READING IS FUNDAMENTAL LAUNCHES THIRD ANNUAL NATIONWIDE READING ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE “RALLY TO READ 100”

 It’s Back! Celebrate reading for six months straight with sweepstakes, monthly themes, reading activities and read-alouds from bestselling authors.

Washington, DC, October 2, 2023– Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s leading children’s literacy nonprofit, announced today the launch of the third annual Rally to Read 100 (RallytoRead.org)—a six-month initiative that runs from October 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 that is designed to inspire the joy of reading and motivate children to read, starting with a pledge to read 100 books.

Building on the success of last year’s event, in which over 800,000 books were pledged to be read, RIF will once again unite classrooms and communities across the country with a reading initiative anchored on monthly themes and supported with a diverse lineup of author read-alouds. There will also be a book collection sweepstakes, a variety of engaging reading activities for the home and school (some of which are in Spanish), plus a live virtual event hosted at a New York Barnes & Noble to celebrate Read Across America Day in March 2024.  All of the free literacy resources and activities are available at RallytoRead.org.

With 67 percent of fourth graders reading below grade level, according to the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results, RIF is working to reinvigorate reading across our nation’s youth. The 2023-2024 Rally to Read 100 program kicks off with a special welcome video from Beth Lincoln, author of The SWIFTS, recipient of the 2023 Barnes & Noble Book Children’s & YA Book Award, and is supported by Inspiration Partners: Barnes & Noble, Macy’s, and Nellie Mae Education Foundation.

Each month during the six-month campaign, a featured read-aloud from exclusive publishing partner Penguin Random House and specially selected Barnes & Noble Storytime Picks will be shared from notable and diverse authors and illustrators, including Peter H. Reynolds (“All You Need Is Love and a really soft pillow”), Jason Reynolds (“There Was a Party for Langston”), Misty Copeland (“Bunheads”), and Elizabeth Olsen and Robbie Arnett (“Hattie Harmony: Worry Detective”). For elementary school classrooms and libraries, RIF is bringing back the Rally to Read book sweepstakes, giving away 10,000 diverse books in which elementary school educators have the chance to win 100 high-quality books for their school or youth-serving organization.

“Literacy is a critical element not only for our students’ educational development and success, but to our understanding of the world around us and ourselves. Through Rally to Read, we are creating fun ways for children to discover the eye-opening experiences that reading different stories from a variety of perspectives can provide,” said Reading Is Fundamental President and CEO Alicia Levi. “We were thrilled by the response that last year’s initiative garnered. And thanks to partners including Barnes & Noble, Macy’s and Nellie Mae Education Foundation, as well as impressive storytellers and advocates that are joining us this year, we are proud to continue this important effort.”

“Barnes & Noble is excited to once again partner with Reading Is Fundamental and unite forces for this year’s Rally to Read 100 campaign,” said Jackie De Leo, Chief Merchandising Officer, Barnes & Noble. “Together we share a mutual dedication to children’s literacy and developing a love of literature. We cannot wait to see the impact of this year’s initiative in classrooms across the country and young readers nationwide.”