Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK are teaming up with Barnes & Noble and Waterstones for a three-day celebration designed to encourage children and families to rediscover the joy of reading together.
The partners will launch Raising Readers Storytimes, an extension of Hachette’s #ReadingIsGolden campaign, from September 18 through September 20. The initiative will bring storytime events, school programs and family activities to communities across the United States and United Kingdom.
Created for children ages 3 to 8, the event focuses on the benefits of reading picture books aloud. Organizers say shared reading can help develop listening skills, visual interpretation and imagination while creating positive family experiences around books.
In the United States, Barnes & Noble booksellers at more than 720 locations will bring Caldecott Honor-winning author and illustrator Christopher Denise’s Knight Owl to life during special storytime events. Hachette Book Group and Barnes & Noble will also bring Knight Owl programming to as many as 1,000 elementary schools as part of the September 18 kickoff.
Across the Atlantic, Waterstones will host events featuring bestselling author Rachel Bright and illustrator Jim Field, creators of popular picture books including The Lion Inside, The Squirrels Who Squabbled, The Koala Who Could and The Turtle Who Turned the Tide. The duo will also host their first national free virtual school event on September 18 from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. BST.
The weekend encourages parents and caregivers to make reading together part of their daily routine, with a central goal of spending just 10 minutes a day reading with children.
The campaign comes as research points to a continuing decline in children’s reading for pleasure. According to data cited by Hachette, reading for fun among 13-year-olds in the United States has declined substantially since 2012. National Literacy Trust research also found that only 36.1% of children ages 8 to 18 read for pleasure.
“Reading together is one of the simplest and most meaningful ways to spark a lifelong love of books in children,” said James Daunt, CEO of Barnes & Noble and Waterstones.
David Shelley, CEO of Hachette Book Group and Hachette UK, said the partnership aims to bring the experience of reading to thousands of young people.
Participating bookstores will offer interactive events, parent resources and tips designed to help families incorporate reading into everyday life.
Families can find local event schedules through Barnes & Noble and Waterstones and follow the campaign on social media using #RaisingReaders and #ReadingIsGolden.