Every year during the last week of October, Read to Them sponsors Read Aloud to a Child Week, a national event to showcase the importance of reading aloud to children that encourages families to read together. Read Aloud to a Child Week is meant to be a stress-free way for everyone– no matter your reading aloud experience– to engage with the literacy community.
The theme for this year’s event is “Purposeful Acts of Kindness.” We’ve all heard of random acts of kindness, but it is so much more powerful to intentionally lead with compassion, empathy, and an open heart.
To kick us off, take a minute to enjoy this introduction to Read Aloud to a Child Week by author, Christina Soontornvat!
This year’s event runs from Sunday October 19th to Saturday October 25th, but we hope you’ll keep reading aloud to the children in your life all year long. Participating is as easy as selecting a book and reading it aloud – be it parents with their children at home, teachers with their students in the classroom, or even older children picking up a book and reading it aloud to little ones who are just beginning their reading journey.
While you are certainly free to make your own selections, we’ve also put together a list of picture books and chapter books that embody the essence of “Purposeful Acts of Kindness!”
| Picture Books | Chapter Books |
| K is for Kindness* by Rina Horiuchi, illustrated by Risa Horiuchi | Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test by Christina Soontornvat |
| The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfield | Wishtree* by Katherine Applegate |
| The Tree in Me* by Corinna Luyhen | Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? by Leslie Connor |
| Merci Suarez Changes Gears* by Meg Medina |
Please note that our recommended Chapter Book titles are arranged by age level with books appropriate for younger readers at the top. Books with an * are available in Spanish.
If you would like to encourage participation among your students and their families, we’ve created a handout you can send home. Click on the image to the right of this text to view and download the handout.
If you join us for this year’s event, please tag us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram @ReadtoThem. We are so looking forward to celebrating with you!
