Read for the Record! (Now Closed)

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Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-Read-for-the-Record-JumpstartIf you saw my children’s book collection, you might think you were in a library.  Thanks to their grandma, a veteran elementary school teacher, they have enough books to keep them reading for years.

Unfortunately, this is not the case for many children.

“Most children in low-income families have very few, if any age appropriate books in their homes. As a result, they miss out on the reading experiences that form the foundation for success in school and life. In fact, each year, one third of America’s children arrive at their first day of school without the skills necessary to succeed. ”

– James Cleveland, President: Jumpstart

Jumpstart, a leading non-profit organization dedicated to childhood literacy, has teamed up with Walmart to encourage everyone to Read for the Record on October 8, 2009.

Mark your calendars, and help break the record for the most people reading the same book on the same day! This year’s selection for the annual program is Eric Carle’s beloved book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

You can pick up a special commemorative copy at your local Walmart for only $8.00 from now until October 8th.  All net proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit the Jumpstart literacy program for low-income preschoolers.

This is a fantastic cause that I am proud to support as a blogger and a mom. Books have been an important part of my life from a very early age.  In fact, “book” was my very first word! 🙂

Take the pledge to read with your children on October 8th and help reach one million children!

To encourage my readers to read for the record, I have one copy of  The Very Hungry Caterpillar to giveaway. This is a quick one-day contest, so be sure to enter now.

Congratulations to commenter #16, Kristina!

For a chance to win:

1. Leave a comment below sharing your favorite childhood reading memory (initial entry) If you are reading via email or in a reader, please click through to the post to enter.

For Bonus Entries (leave a separate comment for each):

2. If you are a subscriber or follower (thank you!), leave a separate comment. You may subscribe for free updates via RSSor email and leave a comment telling me you have done so.

3. For a third entry, share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter

This contest will close on Wednesday, September 30th, at 11pm CST. The winner will be selected by random.org and contacted via email. Contest open to US residents only.

Good luck, and thank you for entering and supporting childhood literacy!

Comments

  9. chrissyb says

    I remember reading in bed with my mom while she was reading her college books I was reading the cat in the hat.
    transamws602(at)yahoo(dot)com

  13. shannon says

    when my second grade teacher made me take the leap to more lengthy books, i wasn’t too thrilled about it. however, once i started, i didn’t want to stop. thank you, mrs. anderson and thank you, ramona quimby!

  15. Jodi says

    I remember being excited when the bookmobile would come to school because I had already read all the books in the library!

  17. Angela says

    I remember reading Green Eggs and Ham with my parents. I love that book. They probably got sick of reading it!

  19. Faith says

    I remember sitting with my mom while she would read to me. I loved to get lost in the stories while enjoying a little quite time with mom. 🙂

  21. says

    I loved baby sitter club book. I hope I win this book. My son recieved this book at our baby shower, but destroyed it recently. He loves books, but is very hard on them, since he is only 2. I don’t want to discourage him from “reading” them himself, so we go through books faster than most.
    .-= Dolli-Mama´s last blog ..Fall Family Fun- Trip to Dewberry Farm =-.

  22. Nicole Laven says

    For our birthdays growing up, my Grandparents would give us a subscription to a monthly magazine or book club. My favorites were Highlights and the National Geographic Books for Young Explorers. I loved getting the mail after school anticipating my new read!

  25. Marie says

    I remember going to the libary and reading Nancy Drew and Judy Blume books. I use to read books all day long.

  26. Janet F says

    My favorite childhood reading memory is me listening to my father read to me.

    janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

  29. karisa says

    i loved the book-it program when i was in school and always loved receiving my coupon for my free pizza hut pizza!

  34. Sunny says

    My favorite childhood reading experience was having my grandmother read to me. In just about every picture I have of me and grandmother, I am in her lap and she is reading to me. This instilled a great love of reading at an early age. I now read to my daughter, who is 2, every night in hopes to carry on the gift of good books!

  37. Leigh says

    Another option is the library. My son has many books but one of our favorite things to do is visit the library. You can find anything at the library and the price is just right.

  38. Toni says

    I loved when the bookmobile would come around. I would get Judy Blume, Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew, then about any books I could get my hands on. I just loved to read & still do.

  43. Laurel says

    My favorite childhood reading memory is being read to aloud at the lunch table by my Mom, surrounded by my three siblings.

  46. says

    Growing up my mother took my sister and me to the library at the beginning of each summer week. We would each load up on as many books as our arms could carry and spend the week reading…now I’m in school to be a children’s librarian!
    .-= Hannah´s last blog ..Lately…. =-.

  49. Linda B says

    I’ve loved to read as long as I can remember. I would rather read than play outside as a child. I read every book I could get my hands on. I lived in a rural area and looked forward to the bookmobile visit each week.

  55. Rebecca says

    My favorite reading memories are summer vacations, when I would go to the local library (with my mom) and check our armloads of books and stay up through the wee hours reading. LOVED it and miss reading till whenever…now I am always anxious to get to bed because I am exhausted and have to get up so early.

  56. Shay says

    I know my mom read to me when I was small, but I don’t remember, so my favorite reading memory w/ my daughter is that she memorizes word-for-word many stories. Her favorite story that she memorized is Samson from her Children’s Bible. She told our preacher & he was so impressed that he might do a sermon on it and have my little 4 yr. old tell that story at the beginning of the story! I hope he does, going to video that day for sure!

  62. Margaret B says

    My favorite childhood reading memory was being introduced to the American Girls series. I loved reading every one of them!

  63. satya chelluri says

    My youngest experience as a reader is reading the daily newspaper in my grandpa’s bed! Miss that experience!

  64. says

    Hi Alyssa,
    I thought I would share a very generous donation I received for my workplace, I work for our local RCMP Victim Services and 2 years ago one of our local kindergarten classes decided that instead of buying their teachers christmas presents they would donate 1 or more of their “gently used” books to our program and it was a huge success we have a huge selection of children books now for our office. I appreciated this act of kindness so much.
    .-= Tasha´s last blog ..Perfect Sunday =-.

  65. Jess Y says

    Reading favorite books over and over again. I just smile thinking of the dozens and dozens of times I read the Chronicles of Narnia as a child. (Teen and adult, too.) Also the early Grace Livingston Hill books. (I just read what my mom had.)

  69. Jenny AW says

    I can remember a teacher reading to us The Boxcar Children. I couldn’t wait to hear the story each day.

  72. errica says

    my earliest reading memory as a child would be going to the library for summer time and participating in the summer reading program.

  73. says

    I have always loved to read! I remember going to the library when I was small and getting as many books as I could carry and check out. I would have them read usually by the next day.I had a story book that I loved so much, I had to find when my daughter was born. I started reading to her in the womb and would put books in her bed(childproof) and set them up and turn the pages. My son liked the books with the tapes best.I can’t imagine a life without books!Would love to win. Best wishes to all!
    .-= Pam´s last blog ..400 Richest Americans =-.

  78. says

    My fav childhood memory was in school we would read a bunch of books and get free pizza’s to Pizza Hut with the program “book it”. I wonder if they still have it?
    .-= Nicolle B.´s last blog ..Free Cookie @ Mrs. Field’s October 1st =-.