"Lil Johnnie"

Literacy Program

Read the "Lil Johnnie" Literacy Program Summary, with data, from 2007-2008.

Visit the Lil Johnnie website!

Check out Lil Johnnie products!

Click here to see TMJ4's Positively Milwaukee interview with Lawton Merritt, author of Lil Johnnie off the Block. 

With real-life stories of urban street culture, and multiple intelligence activities,  "Lil Johnnie" programs help participants learn to reflect more deeply, to build their sense of hope, and to improve their reading/writing skills.

"Lil Johnnie" is the creation of Lawton Avery Merritt, author of Lil Johnnie off the Block. He made some poor choices in his youth and wrote a novel about street culture, the consequences of reckless behavior, and second chances. His hope is to reach young people soon enough so that they don’t make similar mistakes with their lives.

Lawton Merritt is available for workshops – half-day or full-day – and his book is available for purchase.

The "Building Blocks of Hope" are separate sessions created around the stories of Lil Johnnie, which help young people to digest the stories, to improve their “pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading” skills, and to develop their sense of hope.

A student workbook of 25 sessions, based on the novel is also being developed. These and other resources will be announced at this web site as they become available for purchase.

The Lil Johnnie Literacy Project is a partnership between Tomorrow’s Present and the Institute for the Transformation of Learning, at Marquette University.

For more information about "Lil Johnnie" programs and resources or to schedule a workshop at your school or organization, contact Lawton Merritt at 414-731-0090.

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