Townsend Press

Below are actual messages sent to us in 2011:

Dear Customer Service,

Before our next semester starts, I want to be sure to send you heaps of accolades for your materials and services.  Last semester was the first time I used Townsend Press, and I am thrilled I did!!  My initial motivation was reading/learning about the mission of your organization and wanting to be a strong supporter of your vision.  Now, later, I have many more reasons! [BTW: to give you context, I teach the lowest basic skills reading class at a community college, for students with learning disabilities.]

First of all, you gave me outstanding customer service, from the very start—even making sure (and paying the extra shipping costs!) that I had textbooks the very first day of class though I was ordering late.  Your staff were so amazingly quick, courteous, and helpful in the midst of my busyness, stress, and questions.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Second, your textbooks (I used "Groundwork for College Reading with Phonics" and "Building Vocabulary Skills") were so easy for students and for me to navigate—clear directions, step-by-step explanations, and well-structured, consistent, predictable organization chapter-to-chapter.  I even had students re-enroll for the second semester of the class simply because they liked the textbooks!!  (They actually asked before re-enrolling.)

Third, your online Learning Center is the best online support I have ever had from an educational publisher.  It is all useful, user-friendly, and immediately accessible to me as a busy and not-very-techie instructor.

Fourth, I also used your Bluford Reading Series as pleasure reading in the class, because of the story I relate in the next paragraph (see below).  I was a little hesitant to use the series since the storyline setting is a high school, and I was teaching college students.  But while students were reading the books, I was stunned to learn the students wanted more—and these are students who never want to read!  (I'm not used to hearing that!) I had students who were asking for more after they finished the first 15 books, and they were so excited when they learned 3 new Bluford books were coming out in 2011—I couldn't believe it.  In fact, I had students who said their siblings at home were wanting to read their books—and the student couldn't believe this either!  I even had students who were not in my class start coming to my office, to see if they could buy them too.

Last, I would like to say a little more about the Bluford Books. Unbelievablely, I first learned about Townsend Press via a student that I was really frustrated with. In exasperation one day, I asked something like, "What is it that students will read these days?  I can't seem to find anything!" And he said, "I know something. I'll bring it from home"—and indeed he did. It was the Bluford book "Search for Safety." I had never heard of it before nor of the publisher (Townsend). I then went to the website and the rest is history (see above)!

I and the students (!?!) are excited and look forward to this semester, my second with your materials, because your materials and your service are the very best I have ever experienced in my 20+ years in education. It just goes to prove that there's always something new for us educators to learn—and it will probably be from a student!!  [BTW: I will also be trying out some of your other materials with a new program I am piloting on campus.]

Diane Cheney, MS, NBCC, LMHC, CCLDS
Learning Specialist
Ohlone College, Fremont, CA 

Maybe Townsend Press should be renamed "Godsend Press" because these books have truly been a blessing to this teacher and her students!

Sincerely,

Holly Cook
Hopevale UFSD, Hamburg, NY

 Dear Townsend Press,
 
I love your books for many reasons. They are very engaging, realistic and they get students who do not read to read. I have used your Bluford series for about 5 years now with struggling middle school readers. I teach 8th grade Language Arts in Oceanside, Ca and I am now planning on using your novels as a way to teach and reinforce writing skills.
 
Thanks for your help.
 
Vickie Kuchinsky
Jefferson Mddle School, Oceanside, CA

Good afternoon,

I wanted to let you know how pleased we are with our recent purchase of The King School Series.  After seeing your catalog, I requested the three free books and shared at a grade level meeting.  We were all enthusiastic about your books and asked for funding to buy a complete set.  It arrived last Monday and we absolutely love it!  The writing is wonderful.  When presented with a second book in the series, a child excitedly pointed out that it had the same character.  The children are looking forward to reading the next one. The concept for this series is so well thought out!  Thank you for an excellent product that will enhance reading instruction!

Wendy E. Dierk, M.Ed.
Penny Road Elementary, Cary, NC

I am a sixth grade teacher at a charter school in Benton Harbor, Michigan.  Our school is Mildred C. Wells Academy, and I have been searching for the last four years for novels to read with my students that would not only hold their interest, but make them want to read more.  This year I was given a set of the novel "The Gun" by the local boys and girls club and my students and I have just finished it and I wanted to write and thank you.  This is the first time any of my students have asked to read a book.  It is also one of the few times that I have tested my students on a novel we have read and had the greater majority of my students actually pass the test and pass it with authority.  They knew what happened, and even better they knew why and could relate to the characters and the problems they faced.  I just went to your web site and I will be ordering more, I really just wanted to say thank you for the Bluford Series...I am really happy I found you.
 
Robin Tuka
Mildred C. Wells Academy, Benton Harbor, MI

Dear Townsend Press,

I just want to thank you all at Townsend Press for providing the best low-cost reading materials and online practice site my students and I could ever ask for. Your products and service reflect a genuine desire to get students up to par and reading well with joy.  I was excited to read about your move to larger facilities.  I was delighted last Spring to be able to access the College Reading Preparatory Tests online with an instant item analysis for students.  They have been quite helpful to our developmental reading students.  
 

Associate Professor of Reading
Tarrant County College-Southeast Campus, Arlington, TX