Nothing captures the essence of World Read Aloud Day better than our international partners and friends who have brought the spirit of this day to their corners of the globe!
We are so grateful to our international partners not only for bringing WRAD to their local communities, but for continuing to extend the joy of reading and the advocacy for literacy all year long by providing programs where young people can have a space to read, learn, and share stories together.
We also want to extend our gratitude to LitWorld friends around the world who organized beautiful celebrations! We love to see all the different ways in which each community chose to bring WRAD to life.
For 15 years, Lindsey Manwell has been at the heart of World Read Aloud Day™ with her vibrant illustrations. As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of WRAD, we’re thrilled to feature an exclusive interview with Lindsey, exploring her creative purpose, favorite illustrations from the past 15 years, and the enduring power of art in encouraging a love for reading.
Dear LitWorld Friend,
We are honored to have been invited to participate as a charity partner in this year’s United Airlines NYC Half, an annual race that attracts more than 24,000 runners, and is hosted by New York Road Runners.
At LitWorld, our mission is to strengthen kids and communities through the power of stories, a mission that aligns with New York Road Runners' vision to build healthier lives and stronger communities through the transformative power of running.
Are YOU interested in supporting LitWorld’s mission while meeting that New Year’s resolution? Let us help! We have 5 bibs available for serious runners ready to participate in the marathon and peer-to-peer fundraising on behalf of LitWorld.
It may be the holiday season, but here at LitWorld, we have our sights set on our favorite holiday of the year: World Read Aloud Day!
Mark your calendars for February 5th, 2025, and get ready to join thousands of people around the world as we collectively celebrate the power of stories.
As we approach the end of the vibrant and spirited celebrations of PRIDE month, LitWorld wanted to take a moment to reflect on the origins and profound significance of this event. PRIDE is not just a parade; it is a powerful movement that symbolizes the resilience, courage, and unity of the LGBTQ+ community and celebrates the right to #TellEveryStory.
This past World Read Aloud Day, we teamed up with Scholastic and Storyvoice to launch our first ever all-day WRAD-a-thon—and thanks to hundreds of thousands of listeners like you tuning in from around the globe, it was our biggest World Read Aloud Day event yet. Check out some of these awe-inspiring stats from the big day!
The LitWorld team is thrilled to officially announce our new Executive Director, Caitlin Cassaro.
Caitlin Cassaro
Caitlin joins LitWorld following an impressive ten years as the Executive Director of Extreme Kids & Crew, an organization dedicated to providing play and arts programing, as well as social-emotional learning and family support, to young people with disabilities. Before Extreme Kids, she served as CFO for Friends of Firefighters, a nonprofit mental health and wellness organization founded in response to the 9/11 attacks, and co-founded the Red Hook Playgroup, a nonprofit progressive community-based preschool. Caitlin is also a dual masters’ (MBA and MSW) recipient.
Caitlin believes deeply that service is successful only when done in collaboration with the people and communities being served. She takes great pride in leading nonprofits with transparency, business acumen, and empathy. She is incredibly honored and excited to step into the role of new Executive Director for LitWorld, an organization that encompasses the values she holds dear, and to partner with the staff and board to drive the mission forward.
“I deeply connect to LitWorld’s mission and appreciate how our community-based programming comes to life through collaboration and respect. To be literate is to be able to read the world around us—to be able to tell our story— and I am honored to be part of the team and to deepen and expand this valuable work.”
Earlier this February, millions of readers, writers, and storytellers raised their voices for the 14th annual World Read Aloud Day® (WRAD), making this year's celebration one of our biggest yet.
In our WRAD-a-thon alone, over 19 different Scholastic authors and guest readers streamed live on Storyvoice from nine different countries, reaching more than 400,000 readers and 12,000 classrooms!
Stay tuned as we share even more incredible stats and celebrations from the big day, and check out a few highlights from LitWorld's program partners and more organizations from around the globe below!
In Uganda, Art of a Child hosted an incredible World Read Aloud Day celebration for their community with games, reading crowns, and—of course—plenty of read-alouds!
In Pakistan, over 330 people participated as Seeds of Hope Foundation celebrated World Read Aloud Day in the Burj community. The day included games, arts and crafts, a special read-aloud, a parade, and a delicious dinner of chicken biryani.
In Indonesia, World Read Aloud Day events were held far and wide at schools, libraries, and more! Our thanks to @ndoropapih for sharing, and to @readaloudindonesia and all the hard-working volunteers for making these celebrations possible.
In the Philippines, Project PEARLS teamed up with the National Library of the Philippines to host an all-out World Read Aloud Celebration for communities in Tondo and Bulacan including reading crowns, read-alouds, and a parade!
LitClub moms and girls working together on a communal chicken coop Innovation Project at Art of a Child, Uganda
Today is International Day of the Girl—a day dedicated to celebrating the billions of girls around the globe and raising awareness of the many challenges they still face.
When girls thrive, so do their communities. That's why a key part of LitWorld's programming centers on amplifying the voices of girls and women around the globe.
Our LitClubs and LitMoms Clubs provide women and girls across 30+ countries not only with safe spaces, a supportive network of peers, and invaluable literacy and business skills, but with the confidence they need to advocate for themselves and become leaders within their families, communities, and beyond.
An investment in girls is an investment in a brighter future for us all. Join us in listening to their voices and celebrating their strength—today and every day.
Meet Jarfsa: a dynamic sixth-grader and LitClub member at Centre for Development, India.
When Jarfsa first began attending LitClubs at Centre for Development four years ago, she was utterly terrified of crossing the busy street that led to the building. There were times when she would be so frozen with fear that she would stand on the sidewalk unable to cross, often giving up and returning home to her family in tears.
When Jarfsa shared this problem with her friends in LitClub, they encouraged her to ask for assistance from fellow LitKids and community members—all of whom were happy to help. With their support, not only was she able to overcome her fear and cross the road all by herself, but she also gained the crucial self-confidence she needs to continue following her dreams—no matter what obstacles stand in her way.
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