by kmessner

Making Plans for World Read Aloud Day 3/7/12

Did you know that LitWorld’s annual World Read Aloud Day is coming up on March 7th?

“World Read Aloud Day is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people. World Read Aloud Day motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those words that are shared from one person to another, and creates a community of readers advocating for every child’s right to a safe education and access to books and technology.”            ~from the LitWorld website

Last year, a bunch of us who write books for kids got together and volunteered to read aloud via Skype to classrooms and libraries all over the world, for free. These weren’t big, fancy presentations — just a few minutes of reading aloud, followed by some questions.  I made a list of read-aloud authors with links so teachers & librarians could contact them and plan Read Aloud Day Skype sessions for their students. Some authors also posted video read-alouds to share, and it was all great fun.

So…that brings us to this year. World Read Aloud Day is March 7, 2012.

Are you a traditionally published author who would like to Skype into classrooms & libraries to read aloud to kids for free on March 7th? Just leave me a comment with your name, publisher(s),  the age groups for which you write, and a website where teachers & librarians can find contact information.  Please use this format to keep things simple:

Kate Messner
Chronicle/Scholastic/Walker-Bloomsbury
PB/Chapter books/MG
www.katemessner.com

Once I hear from a bunch of people, I’ll create this year’s list and keep adding to it as we get closer to World Read Aloud Day.

(Note: This list will include traditionally published authors only. I have nothing against self-publishing, but I’m one human being with limited time, and that helps to limit the scope of this project so that I can still write books and feed my kids and things like that.  If someone else wants to make a list of self-published authors volunteering to do Skype read-alouds, I will happily link to it here.)

Teachers & librarians…please give us a few days and then check back; we’ll have a list of authors ready to go so that you can start planning for Read Aloud Day, 2012!

32 Replies on “Making Plans for World Read Aloud Day 3/7/12”

  2. Wonderful! I’d love to be involved. Count me in for:

    Ammi-Joan (A. J.) Paquette
    Tanglewood/Walker
    PB/MG
    ajpaquette.com

  13. This sounds wonderful! I’ll be on a plane back from Africa to JFK on March 7th! I land at 3:45 p.m. Do I have any options for participating once I land? I’ve got Skype on my iPad or would happily go somewhere to participate. Let me know!

    1. Miranda, I bet we could figure something out if you’d like to do this – I’ll just make a note of the time(s) you ARE available and note that you’re traveling that day. Sound good?

  18. I’m not a published author…just wanted to say, what a fantastic idea! Happy reading and thanks for taking part in world read aloud day. Can’t believe it’s almost here again! Need to start figurin’ out what to do. Happy New Year!

  20. This sounds like a lot of fun and it happens soon after my debut YA comes out. I’m in!

    Kim Purcell
    TRAFFICKED
    Penguin/Viking Feb 2012
    YA
    kimpurcell.com

  28. This is fantastic! I would love to be a part of this. Please let me know if I can participate.
    Angela Walker
    Harry Purple Monkey Dishwasher, First Adventure
    Harry’s also on facebook, twitter and youtube

    Make it a great day!

  29. Not sure if I’m too late to participate, but I’m happy to if not too late.
    Publishers include Aladdin ( S & S), HarperCollins, Dial, and others.
    Pic bks (Library Lil, Mommy Doesn’t Know My Name, Ten Naughty Little Monkeys, and others)
    Chapter book and MG fiction series (most recent is Goddess Girls, coauthored with Joan Holub)