Children’s Book Week (CBW) is a national celebration of books and reading for youth, and while it always feels like Children’s Book Week here at Scholastic, right now, the whole world is pitching in, too!

We were thrilled to have several titles included in the CBW Awards shortlists — winners will be announced tomorrow! And you can find a list of regional CBW activities taking place around you all week, too.

But I’d like to take a serious note here, if you’ll let me. I came across a quote this weekend: “It’s easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” (Frederick Douglass, 1818-1895)

And then today, Nadia sent me this infographic about illiteracy in America.

In short, it’s terrifying. (Twenty percent of high school seniors are classified as functionally illiterate upon graduating. And 43% of those with the lowest literacy skills live in poverty.) And looking at it in conjunction with the quote above, it becomes astoundingly clear how important books and reading are for our kids — and how we all play a role in inspiring children to learn to read and love to read, not just because it’s fun and books are great, but because their lives — our lives — depend on it.

That’s something Dick Robinson, our CEO, has been emphasizing for years. So, this Children’s Book Week, I encourage you to check out the Scholastic Reading Bill of Rights, which is about a child’s right to read, and our Read Every Day site, which further shows the importance of childhood literacy and how you — YOU — can make a difference.

How will you celebrate CBW this week?