Scholastic and LitWorld Team Up with Bestselling Author, Football Champion, and Literacy Advocate Malcolm Mitchell to Celebrate World Read Aloud Day on February 3, 2021

NEW YORK, Jan. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Scholastic Teacher & Principal School Report: 2nd Edition, educators have shared that their top COVID-19-related concern is their students' social-emotional wellbeing, and nearly all agree that literacy is critical to students' wellness. Scholastic and the nonprofit LitWorld are coming together to help begin turning the page, starting with a read-aloud. Taking place on February 3, 2021, the 12^th annual World Read Aloud Day will highlight the power of reading aloud and its accessibility, as a virtual kit will support connections between families, educators, and children, even if they are apart. And for the first time, the event includes a partnership with football champion, bestselling author, and literacy advocate Malcolm Mitchell. To ensure even more children have access to read-aloud books, Scholastic is donating 10,000 books to Malcolm Mitchell's Share the Magic Foundation, which will be distributed to kids through Malcolm Mitchell's Fourth Annual "READBowl" Global Reading Competition, to help create and build their home libraries.

To learn more, visit the:

• Scholastic World Read Aloud Day website at https://www.scholastic.com/worldreadaloudday
• LitWorld World Read Aloud Day website at https://www.litworld.org/worldreadaloudday

On the Scholastic World Read Aloud Day website, visitors will have free, immediate access to a selection of resources including articles from Scholastic Classroom Magazines, the full version of Click Clack Moo by Doreen Cronin made available through Scholastic BookFlix®, activities from Scholastic Learn at Home for Families, as well as articles about the importance of reading aloud. The site also features custom illustrations from Malcolm Mitchell's newly released title, My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World.

For additional resources, families and educators can subscribe to the WRADvocates (read-aloud advocates) email list to receive a free VirtualKit, which includes:

• A special read-aloud video message from Malcolm Mitchell
• A 15% off coupon for the Scholastic Store Online (through February 10, 2021)
• Educational materials and discussion guides for select titles featured on the curated list of 30 World Read Aloud Day Book Picks
• Printable activity sheets and how-to craft projects inspired by beloved children's titles such as Chicken Little by Sam Wedelich, The Serpent's Secret series by Sayantani DasGupta, The Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey, the Bunbun & Bonbon series by Jess Keating, and more
• A curated hub of digital articles from Scholastic Classroom Magazines for all ages and interests
• Expanded access to paired fiction and nonfiction stories through Scholastic BookFlix, such as Duck on a Bike by David Shannon and the nonfiction text Bicycle Safety by Lisa M. Herrington
• A selection of digital book excerpts from beloved titles, including Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, and Allies by Alan Gratz
• Shareable social media graphics including a WRADvocate badge and custom virtual backgrounds for read-alouds hosted via web conferencing services

Families and educators can also participate in the World Read Aloud Day social media challenge by snapping a photo or video of a read-aloud moment! Be sure to use #WRADChallenge and #WorldReadAloudDay, tag at least three friends to join the fun, as well as @Scholastic and @LitWorldSays on Twitter, and @scholasticinc and @litworld on Instagram.

QUOTES:
Malcolm Mitchell, football champion, bestselling author, and founder of Share the Magic Foundation: "I know from experience that the journey of becoming a reader can be very challenging, but literacy is crucial for future success. Creating opportunities for kids to immerse themselves in the read-aloud experience is an important way to show that reading matters and help them experience the magic that comes with finding a meaningful story."

Dorothy Lee, Executive Director, LitWorld: "LitWorld's annual World Read Aloud Day has become a movement engaging hundreds of millions of people around the world in standing up for literacy as a foundational human right. When communities have access to books that are meaningful to them, and tools to share their own stories, every aspect of life improves."

Pam Allyn, Senior Literacy Advisor to Scholastic, author, founder of LitWorld, and creator of World Read Aloud Day: "The COVID-19 pandemic has presented so many challenges for our loved ones and our communities. Everyone is looking for opportunities to build connection and one of the most simple, yet powerful ways to facilitate that is through the read-aloud. The beauty of the read-aloud is that it brings people together in a very joyful, real, and authentic way that not only promotes social-emotional learning, but also builds students' strengths and skills."

For more information about Malcolm Mitchell's Share the Magic Foundation, and to register for the free Fourth Annual "READBowl" Global Reading Competition for kids in grades Pre-K–8, kicking off on January 11 and culminating with Mitchell crowning the winners online during the big game on February 7, visit: https://www.readwithmalcolm.com/readbowl

For more information about LitWorld and its work around the world advocating for dynamic literacy and giving children tools that amplify their voices and build agency, visit: https://www.litworld.org 

For more information about Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the global children's publishing, education, and media company, visit the Company's media room: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com

SOURCE Scholastic

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