When I was little, one of my favorite things in the world was listening to my beloved mom Dorothy read aloud to us. It’s a joy every child should know. That’s why I love the whole idea of World Read Aloud Day, which is coming up on February 1. On that day, children, families, and educators around the globe will celebrate World Read Aloud Day with classroom and community events aimed at sparking children’s love of words.
As part of an ongoing effort to encourage reading aloud to kids of all ages, the global literacy non-profit LitWorld and its sponsor Scholastic, are joining together to call attention to the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories. Research from Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report™ found a majority of children ages 6–17 from the U.S., U.K., Australia, India, and Canada reported they love (or loved) read-aloud time at home because “it’s a special time with my parent,” yet many parents stop reading aloud to their children as they get older.
Now in its ninth year, on February 1, World Read Aloud Day will celebrate the pleasure of reading aloud alongside Harry Potter Book Night, when fans around the world celebrate J.K. Rowling’s much-loved book series. Harry Potter Book Night is an annual celebration that is all about passing on the magic of J.K. Rowling’s books to the next generation of readers, as well as celebrating with devoted fans.
It was started in the U.K. in 2015 by Bloomsbury Children’s Books and is now celebrated in 39 different countries with over 10,000 parties taking place around the world. This year’s magical theme is Fantastic Beasts and a free, downloadable kit is available at: harrypotterbooks.scholastic.com/harrypotterbooknight.
Millions of people celebrate World Read Aloud Day annually in all 50 U.S. states, and more than 100 countries worldwide. Individuals who want to participate can register their online at litworld.org/wrad. Authors visit classrooms in-person and via video chat to read their work to students of all ages. Schools, communities, and households around the world host book-related festivities, including assemblies, community marches and read-aloud events in a variety of public and private venues.
To learn more about World Read Aloud Day visit scholastic.com/WorldReadAloudDay and litworld.org/wrad. What a wonderful event! Let’s keep reading alive as we all write on!
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