April is chock full of reading-related celebrations that can help motivate you (or your child) to do more reading.
For starters, the fourth month of the year is Drop Everything And Read (DEAR) month, with April 12 serving as DEAR Day. Of course, for book lovers any day can be a “drop everything and read” day! The date was selected because it is the birthday of American children’s author Beverly Cleary. Elementary schools often make a big deal of DEAR Day with lessons and activities, but it is very much a day (or month) that anyone can use to motivate them to make reading a priority.
April 4 is National School Librarian Day. For so many children, school libraries are where they really become independent pursuers of books. While a lot of kids first learn to love reading because of special time on their parents’ laps being read to, access to their school library is where they first get to self-select books without their parents’ input, and that is a big deal. If you’ve ever had to read a book that someone else selected, and you had no choice, you know how that can feel a lot like work instead of enjoyment, and that is no different for kids.
Thanks to the school librarians who help foster kids’ love of reading!
For those who love poetry, April 28 is National Great Poetry Reading Day, which gives an opportunity to find some of your favorite poetry and read it, alone or to someone else. Whose poems inspire you? Amanda Gorman? Ada Limon? Ross Gay?
Here are some simple ways to celebrate the various reading events in April:
1–Text some lines from a favorite poem to friends or family. Or post them on social media and tag the poet! Let them know how much you love their work.
2–If you struggle to fit in time to read, stop watching television 20 minutes earlier than normal this month so that you can Drop Everything and Read! Before you know it, you just may be reading a little longer than that.
3–If your schedule allows, contact your child’s school librarian and ask if you can visit to read a book to the class. If you can’t miss work, see if you can record a video that the school librarian can show to classes of kids. Sharing a book with a child is always a win!