I had a very difficult time learing to read. I did not grow up surrounded by books or being read to, it makes a difference. Not being a pre-reader made it difficult to become a reader. One day a teacher whose name I don’t even remember took the time to help me. He told me to take my time and sound it out and all of a sudden the letters came together to make a word. It sounds so simple, but no one had ever told me that before. I had no idea that was the way to read. If I hadn’t learned to read when I did, I am absolutely sure that I would not have done as well in school as I did and I would not have had the entire world open up to me the way it did because of my love of reading.
My daughters will have a different experience. They are surrounded by books. They are read to every day. Their transition from being read to and reading on their own will not be as difficult.
But I’m not just commited to my children, I am commited to all the children of our nation, so I took Jumpstart’s Read for the Record Pledge. It reads,
I pledge to read Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney with children in my life on October 6, 2011. By sitting down to read, I’ll be joining more than 2 MILLION people in calling for an end to America’s early education achievement gap. Together, we’ll stand up to demand that all children receive the quality early education they deserve.
Will you take the pledge with me? Will you join me and many, many more (celebrities even) on October 6th and read Llama Llama Red Pajama with a little one in your life? It’s not hard, even if you don’t have the book you can read along online or you can make an event of it and sign up a free “red pajama reading party” on October 6th at your local Gymboree Play & Music.
For the past three years, Gymboree and Jumpstart have paired together with celebrities like Justin Bieber, Nelly Furtado and Patti LaBelle, and families around the world, to raise awareness for the importance of reading early and often. Most parents aren’t aware that reading to young children is essential. 1 in 3 children in the U.S. begin kindergarten behind. The millions of children in the U.S. living in poverty are even more likely to fall into this statistic because like me they are growing up in homes without books.
If you pledge before September 30th, Jumpstart will give you a chance to win a $77 gift card to 77Kids by American Eagle. I also have something for you to sweeten the deal. I am giving away 5 copies of Jumpstart’s Read for the Record book, Llama Llama Red Pajama.
To enter just follow the instructions in the widget.
In exchange for telling you about the pledge, Gymboree is offering my children a month of free classes and providing prizing for this giveaway. All statements and opinions are mine.
I came to link up for SIMC and saw your giveaway!! We love reading in our home… tnx for a chance!
Your teacher was Sesame Street to me even though I was already able to read but Sesame Street showed me the joy.
I would love to have the book to give to one of my grandkids!
What a great giveaway! Being read to makes a big difference.
I grew up surrounded by books – not because my parents were readers but because my father worked in a book factory. So every day he would bring home books. And I loved them. I think books were one of the few things we had in abundance. I love reading to my son, I love when he requests for certain books and I don’t mind reading the same book over and over again. It’s our time together and I love it. So I’m all over this!
We don’t have this book in our library, but would LOVE to add it!
I would love this book for Shaunsito…actually for both of us! We have 1 other Llama, Llama and have so much fun reading it! It is such a cute series of books! Thanks!
I would love this book for my son
Stumbled the contest! I have no children to read to lol.
I would LOVE to win this book for my daughter. She loves the Llama, Llama books. Thanks for the chance!
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
Great. FYI, I sent your info for the other Llama Llama book giveaway so your book will be on its way soon.
This is a wonderful initiative. Our family’s biggest treasure is our books. Great going, Unknown Mami! I’ll silently take the pledge along with you and everyone else 🙂 ‘cuz am not a US Citizen :-D. Have I told you I love to visit your blog?
Your kindness and support mean the world to me.
I want to win!!!
I’d love this book for my son!
Hard to believe you were not a pre-reader…seriously.
Lucky girls of yours to be read to, to be shown and given a love of books.
One of the proudest things about parenting mine is that she loves, loves, loves book.
Almost makes me feel I have done my job already!
I love Llama Llama Red Pajama. I want it.
My 4 year old is a book worm! We have not read this book yet. We want this book!! Thanks for the great giveaway!
Would love this book to read to Audrey!!!
I would love to win this book thanks trishbazin(at)yahoo.com
I would love to win this for my little ones (I have 3). 🙂
As an avid reader and huge proponent of reading to our kids, I’d love this book! Thanks for the opportunity!
Would love a copy!
Shannonmorris4375@gmail.com
My little one loves this book, we heard the story in one of the TV networks. Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
Would love to add this book to our library!
i am SO doing this with my 17 two year olds!!!
I would love to get this for my son.
I would love to win this book!
I would LOVE this book for my Grandkids, they LOVE the Llama Mama books!!!((1955nursehjc4me(at)myway(dot)com)) TY!
I would be so excited to win this book! Grandma read this to my kids (she had purchased it for a gift for someone and had to “try it out” first) and it was soooo sweet! 🙂
I would love this book for my sons!
My son would love this book. We totally want it.
I would love to win this book
Would love this book thank you
natbelinsky@verizon.net
It is a great book and I love to read with my daughter
I’d love to win!
I would love to win this book for my girls.
I want the book! Would love to read it to my niece and nephew!
I for sure want this book, thanks!
Oooh, oooh, oooh I wannnnnna win! My kids love this book! =)
s_hill2009@yahoo.com
I would love this book!
i would love this because we love all the llama llama books!
also I am teaching my daughter to read and this will give her a little inspiration
cindy0462@gmail.com
I’d love to win this book!
I would love to have this book to read to my Grandbabies on sleep over nights! (Nonnie needs all the help she can get at bed time!!)
Connie G
CGruning at aol(dot)com
I’d like this book to read to my daughter. 🙂
kirbycolby at gmail dot com
because it looks like a cute book.
i want it,read to my daughter every night
kayleefaith1228@aol.com
would love to win!
I would like this book.
Kimmie Barnes
I would love to win this to read with my daughter
jjak2003 at gmail dot com
I would love this book!
I want to win this book.
Stacey L
My daughter would love it
I would LOVE this book to share with our Storybook Playgroup! It’s one of my favorites, but I would hate to forget *our* copy at the playgroup, as we read it every single night! Thanks!
rachel AT couponingchick DOT com