By Edward Nawotka

Over the last several years literary entrepreneurs, supported by A-list authors, have opened several imaginative creative writing centers and bookshops aimed a children and teens. Arguably, these institutions — from Dave Egger’s 826 Valencia in San Francisco, Roddy Doyle’s Fighting Words in Dublin, to Nick Hornby’s Ministry of Stories in London (as discussed in today’s lead story) — are doing a better job of instilling the next generation with a love of literature than are schools. At the very least the implication of the very existence of such institutions is that more can be done do inspire children, something that is happening in school. Can schools adopt some of the creativity of these private institutions to help inspire more literary creativity? If so, what do you suggest?

Let us know what you think in the comments.