Read for the Record!

This morning NCTAF joined the Pearson Foundation and Jumpstart in an attempt at breaking a world record. As part of Jumpstart’s “Read for the Record” campaign, thousands of children across the United States created the world’s largest “shared reading experience.” This year’s book of choice is the beloved children’s classic Corduroy by Don Freeman. First Lady, Laura Bush and musician LL Cool J kicked off the campaign this morning on the Today Show. Today’s event in DC took place at the new Nationals Park where kids listened to readings and even got a chance to run on the field.

Can you imagine your childhood without favorites like Charlotte’s Webb, Green Eggs and Ham or The Velveteen Rabbit? We sure can’t. And thanks to the Read for the Record campaign, over 250,000 books have been donated to children who need them most, and more than $2 million have been raised to provide adult mentors to children.

The number of books in a home is the single strongest indicator of a child’s future reading ability – setting him or her on a track for success in school and life.