Read Across America is a program that brings communities together to create an environment of curiosity in the hopes of increasing literacy among youth. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is one of the many libraries that will be participating in the program this week.
This program holds reading events that typically take place in the first week of March, according to an event page from San José Public Library.
Read Across San José – the San José Public Library’s local event series as a part of Read Across America – will be following “Ways to Welcome” by Linda Ashman during their storytime readings, according to another event page.
“Ways to Welcome” is a picture book that shows its readers ways to be kind and how to connect with those around through rhyming, according to Scholastic.
Jorrick Calvin, a high school coach and father of five, has been participating in this program for a couple of years now.
“I'm part of the one in Los Banos Elementary, so I'll be reading for students tomorrow,” Calvin said. “It's always good to read to kids, they see adults reading and we hope that it inspires kids to continue reading.”
Read Across America was created by the National Education Association in hopes of increasing reading skills and creating an international passion for reading, according to the 2024 Read Across San José page.
The National Education Association also provides resources for parents to help them gear up for Read Across America, according to the Association's website.
Some of these resources include giving tips for parents to create a fun environment encouraging reading, resources for families learning a new language, and book suggestions to diversify the books children are reading, according to the same website.
“I encourage my daughter to read every day and I try to make sure she reads every day whether that is a magazine or an article because in the end, it will help her in the long run,” Calvin said.
With an estimated 45 million participants across the country, another big focus of this program is also to promote cultural awareness and build a sense of community, according to a Read-A-Thon webpage.
Lupe Pompa, a Hollister police officer and a father of two, had also participated in the Read Across America program for multiple years in a row.
“I've done plenty of them,” Pompa said. “I used to be a school resource officer and that's where (I) learned about these readings. I enjoy it because it allows us to show children books that have different topics that give us an insight into cultures.”
Read Across America also provides children and parents with a guideline of suggested readings, according to the 2024-2025 Read Across America Calendar.
This month, The National Education Association recommends “Jam, Too?” by JaNay Brown-Wood and is recommended for those in middle school level reading. This book follows a fascination when they hear instruments at the beach and find a way to join in the Jam, according to the same calendar.
Mickey Moon, a stay-at-home mom, hadn't heard of this program but noticed a flyer during her visit to the San José Public Library.
“This is my first time hearing about this program but it sounds like a good resource for parents to have,” Moon said.
These book suggestions are also made to ensure books are age-appropriate and they actively oppose any limits that are being placed to not give access, according to the same calendar.
“My children love our storytime so I'm sure this is something they would enjoy,” Moon said. “I’ll be checking out their suggestions for my next storytime with my kids.”
