On February 16, we are celebrating the power of the read aloud with World Read Aloud Day. Every year, this global celebration calls attention to the importance of sharing stories by challenging participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read out loud. In fact, data from Scholastic's Kids & Family Reading Report shows us that reading aloud to children regularly from birth is crucial for their happiness and their development as readers. Today, we'll explore why that is and hear from four guests who have all been powerfully impacted by their memories of childhood read-alouds.


Guests:


Pam Allyn is a literacy expert and the founder of LitWorld, the organization behind World Read Aloud Day. She is also a co-author of Every Child a Super Reader.
Ernest Morrell is an award-winning author, teacher, and researcher, and a co-author of Every Child a Super Reader.
Nick Cannon is an actor, comedian, rapper, and the author of Neon Aliens Ate My Homework.
Andrea Davis Pinkney is a Coretta Scott King Award-winning author and an editor at Scholastic.

Additional Resources:


Learn more about World Read Aloud Day
Learn more about Every Child a Super Reader by Pam Allyn and Ernest Morrell
Learn more about Neon Aliens Ate My Homework by Nick Cannon
Learn more about A Poem for Peter by Andrea Davis Pinkney
See more data around the importance of reading aloud

Special Thanks:


Music composed by Lucas Elliot Eberl
Sound mix and editing by Daniel Jordan and Christopher Johnson
Produced by Emily Morrow