My Love of Books and Why I Love Read Across America

Storytime in My Life

I love books with a soulful passion. My mother encouraged my love for books by purchasing any books I wanted; she never said no to my ask of a book. I marvel at great storytelling and intriguing characters. Upon opening new books, I read the short descriptions on the copyright pages and my heart beats faster knowing that I’ll soon explore a new human experience. As a teen, I learned of the mammoth that is the Library of Congress in D.C., and I would check to ensure that the copyright page of my books included the section that reads: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION DATA. Coming across new words is exciting for me, and I keep a dictionary handy (which I prefer to Google, although I use the later more regularly now).

When I was expecting my first child, I knew I wanted her to love reading. I read to my growing belly and continued to read to my daughter when she was born. By the time my daughter was six weeks old, she would sit and listen to me read, taking in the words and language with all of her senses. She and I became regulars at our local library when she was six months old. It was a wonderful experience seeing my baby delight in the stories I read to her.

Read Across America

My love for stories inspires me to support anything that has to do with books and literacy, especially youth literacy. I read to my children’s classes, go to the library with my daughters, and check the booklists on the Read Across America website. The National Education Association started Read Across America in 1997 to promote reading in children and young adults. Read Across America Day is on March 2, which is the birthday of children’s book author Dr. Seuss. What started as one day annually has blossomed into monthly activities to keep young people focused on reading. The site has booklists and tools for parents and educators to encourage literacy at home and in the classroom. The books promoted on the site are an inclusive representation of all children and families.

We don’t always have time to get lost in the shelves of the local library with our children. Read Across America makes it easy to find great books for school, book clubs or leisure reading. The organization also provides information about hosting book events in your neighborhood and community. 

My Reading Gems

In honor of this year’s upcoming Read Across America Day, I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite books for children and adults.

Books For Young Readers

• Ferdinand The Bull by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson
• In the year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord, illustrated by Marc Simont
• The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin
• Earth Mother by Ellen Jackson, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
• Bintou’s Braids by Sylvianne Diouf, illustrated by Shane Evans
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill
• Harry Potter Books 1-7 by J.K. Rowlings
• Honey I Love by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon
• Homemade Love by Bell Hooks, illustrated by Shane Evans
• Cars and Trucks and Things That Go by Richard Scarry
• Best Storybook Ever by Richard Scarry
• Junie B Jones and the Yucky Blucky Fruitcake by Barbara Park, illustrated by Denise Brunkus
• Dumpling Days by Grace Lin

Books For Adults 

• The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley
• The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
• The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
• Pryor Convictions by Richard Pryor with Todd Gold
• Che by Jon Lee Anderson
• Fledgling by Octavia Bulter
• Medea by Euripedes
• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• Mo Meta Blues: The World According to Questlove by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson and Ben Greenman
• The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
• Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola
• Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Ademayo
• White Teeth by Zadie Smith
• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
• The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare