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Julia Williams
Editor-in-Chief
With its motto, “Reading for Life,” Kansas City Metro’s Lead to Read — a nonprofit, youth literacy organization — announced a new author for its Author Partnership program, Oct. 15 in a social media post.
Chris Goode — a Northeast resident and owner of Ruby Jean’s Juicery (3000 Troost Ave) — is the author of his children’s book “Ruby Jean’s Garden.” Along with Lead to Read, Goode hosted an author kick-off event Oct. 26 at Ruby Jean’s main location — providing a space of education and camaraderie for youth and community members, alike.
“I’m so excited for our new author and partner,” said Lead to Read Executive Director Rhea LeGrande in an interview, Oct. 26.
Spanning over a decade, Lead to Read was founded by Lynn and Jean Rundle — two former teachers — surrounded by one mission, literacy.
The Rundle’s believed in creating a program which improved reading skills and additionally promoted positive associations with reading, according to its website.
While this award winning organization launched with just one program — Reading Mentoring — it has since expanded to include Tutoring, Author Partnerships and Reading is Everywhere.
This now four-part organization has worked to support students — which includes holding physical, social and emotional wellness assemblies — across the Kansas City Metro from Kansas City Public, Charter, Kansas City Kansas Central and Hickman Mills schools, among others, LeGrande said.
In a 2023-2024 survey, which was conducted by its reading mentors, it showed 93% of children’s reading attitudes were positively influenced and 89% of youth reading abilities were improved, according to Lead to Read’s website.
Goode said he became acquainted with Lead to Read a while ago — originally partnering with the program to give away books at his juicery location..
It was this relationship, which sparked the publishing of his own children’s book as a part of Lead to Read’s Author Partnership program.
“Encouraging literacy for young people in Kansas City, it’s a no brainer,” Goode said in an interview.
He wrote his book “Ruby Jean’s Garden” in 2019, after he said he met and spoke with hundreds of children from elementary to college-aged — deciding he needed to tell a story at their skill level and in their language.
This work tells the tale of a healthy food, reinformed journey and an alternate reality. Inspired by Goode’s late grandmother, it shows a world in which she is still around — with a free, community garden.
Goode turned his pipe dream words into reality — purchasing a plot of land on the same street his grandmother’s house sits on (along Wabash Ave) and growing a garden for the Northeast community.
Saturday, Oct. 26 marked the first day Goode sold “Ruby Jean’s Garden” at Ruby Jean’s Juicery. The weather was warm and children squealed with joy as games including inflatable basketball were offered as well as beverages from Ruby Jean’s Juicery which were available for purchase at this outdoor event.
Lead to Read staff and volunteers were present to provide education about its program and what it offers to the community and the Kansas City Metro as a whole.
Goode concluded the morning with a reading from his book to engage children in attendance and give the crowd a glimpse into his recent work.
“It’s special just to be an author in general, to do it for an organization that supports literacy, it’s a blessing,” Goode said in an interview.
To learn more about Lead to Read and its programs, visit: https://leadtoreadkc.org/about/.
The Northeast Kansas City Chamber of Commerce will host Lead to Read at its upcoming Coffee, Culture and Conversation event from 10 to 11 a.m., Nov. 14; Attendance is free.
Dorri Partain
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