Books for Kids Kicks Off Children's Book Week with Scholastic's READ EVERY DAY, 5/6

Shawna Hamilton Doster, Executive Director, Books for Kids, will host a lively family event with a stellar line-up of entertainers, authors and hands-on activities to raise funds and awareness for the national non-profit Books for Kids, which creates libraries and literacy programs for at-risk pre-school children in low-income neighborhoods. The event is being held at the world headquarters of Scholastic Inc., Scholastic Soho, the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology and services and children's media, on May 6, 2012 from 1 to 4 p.m., and kicks off Children's Book Week.

A festival of family fun - every activity is planned to highlight the importance and empowerment of literacy and the right to read for all children. Be entertained by emcees: Broadway & TV star, Carly Rose Sonenclar (Wonderland, Les MIs, The Electric Company) andaward-winning reporter and news anchor, Jessica Abo (NY1 News); listen to stories by renowned children's authors Jon Scieszka, Denise Lewis Patrick, Sarah Masters Buckey,and Bill Gordh; watch a theater performance by Treehouse Shakers; listen to music by Alex and the Kaleidoscope Band; rock out withfamily band Laughing Pizza; make a book with Klutz Build a Book; visit the 21st Century Literacy Lab by E-Line Media; mingle with Clifford, Word Girl, Lewis the Duck and Maddy, the Girl Under the Tree. Enjoy special offers at the Scholastic Store, fun surprises and more.

The non-profit literacy advocate, Books for Kids was founded in 1986 in New York City to distribute 1000 books to needy children for Christmas. Since then it has become a national organization that has created 72 libraries for preschool aged children in childcare and community centers in low-income neighborhoods. Libraries are mostly located in the NY Tri-State area, but under the leadership of Executive Director, Shawna Hamilton Doster, Books for Kids has expanded nationally and opened libraries in Delaware, Texas, California, Tennessee, Washington, DC and Arizona, partnering with national corporate sponsors, Homewood Suites by Hilton and ING Direct. In the New York area, sponsors include Tina Fey along with the William Morris Endeavor Foundation and the Hachette Group and Mario Batali along with the Mario Batali Foundation. Each library begins at a cost of $75,000 to transform the space into a colorful and inspiring environment, stocked with brand-new age appropriate books, and fund a year's worth of program support for teachers, families and children who will use the facility.

Books for Kids will open six new libraries in 2012 in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Connecticut, Washington, Delaware and New York City.

The mission of Books for Kids is to promote literacy among all children with special emphasis on low-income and at-risk preschool aged children. Books for Kids donates books and partners with literacy programs to develop the critical early foundation and skills which young children need to be successful in life.

Visit http://BooksForKids.org for more information. For more information about Scholastic, visit: http://mediaroom.scholastic.com.