The Todd Saker Fund was established by a generous gift from Linda and Wayne Saker to honor the memory of Todd Saker, a student at Baker School, who was a voracious reader.

The fund supports an annual tour to the Brookline Public Schools by a noted children’s author, coupled with related curriculum to make the author’s visit a more meaningful learning experience for students. The visit is intended to inspire a love of reading and writing in young people by introducing them to writing as an art and as a career choice.

2007-2008
This spring, the Saker Fund will co-sponsor a visit to all Brookline elementary schools by Mitali Bose Perkins, a prolific author of fiction that focuses on the lives of young people born or raised in a culture other than that of their parents. Some of Ms. Perkins' recent publications include Monsoon Summer, a Bank Street Best Book for Children, and The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen, an ALA Book for Reluctant Readers.

To enable visits to all eight elementary schools, school PTOs and Friends of the Library groups provided financial support to complement the Saker fund monies.

Monday, March 24                             Driscoll School
Monday, April 7                                 Heath School
Tuesday, April 8                                Lawrence and Pierce Schools
Wednesday, April 9                            Runkle School
Friday, April 11                                  Devotion School
Monday, June 2                                 returns to Devotion
Tuesday, June 3                                returns to Devotion
Thursday, June 5                               Lincoln School
Friday, June 6                                    Baker School

2006-2007
In January 2007, the Todd Saker Fund helped to support a visit to all Brookline elementary schools by Caldecott Honoree Christopher Bing. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Bing is an award-winning editorial and children’s book illustrator.

His visit to the schools focused on his political cartoons and illustrations of the children’s books Casey at Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in 1888 and The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. In order to enable visits to all eight elementary schools, school PTOs and Friends of the Library groups provided additional financial support for Bing’s visit.

2005–2006
In October 2005, the Saker Fund helped to support a visit to Brookline High School by award-winning author Tobias Wolff. Wolff spoke to 1100 freshmen and sophomores about his searing coming-of-age memoir, This Boy’s Life. He also met with junior and senior students in BHS “Craft of Writing” and Journalism classes.

According to BHS English Department Chair, Mary Burchenal, “The best part of [the visit] was the exposure it gave students to a gifted, articulate writer. In a world that highlights sports and show business superstars, it is important to remind students that there are other avenues to pursue and other ways to be inspired.”

2004–2005
David J. Smith, author of If the World Were A Village: A Book about the World’s People, visited all eight elementary schools in Winter 2005 to share his experience as a author, to discuss the writing process, and to inspire a future generation of writers. David Smith's visits were funded by The Todd Saker Endowment, which was established by a generous gift from Linda and Wayne Saker to honor the memory of their son, who was a voracious reader.

If the World Were A Village reduces the world to a village of 100 people. Who lives in the village, what languages are spoken, and how fast the world is growing are among the issues the book examines. Horn Book Magazine described the book as "thought-provoking and highly effective” in the way in which it introduces children to a “wider view of our planet.” The book has won numerous awards and recognitions. A former teacher who is now an educational consultant, Mr. Smith lives in Cambridge.

Read the Brookline TAB article about David Smith's visit

2003–2004
The first author visit, held in March 2004, was a fitting tribute to the memory of Todd. Students in each of Brookline’s eight elementary schools were enthralled and enlightened by children’s author Yangsook Choi. Ms. Choi, named one of the most prominent new children’s book artists of 1997 by Publisher’s Weekly, discussed the creative process of book making, including using the imagination, getting an idea, writing, and illustrating. Using her original sketchbooks, printer’s proofs and paintings from her book New Cat, and drawing demonstrations, Ms. Choi introduced students to every stage of the writing process.

Note: To enable visits to all eight elementary schools, the PTOs and Friends of the Library groups provided financial support to complement the Saker fund monies, which inspired the process.