Christine French Cully love of reading Fund

Fostering a love of reading in children has been a lifelong pursuit for Christine French Cully. As Editor-in-Chief and Chief Purpose Officer of Highlights magazine, Chris has developed the magazine and her beloved editor’s notes into vehicles to inspire this love and help young readers grow into curious, creative, caring, and confident individuals—their best selves.

The Christine French Cully Love of Reading Fund at the Highlights Foundation is being established to honor Chris’s innumerable contributions to inspire young readers and to further a love of reading in children.

Chris believes in the magic of stories and the power of words and images to ignite curiosity. Through her leadership at Highlights, she has impacted the lives of millions of kids, providing stories, letters, and artwork that nurtured and built their love of reading. Talking with the Highlights Foundation in 2021, she said: “The power of words and pictures to influence kids can’t be overestimated.”

Dear Highlights: Leaning In and Listening to Kids

By long tradition, Highlights editors have answered every letter they receive from readers. And as Editor-in-Chief and Chief Purpose Officer, Chris has overseen this process and personally answered thousands of letters.

Writing a letter to Highlights, Chris says, is an act of bravery for kids, and responding with a thoughtful, personal response shows them that they’re valued and they matter.

To mark Highlights’ 75th anniversary, Chris compiled a selection of these letters in Dear Highlights, a collection that offers fascinating insights into children’s lives and worlds. The Dear Highlights podcast expanded the project, aiming to elevate the voices of children from these letters and help parents raise kids to be curious, creative, caring, and confident. As Chris noted at the time of the book’s release: “You think you know what kids are thinking. You don’t always know. Ask kids directly, and then lean in and listen to what they have to say.”