Get Ready for Jumpstart’s Read for the Record

By SLJ Staff -- School Library Journal, 7/16/2008

Jumpstart’s third annual Read for the Record event, which it bills as “the world’s largest shared reading experience,” is set to take place October 2. It aims to bring national attention to the importance of preparing children to read at an early age.

This year’s title is the children’s classic Corduroy from Penguin Young Readers. With support from the Pearson Foundation, which will cover the cost of distributing more than 100,000 copies of the book, thousands of reading events will be organized by libraries, schools, and other organizations.

The book will be available beginning in August from www.readfortherecord.org and at special retailers such as Hanna Andersson clothing stores, a sponsor of the event.

During the past two years, more than 400,000 children participated in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record Campaign, which has raised more than $2 million to support Jumpstart’s mission. The Web site, www.readfortherecord.org, provides information about donating books for at-risk children, as well as hosting and joining shared reading events across the nation.

Jumpstart is a national early education organization that prepares children to enter school ready to succeed. Headquartered in Boston, Jumpstart has paired 3500 trained adults one-to-one with preschool children in need of assistance.

During the 2007-08 program year, Jumpstart served 13,000 children across 20 states, in partnership with 300 early learning centers and nearly 70 universities and colleges.