Today was National Read Aloud Day. It was also, as I mentioned, my dearest friend’s birthday. So, I read aloud to her–her favorite childhood book, Happy Birthday, Moon. An adorable, sweet story about a bear who wants to talk to the moon, to ask when its birthday is and thinks when his voice echoes back to him that it is the moon talking to him. It is super cute and worth a read or re-read. I also read aloud to her the first chapter of Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya. This is one we read together years ago but we wanted to revisit it. It is a story of a boy and his paternal grandma, Ultima — La Grande – a curandera who comes to live with him and his family and teaches him so much about his culture, his family, himself and the world. It is an absolutely enchanting story. I’ll write another review, a proper one, when I finish re-reading it. =) Good food, good friends, good books, good fun. =) It was a lovely...

World Book Day is celebrated in the UK and Ireland, and so all who live outside the UK check to see when these events start for us. I live in Seattle, so I assume mine will start 8 hours before the stated times. There will be a video that can be watched (non-live) posted afterwards: The Biggest Book Show on Earth 2013 Trailer from World Book Day on Vimeo. I signed up and will be watching tomorrow live! I have recruited a few people to watch with me… care to join us? You can from your own living room or if you are local, you can come on over! For more information on World Book Day visit the official website. About World Book Day Background World Book Day was designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and is marked in over 100 countries around the globe. World Book Day is a partnership of publishers, booksellers and interested parties who work together to promote books and reading for the personal enrichment and enjoyment of all. A main aim of World Book Day in the UK and Ireland is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own. To mark the day, school children are entitled to receive a World Book Day £1 Book Token (or equivalent €1.50 Book Token in Ireland). The Book Token can be exchanged for one of eight specially published World Book Day £1 Books, or is redeemable against any book or audio book of their choice costing £2.99 or more at a participating bookshop or book club. The World Book Day £1 Book Token will be valid from 25 February to 24 March...

March 2nd is Dr. Seuss’ 109th Birthday. And each year it is celebrated all over the United States through the Read Across America program. March 1, 2013 is NEA’s Read Across America Day. Straight from the National Education Association website, here is more about the Read Across America program, What is NEA’s Read Across America? NEA’s Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss. NEA’s Read Across America also provides NEA members, parents, caregivers, and children the resources and activities they need to keep reading on the calendar 365 days a year. In cities and towns across the nation, teachers, teenagers, librarians, politicians, actors, athletes, parents, grandparents, and others develop NEA’s Read Across America activities to bring reading excitement to children of all ages. Governors, mayors, and other elected officials recognize the role reading plays in their communities with proclamations and floor statements. Athletes and actors issue reading challenges to young readers. And teachers and principals seem to be more than happy to dye their hair green or be duct-taped to a wall if it boosts their students’ reading. How and when did NEA’s Read Across America begin? In May 1997, a small reading task force at NEA came up with a big idea. “Let’s create a day to celebrate reading,” the group decided. “We hold pep rallies to get kids excited about football. We assemble to remember that Character Counts. Why don’t we do something to get kids excited about reading? We’ll call it ‘NEA’s Read Across America’ and we’ll celebrate it on Dr. Seuss’s birthday.” And so was born on March 2, 1998, the largest celebration of reading this country has ever seen. Why NEA’s Read Across America? Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school. Who sponsors NEA’s Read Across America? At the national level, the National Education Association sponsors and spearheads the program with support from 40 national nonprofit and association partners. Locally, everyone—from schools...

March is full of reading fun! =) YIPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEE! March is National Reading Awareness Month, also known as National Reading Month. You are encouraged to read aloud to your children, friends, family, spouses, co-workers, whoever will listen, for at least 15 minutes per day every day this month. How hard can it be, really? This will hopefully become a habit you wish to continue. I encourage everyone to get involved. Click on the picture below for more details on Read Aloud’s 15 MINUTE Movement: March also happens to have a few other reading holidays–Dr. Seuss’ 109th birthday is March 2nd; the National Education Association’s Read Across America event kicks on the 1st of March; World Book Day is March 7th as well as World Read Aloud Day and last but not least, March 25th is Tolkien Reading Day.  So! Start early and begin to find out what everyone around you wants to read and see if those books are at the local library. Maybe check out two copies and commit to reading with them. You can take turns reading aloud. It is fun to read with people out loud, even grown ups with other grown ups. I do it all the time. I think a part of us will always love to be read...

What do you have planned? Will you take the reader’s oath with me? Reader’s Oath Written by Debra Angstead, Missouri-NEA I promise to read Each day and each night. I know it’s the key To growing up right. I’ll read to myself, I’ll read to a crowd. It makes no difference If silent or loud. I’ll read at my desk, At home and at school, On my bean bag or bed, By the fire or pool. Each book that I read Puts smarts in my head, ‘Cause brains grow more thoughts The more they are fed. So I take this oath To make reading my way Of feeding my brain What it needs every day.   Shall we read it aloud? I will, if you will! We can post our oaths...

I am super excited about National Book Month. I intend to enjoy every minute of this month.  I have my basic supplies ready… One of my favorite comfy blankets, a mug for tea with a convenient rewritable book list reminder, my ever-so-warm-and-lovely button up slippers and three books to start me out—The Pale King by David Foster Wallace, Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling and The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom. I admit I have read all three of these authors before and enjoyed them, so I am looking forward to enjoying all three of these as well. I will give you an update on all three of the books as I finish them. What will you be doing for National Book Month? Need some ideas, go visit The National Book Foundation to read more about the National Book Month....