Jumpstart Read for the Record 2014 PR Page 1 of 2 Jumpstart’s 2015 Read for the Record® Campaign is happening in Lancaster County!
October, 2015 – Lancaster County libraries will participate in Jumpstart’s 2015 Read for the Record® —a national early literacy campaign by reading the same book to hundreds of children on the same day! On October 22 nd, people across the country will read the children’s book Not Norman by Kelly Bennett in support of Jumpstart’s mission to work towards the day that every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. Public libraries in Lancaster County will hold their programming on October 22.
By hosting special library storytimes and events, local public librarians are hoping to break previous years’ records of reading to over 2,000 children. In 2013, 2.4 million people participated in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record. Since 2006 the campaign has engaged 11.5 million children and raised more than $8.6 million for early education programs.
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record® is a national campaign that brings attention to the importance of preparing our children to read at an early age. Each year, Jumpstart selects one children’s book as the catalyst for Read for the Record. This year’s campaign book, Not Norman: A Goldfish Story, written by Kelly Bennett and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones, is a humorous tale about a child who finds a new friend in an unexpected place. With vivid illustrations and expressive language, the story is sure to engage children and adults of all ages. Help us break the world reading record (again!) for the most people reading the same book on the same day.
About This Year’s Book: Not Norman by Kelly Bennett
Not Norman is an engaging and humorous read for youngsters age four to eight about finding the good in something unexpected. Norman the goldfish isn’t what this little boy had in mind. He wanted a different kind of pet — one that could run and catch, or chase string and climb trees, a soft furry pet to sleep on his bed at night—Definitely not Norman. But when he tries to trade Norman for a “good pet,” things don’t go as he planned. Could it be that Norman is a better pet than he thought? With wry humor and lighthearted affection, author Kelly Bennett and illustrator Noah Z. Jones tell an unexpected — and positively fishy — tale about finding the good in something you didn’t know you wanted.
Author Bio
After learning how to write words–and that writing with paper, pens, pencils, and computers was safer than using her mother’s makeup–Kelly Bennett took to writing her feelings rather than speaking them aloud, a practice she believes led her to the writing life she enjoys today. She writes picture books for children to share; stories celebrating families, dancing, friends, pets, and all that goes into being a kid! A native of California, Kelly was born in Santa Cruz, with saltwater in her ears and the sound of the sea humming through her veins. She attended five grammar schools in California and Pennsylvania before fifth grade when her family settled in Orange County, a mile from the ocean. At the moment, Kelly is obsessed with creating picture books. Kelly is a graduate of the Vermont College Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults program. An active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the American Library Association (ALA), the Texas Library Association (TLA), the International Reading Association (IRA), and the Author’s Guild, she participates in many workshops and conferences.
Local public libraries make accessible age-appropriate collections for young children. Visit your Local Public Library today and learn more about other youth & family programs!
To access your public library’s website, visit www.lancasterlibraries.org and click on “Your Local Library” link.
National Sponsors for this campaign are Pearson Foundation, Official Book Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group, and We Give Books. To learn more about this national campaign, please visit http://www.jstart.org/
Visit this link to view FAQs about the campaign! http://www.jstart.org/campaigns/rftr-activity-guides
For more information, contact: Renee M. Christiansen Youth Services Manager 717-207-0500 ext. 1238 rchristiansen@lancasterlibraries.org