American Authors
By Danielle Dreilinger, Boston Globe
July 8, 2007

Mystic Ave. Writers Read 'Books of Hope'
By George P. Hassett, Somerville News
July 2, 2007