April 30, 2018 marks the start of the 99th annual Children’s Book Week. This week long celebration exists to promote literacy in young people and the life-changing effect that books can have on a child’s life. Children’s Book Week began in 1913 when Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian for the Boy Scouts of America, toured the country to advocate for high quality children’s books as essential for learning and growth. Now, almost 100 years later, this week is celebrated nationwide by schools, libraries, bookstores, and individuals. The theme for this year is “One World, Many Stories.” Here are 5 simple ways for your family to get involved!
Find an event at your local school, library, or bookstore.
While each event will vary by location, all official Children’s Book Week events will feature activities for kids and teens, free posters and bookmarks, and exclusive access to new books. Find an event near you HERE >>
Vote on the Children’s and Teen’s Choice Book Awards.
The Children’s & Teen Choice Book Awards are the only national book awards voted on only by kids and teens. Talk with your kids about their favorite books and encourage them to cast their vote! Children’s Choice and Teen’s Choice voting is HERE >>
Donate books you no longer read to your local library or school.
If your library shelves are packed, with many books rarely seeing the light of day, consider donating new or gently used books that you no longer read. Contact your local library or your child’s school to see if they accept donations. See a list of charities that accept book donations HERE >>
Take the screen-free pledge.
May 1-7 is also Screen-Free week! Consider taking the screen-free pledge to unplug from digital entertainment and rediscover the joys of imaginative play and reading. Set a goal for how many books you can read as a family over the week. Download the free pledge cards HERE>>
Write your own stories together.
Celebrate great stories by writing your own! Help your children develop their story by considering the main parts of every story. Who is the main character? Where does the story take place? What is happening to this character? What problem must they solve? How do they reach their goal? Bust out the crayons and markers to illustrate the story. Be imaginative and have fun together!
