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shareRead for the Record, October 8th
Created in 2006, Jumpstart's Read for the Record, is an international campaign to bring preschool children together with valued grownups in their lives to read the same book, on the same day, in communities all over the world.
On October 8, 2009, hundreds of thousands of people around the world will open Eric Carle's beloved book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and read aloud to children in their communities. Reading Rockets is pleased to be an active partner in promoting Read for the Record, the community literacy initiative sponsored by Jumpstart in partnership with the Pearson Foundation.
Jump in and get involved
Connect
Visit the Read for the Record website to learn about Jumpstart's work with children and find out about the 2009 campaign. Learn more >
Pledge to read
Pledge your time to share this classic tale with a child in your life, and together we'll set a new record for the world's largest shared reading experience. Pledge to read and you'll also receive updates about new activities, programs, and our special campaign book. Pledge to read >
Spread the word
Add a snappy Read for the Record-focused signature to your e-mail. Here's a basic example: [Your organization] is proud to participate in Jumpstart's Read for the Record campaign.
Join the book drive
Find out how to create a book drive team or join an existing team. For every $10 you raise Jumpstart will provide a book to a child in need. The goal for 2009 is to distribute 250,000 books. Learn more >
2009 Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Get the book
When you order this special edition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, your purchase is fully tax deductible. Thanks to the Pearson Foundation, all proceeds from this book purchase go to support Jumpstart's yearlong literacy program for preschool children in low-income communities. Also available in Spanish.
Braille edition
Early Word says: "Every library should own at least one copy of the the Touch and Feel Braille Edition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This concept book classic is rendered in fabric and handmade paper. It is a work of art that brilliantly presents the classic story to children with low or no vision as well as sighted children. The words are overlaid on the Braille as the caterpillar makes his familiar repetitious journey over, under and through a variety of foodstuffs… A big thank you to Philomel for this brilliant edition."
The Very Hungry Caterpillar family literacy bag
Go on a "Very Hungry Caterpillar" reading adventure! The Reading Rockets family literacy bags are designed to encourage hands-on fun and learning centered around paired fiction and nonfiction books. In English and Spanish.
Meet Eric Carle
Yes, Eric Carle is the creator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. But that's not the only reason why he receives nearly 10,000 fan letters every year. Carle has also written or illustrated more than 70 other children's books, including favorites such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and The Very Quiet Cricket. Carle makes these friendly insects and animals by painting on tissue paper, cutting out shapes, and pasting them together. The bold, eye-catching collages pop off the page in vibrant colors and rich textures. Even so, it is the "simple, simple feelings," Carle believes, that have made his books so popular with young children.
Tips on reading aloud
Reading aloud with a child is a joyful experience and also a wonderful opportunity to help children build vocabulary, background knowledge, and comprehension skills. It should include lots of two-way conversation about what's happening as the story unfolds. Learn more about how to have a great read aloud experience in these Reading Rockets articles:
- Talking Counts!
- Finding and Sharing Great Kids' Books
- Reading to Two: A Double Challenge
- Print Awareness During Read Alouds
- Reading Aloud to Build Comprehension
- Reading for Meaning with Your Child
Starting young
Learn more about why it's so important to read aloud to kids, starting at a very young age, in this video clip from our show Toddling Toward Reading.
Children's authors read aloud
Four of our favorite writers — Mem Fox, Ashley Bryan, Emma Walton Hamilton, and Susan Meddaugh — read aloud from their own stories. Everyone brings their own style to read alouds and that's what makes them so much fun for kids.
About Jumpstart and the Pearson Foundation
Jumpstart is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure that every child in the U.S. enters school prepared to succeed. Jumpstart brings college students and community volunteers together with preschool children in low-income communities for a full school year of individualized mentoring and tutoring. Jumpstart's research-based curriculum is focused on building language, literacy, social and emotional skills in preschool children, while providing volunteers with a rewarding way to have lasting impact in their communities.
The Pearson Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Pearson plc, one of the world's leading media and education companies. The foundation helps nonprofit organizations around the world deliver books and literacy support to communities in need, and helping the next generation of pre-school teachers give every child in America an equal chance to read, learn, and succeed.
