Special Events
Students have opportunities to learn about and participate in special reading events throughout the year. Check out these activities:
Banned Book Week
Sept. 22-28, 2019
Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read, is observed during the last week of September each year. Since 1982, this annual American Library Association event has reminded Americans not to take this precious democratic freedom for granted. More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982! Banned Books Week "celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met." [www.ala.org]
Celebrate Teen Read Week
October 13-29, 2019
This program's goal is to improve teen literacy, and is sponsored by YALSA (The Young Adult Library Services Association), a branch of the American Library Association. Started in 1998 it is celebrated annually during the third week of October.
Every year a popular event associated with Teen Read Week is voting for the "Teens' Top 10." Over a 6-8 week period from late summer through Teen Read Week teens can vote online for their favorite books from a list of nominees. Visit YALSA's "Teens' Top 10" webpage to learn about previous winners and this year's nominees. 2019 winners will be announced shortly after Teen Read Week - how many have you read?
Read Across America Day: March 2 (Dr. Seuss's birthday!)
"In May 1997, a small reading task force at NEA [National Education Association] 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." [from the NEA's Read Across America webpage, www.nea.org/readacross/]
Make sure to read today, and every day!