March 9th is World Read Aloud Day — a holiday that might not make it onto every calendar, but it sure is circled on mine. Reading aloud has always been a big deal to me…from my toddler days when I’d stalk my parents’ dinner guests with a big pile of books in my arms to now, when I read aloud to kids both at home and at school every day.
I shared a lot more thoughts on reading aloud last spring, in this open letter to the Association of Booksellers for Children, when The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. won the E.B. White Read Aloud Award. But right now…what I’d really like to do is read.
Here are three videos of me reading aloud in my living room. No fancy cameras, no lights, no makeup…just a fireplace, a flipcam and three books. (One of them, SUGAR AND ICE, came out in December, but the other two aren’t out yet, so you’re getting a special WRAD sneak preview!) So get yourself a cup of hot chocolate or a carton of milk (I’m guessing some of you are watching at school today) and enjoy.
No matter who you are or where you are, I hope you’ll share a book with someone today, too!
I love your books!!!
I’m an ambassador for World Read Aloud Day 2012. I’m planning my event. I’ve contacted my local library and am waiting to hear back from them. Our library has a big screen TV. I’m imagining using all three of your videos to include in my event. Would you consider donating at least one copy of each book signed by you including Thanks for Supporting LitWorld in your autograph? I’m asking a few children’s authors to donate and sign books this way for a raffle to fundraise for LitWorld.
Here’s a post about my event planning.
http://beginningreadinghelp.blogspot.com/2011/12/im-proud-ambassador-for-litworlds-world.html You can leave a comment there. I can email you from the comment. Thanks.
Kate,
Hello from Bangkok! We are still talking about our Skype call with you back in November. I cannot wait to share these videos with our students here so they can know even more of your books. Thanks for being so generous with your book love! 🙂