As teachers across the country face the challenges of pandemic-related learning loss, Read to Them and Park Elementary partner to provide a community building literacy experience for families throughout Michigan.

On the designated kickoff day, elementary students across Michigan will be involved in school and community events. Each student will receive a copy of the same book, J.D. and the Great Barber Battle by J. Dillard. Each evening they’ll read a chapter with their families—the same chapter that other elementary students across the state will be reading with their families.

“Our reading schedule will take about 15 minutes each night,” says Read to Them Executive Director, Christa Donohue, “putting the entire community literally on the same page. Their reading will be augmented with classroom activities, author interactions, trivia contests, prizes and fun opportunities for family engagement.”

Michigan Reads One Book kicks off today, Monday, March 6. Thousands of students in hundreds of schools have joined together to celebrate family literacy through Read to Them’s state-wide reading programs.

“Last year was a challenging time for many students. We want to remind our children that learning can be exciting again with a fun way to encourage families to continue making reading at home a priority,” says Park Elementary Principal Amanda Fahnestock.

Read to Them is a Virginia-based non-profit promoting family literacy, with programs that have reached over 2 million families in over 3000 schools in all 50 states.  When children become successful readers at an early age, academic success follows —increasing high school graduation rates and building the basis for a lifetime of learning and productivity.  For more information, please visit: www.readtothem.org