Read Across America Day: Celebrate a Nation of Diverse Readers - National Council of Teachers of English
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Read Across America Day: Celebrate a Nation of Diverse Readers

Join NEA’s Read Across America on March 2 to celebrate a nation of diverse readers with these recommended books, authors, and teaching resources that represent an array of experiences and cultures.

Read Across America has celebrated books and reading since 1998. The theme for this year is “Celebrate a Nation of Diverse Readers.”

Looking for classroom connections?

  • Play off of the idea of “nation” and invite students to read books that take place in each of the states and across the world. This list provided by Read Across America shares fiction and nonfiction titles, classics and favorites, new and diverse reading choices, across the 50 states and Washington, DC.
  • “All poetry begins with geography,” said the poet Robert Frost. Geography, like poetry, is personal as readers interpret both based on lived experiences. Help students learn about the people and places in their community and invite students to take poetry to the public. Some ideas include posting poetry to public spaces, displaying poems in store windows or common areas, and holding poetry readings throughout town. Learn more about performing poetry.
  • Share literary maps with students! Literary maps have long been used to help students and readers learn about literature, writers and places. View literary maps of NCTE affiliates and then encourage students to create their own! Read more about “Language of the Land: Journeys into Literary America” from the Library of Congress.

How will be you be celebrating Read Across America March 2 and beyond?