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