Reading Never Stops

As a result of the success of the People and Pajamas read-a-thon that we co-sponsored on June 17, 2017, WIF and the Houston Public Library are planning a 24-hour read-a-thon called

Reading Never Stops

that will take place in July 2018.

Our goal for the read-a-thon is to stop “Summer Slide” – the learning deficit that occurs when children, particularly low-income children, don’t read or engage in other educational activities over summer vacation – by

1. providing an opportunity for children to start or build a home library,

2. inspiring families that aren’t already reading together to begin a new tradition at home, and

3. encouraging children and families to use their neighborhood library by demonstrating that the library can be a place to have fun.

Reading Never Stops will increase awareness of the library as a safe and enjoyable place for youth and encourage community participation and involvement in library activities. Through this event, we intend to increase interest in reading and participation in library programs while strengthening relationships between young customers, their families, and the library. All participants will be registered in HPL’s Summer Reading Program to further incentivize them to read and participate in library functions.

WIF will contribute hundreds of books to this event so that children attending will be able to start or build home libraries. In keeping with our mission to promote travel and STEAM education, most of the titles we provide will present stories that encourage young people to visit other parts of the world and to explore topics related to life sciences. These books will feature African-American and other characters who are persons of color, providing a means for children to see themselves in the stories they read as well as a window to the world outside their community.

YOU can keep Houston children reading all summer long!

Give to support our purchase of books and other prizes to be given away during the Reading Never Stops read-a-thon by clicking on the button below!