Today marks the beginning of Children’s Book Week, a coast-to-coast celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading. This year Children’s Book Week is being held from May 12th through May 18th.
Started in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Each year, celebratory events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, and bookstores connecting young readers and authors. This year, for the first time ever, there will be Children’s Book Week events in every one of the 50 states! Click here for a complete listing of Children’s Book Week related events to see if there is one near you.
One highlight of the week is The Children's Choice Book Awards Gala on Wednesday, May 14th, which is the only national book awards program where winning titles are selected by young readers of all ages. Scholastic is proud to have two finalists this year: Lawless by Jeffrey Salane and Bugs in my Hair! by David Shannon. For a complete list of finalists, click here.
In addition to great events, a group of Book Week champions like author David Baldacci have filmed fun videos that reinforce the importance of reading. Here’s the link to more videos from Book Week champions featuring Lisa Yee, Jeff Kinney, Jon Scieszka, and many others.
OOM readers, how will you be celebrating Children’s Book Week?