Drop Everything And Read

The would like to announce Drop Everything And Read Family Reading Challenge. 

From March 12 through April 12, the program encourages families to record their reading activities in a family album. Create a scrapbook. Maybe a photo collage. Draw pictures of your family reading together. Complete a reading list of all of the books you and your family read together in a month.

There are contributing roles for all the readers in your family. Kids can add drawings and artwork. Teens can take photographs; search the Web for clip art and graphics; or even take the album online with a Web version. Grownups in the family can add journal comments and help soon-to-be and the youngest readers keep track of their reading journeys.

Once you turn in your project, you can enter into the drawing for some really fun prizes!

What is National D.E.A.R. Day?
D.E.A.R. stands for Drop Everything and Read. National D.E.A.R. Day is a special reading celebration to remind and encourage families to make reading together on a daily basis a family priority.

Can I celebrate D.E.A.R. Day on another date?
Yes, of course. Every day is a great day to Drop Everything and Read! The goal is to make reading a regular part of your routine. So, go ahead and read today, tomorrow, and every day!

Who is leading the National D.E.A.R. Day Celebration? The National Education Association (NEA); Parent Teacher Association (PTA); the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association; Reading Rockets; The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC); the Newspaper Association of America Foundation (NAA); First Book; HarperCollins Children’s Books; Read Kiddo Read; Walden Media and Ramona Quimby.

More about the partners

When is National D.E.A.R. Day?
The birthday of beloved author Beverly Cleary is the official event date, April 12. Ramona Quimby, the program’s official spokesperson, is responsible for spreading the word and the love of reading.

Why is National D.E.A.R. Day celebrated on Beverly Cleary’s birthday?
Beverly Cleary receives thousands of letters a year from young readers, many who have participated in D.E.A.R. at school. Their interest in and enthusiasm for this special reading activity inspired Cleary to give the same experience to Ramona Quimby, who gets to enjoy D.E.A.R. time with the rest of her class in Ramona Quimby, Age 8.

How can I participate?
Schools, libraries, bookstores and other organizations are being asked to host Drop Everything and Read events on April 12. You can attend an event in your community or participate right in your own home by reading for 30 minutes!

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Creating Your Reading History:

More than just treasured photos of family reading fun, My  D.E.A.R. Family Album will capture your family’s reading heritage and help you recall the joyous times when family members would drop everything and read together.

Our D.E.A.R. Family Album

To hold the memories of your D.E.A.R. family, start with a photo album or scrapbook. Or to keep it simple and easy to update, consider a three-ring binder and make use of sheet protectors for finished pages. Complete the template for “My D.E.A.R. Family Album” for your album cover or design your own. 

Contents

• Document your family reading history with pages for your Reader Life List. These pages can include lists of family read-aloud favorite titles with written comments from readers, a page for each family member to record books enjoyed during family D.E.A.R. time, or both!  Use the template (designed to look like a borrower’s card in a library book) or create your own design to record books D.E.A.R. to your family!

• A picture can be worth 1000 words. In this album, pictures show just how important words are to your family. Create an interesting composition by placing photos of different shapes and sizes together on the scrapbook page. Back or border some photos with colored papers cut out with decorative-edge scissors. Bookmarks can make great photo borders.  Create themes for your pages to include photos from “Baby’s first trip to the library” to “Our family celebrates National Drop Everything and Read Day!”  See the Sample Page for ideas.

• In addition to photographs, include small mementos on your pages—newspaper clippings the family chuckled over, copies of letters written to and/or received from favorite authors, or memorabilia from a book fair or festival Use book pockets—like those found in library books—to include items you might not want to permanently affix. These items add interest to your album—and to your family's reading history.

• Journaling on your pages will set your album apart and truly leave a legacy of family literacy for generations to share. Handwrite lines from favorite poems or quotes of beloved authors; include feelings about books read and shared; and add notes about the meaningful ways books contributed to daily family life.