Read for the Record

I took the pledge to join people across the country all reading the same book on October 6 and setting a world record. I pledge to read "Llama Llama Red Pajama" to all the school children at our branch library, Pam Belloni Branch in Fairless Elementary, on that Tuesday (Oct. 4th, shhh, but I don't work there on the 6th!). Then I will use the same book for our "Bedtime" themed storytime in the Children's Department on October 17.

But YOU can read it in your home or your school to YOUR kids on October 6 and help set the world record. Their goal is to reach over 2 million children with this campaign!

Of course, we'd love it if you visited the Massillon Public Library to check out any of our "Llama Llama" series picture books, or any other books for that matter, but if I found it super easy to even read this online. Just follow this link to read "Llama Llama Red Pajama" online for free: wegivebooks.org/books/llama-llama-red-pajama-r4tr-english.

Want any more incentive? Jumpstart plans to donate 50,000 copies of this book to children in over 200 school districts that may not have many books of their own. Also, if you read it online, at the end of the story there is a "Give a Book" button to click to also donate more books to low-income children who don't have any of their own. You can even choose to which organization you would like them to send that book: "Now You're Thinking! for military families, "Tinga Tinga Tales" for children in Africa, "Read for Chicago Public Schools", and Jumpstart, who provides books to fill preschool classrooms in needed areas. A good story and a good thing to do for a child!

Here are all the details:

"What are you doing on October 6? How does breaking a world reading record while raising awareness about America’s achievement gap sound?

Join us as we participate in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record® presented in partnership with Pearson Foundation. Its a national campaign that mobilizes adults and children to close the early education achievement gap by setting a reading world record.

This annual campaign allows Americans to demand that all children receive the quality early education they deserve. On October 6, 2011, more than 2 million voices will call for an end to America’s early education achievement gap by reading Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney – setting a world record in the process!

Get involved at www.readfortherecord.org to help Jumpstart close the early education achievement gap:

1. Pledge to Read: Submit your official pledge and help us reach more than 2.1 MILLION children.

2. Spread the Word: Use our simple tools to educate your friends and family about America’s early education achievement gap and invite them to read.

For more information visit http://www.readfortherecord.org/."