Having trouble finding that perfect book? Listen to our podcasts for some great book recommendations. Chatting About Books: Recommendations for Young Readers focuses on books for children in grades K–5. Text Messages: Recommendations for Adolescent Readers provides families, educators, out-of-school practitioners, and tutors reading recommendations they can pass along to teen readers.

This month on Chatting About Books, listen in as Emily Manning chats with Judy Young, one of the authors of the Tales of Young American series. Judy discusses her research process and how she looks for “seeds” of history that she can grow into stories. She also shares which time period she would like to visit if she could go back in time!

In the world of young adult literature, there are certain authors readers can count on to engage both their minds and their hearts in a good story. Francisco X. Stork is one of those authors. Tune in to Text Messages to hear about Francisco’s novels, including how they explore themes of religious faith and ambition, how his own life experiences are reflected in his books, and how he thinks about the diverse Latino characters he has created.

For classroom materials on   other  timely topics, just keep reading! We have materials on George Lucas, the Academy Awards, Raymond Carver, Malcolm X,  and more!

New Resources

• Stop the Summer Slide! Encourage students to use our Brights Ideas for Summer.
  
  
• Shape It Up! Our redesigned Theme Poems tool (formerly the Shape Poems tool) allows students to write poems inside shapes.
  
  
• Take advantage of the long summer days, and prevent summer learning loss with Thinkfinity’s fun, interactive games, resources, and field trips.
  
  
• Reflect on the school year with the grades 6–8 lesson Making Memories: An End-of-Year Scrapbook.
  
  
• Celebrate the heritage of Asian and Pacific Americans and their contributions to the United States with activities from ReadWriteThink.
   
  

From the Calendar

• May 14: Star Wars creator George Lucas was born in 1944. Students use the Hero’s Journey interactive to describe how Luke Skywalker meets each stage of his journey, and then brainstorm other works that use the formula. (For grades 7–12)
  
  
• May 16: The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929. Students make lists of their favorite and least favorite movies and brainstorm qualities that make a film good or bad. Next, students write a movie review for a film they have seen. (For grades 5–12)
  
  
• May 18: Raymond Carver was inducted into the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters in 1988. Students identify characteristics of Carver's work and compare them to other authors, as well as to literary minimalism. Students then write original poems or short stories in minimalist style. (For grades 7–12)
  
  
• May 19: Malcolm X was born in Nebraska in 1925. Students write about the origin of their name and explore the names that Malcolm X used during this life. (For grades 5–12)
  
  
• Later this  month, find lesson plans and activities on  Charles Lindbergh, Mister Rogers, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Sally Ride, and more!

Discuss These Topics with Other Teachers

• Favorite Resources for Teaching Fairy Tales?
  
  
• Are you using online video as a teaching aid?
  
  
• How do you nurture a child's curiosity?
  
  
• The Thinkfinity Community Mobile app is now available on Apple’s App Store! You can also download the Thinkfinity Community app on Android or VCast. All three versions are free.
  
  
• Make the most of Thinkfinity.org by adding our partners to your social network!

If you have feedback or questions about ReadWriteThink, all you have to do is contact us.

—Traci Gardner

[Photo: Girl Reading by o5com, on Flickr]

Since 1978, the month of May has been a time to honor the heritage of Asian and Pacific Americans and their contributions to the United States. Originally a week-long Asian American Heritage Week, the celebration now lasts through the entire month.

Share texts written by Asian and Pacific Americans with students, whether you look to picture books for young adult novels. For starters, you can listen to the ReadWriteThink Text Messages podcast episode Teen Identity and Tough Situations, which discusses the graphic novel American Born Chinese and other books that explore characters who struggle to know when to stay true to themselves.

For  classroom materials on   other  timely topics, just keep reading! We have materials on Cinco de Mayo, Get Caught Reading Month,  and more!

New Resources

• Will you be at IRA’s 2012 Annual Convention in Chicago next week? Stop  by the IRA Bookstore (booth #2247) Monday between 1:30 and 3:00 PM for a coffee break  from Verizon Thinkfinity.
  
  
• Squash the Summer Slide! Encourage students to use our Brights Ideas for Summer.
  
  
• Shape It Up! Our redesigned Theme Poems tool (formerly the Shape Poems tool) allows students to write poems inside shapes.
   
  
• Squash the Summer Slide! Encourage students to use our Brights Ideas for Summer.
  
  
• Are you game? Check out our podcast to learn more about The Hunger Games.
   
  

From the Calendar

• April 29: Poet Yusef Komunyakaa was born in 1947. Yusef Komunyakaa was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana on this day in 1947. (For grades 8–12)
  
  
• April 30: Celebrate El Día de Los Niños/El Día de Los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day)! Using the Book Cover Creator, students write and share their own multilingual stories. (For grades 3–8)
  
  
• May 1: May is Get Caught Reading Month! Students celebrate Get Caught Reading Month by doing a reading-related service project such as planning an intergenerational reading day or organizing a book drive. (For grades K–12)
  
  
• May 1: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is in May! Students consider the portrayal of Asians in popular culture by exploring images from classic and contemporary films and comparing them to historical and cultural reference materials. (For grades 9–12)
  
  
• May 3: National Public Radio began broadcasting in 1971. Students make predictions about the content of some of NPR’s programs, then listen to the programs and report on the contents and discuss with the class. (For grades 7–12)
  
  
• May 5:  Today is Cinco de Mayo. Students choose to research a piece of art, music, dance, literature, or food that suitably represent Mexico and create a presentation for the class. (For grades 7–12)
  
  
• May 5: Today is Leo Lionni’s birthday. As a child growing up in Holland, Leo Lionni taught himself how to draw and later became an author and illustrator of children’s books. Leo Lionni is the winner of four Caldecott awards. (For grades K–5)
• Next month, find lesson plans and activities on  National Children’s Book Week, Christopher Paul Curtis, the Puerto Rican Independence movement, and more!
   
  

Discuss These Topics with Other Teachers

• Favorite Resources for Teaching Fairy Tales?
  
  
• Poetry Program Ideas
  
  
• Question: What happens to those e-books once you're finished with them?
  
  
• The Thinkfinity Community Mobile app is now available on Apple’s App Store! You can also download the Thinkfinity Community app on Android or VCast. All three versions are free.
  
  
• Make the most of Thinkfinity.org by adding our partners to your social network!

If you have feedback or questions about ReadWriteThink, all you have to do is contact us.

—Traci Gardner

[Photo: American Born Chinese | Gene Luen Yang by Silus Grok, on Flickr]

Make your plans for El Día de Los Niños/El Día de Los Libros (Children’s Day/Book Day), which takes place on Monday, April 30th.

Developed under the leadership of author Pat Mora, this event focuses on providing children with books in many languages and making reading an integral part of their lives. It’s a wonderful time to   have students read, write, and share  multilingual stories with one another.

For  classroom materials on   other  timely topics, just keep reading! We have materials on William Shakespeare, Coretta Scott King, the Library of Congress, and more!

New Resources

• Celebrate Teaching! Register now to join the celebration at IRA’s 2012 Annual Convention in Chicago.
  
  
• Enter the Humorous Math Poem Contest to celebrate Math Awareness Month, National Poetry Month, and National Humor Month.
  
  
• Enter your best piece of fiction in the Norman Mailer Writing Award for High School Teachers for a chance at $10,000.
  
  

From the Calendar

• April 22: Celebrate Earth Day! In celebration of Earth Day, students research famous environmentalists and write letters to them asking for their opinions on current issues and turn their letters into a poem. (For grades 3–12)
  
  
• April 23: In 1564, William Shakespeare was born on this day. Based on grade level, students learn about rhyming structure, experiment with the Shakespearean Insult Kit, or study scenes from Othello and watch an adaptation of that scene from the movie O. (For grades 1–12)
  
  
• April 24: On this day in 1800, Congress approved the purchase of books to start the Library of Congress. Students practice and refine research skills by visiting the Library of Congress website and conducting a research project. (For grades 7–12)
  
  
• April 26: The Spanish town of Guernica was bombed on this date in 1937. After viewing Picasso’s Guernica, students are provided with background information, share their impressions, and write about Picasso’s purpose in creating the painting. (For grades 3–12)
   
  
• April 26: Participate in Poem in Your Pocket Day! Students select a poem and create a Stapleless Book using the interactive tool. (For grades 3–6)
  
  
• April 27: Coretta Scott King was born on this day in 1927. Students do a book report assignment based on a current or past winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Award. (For grades 3–12)
  
  
• April 27: Playwright August Wilson was born in 1945. Students use the Timeline Tool and Drama Map to create a decade-by-decade record and play of their community’s history. (For grades 9–12)
   
  
• April 28: Author Lois Duncan was born on this date in 1934. Mysteries are shared with students for them to solve and brainstorm the attributes of a good mystery. Small groups then compose short mysteries using the Mystery Cube. (For grades 3–12)
  
  
• Next month, find lesson plans and activities on  reading, teacher appreciation, Cinco de Mayo, Asian Pacific American Heritage, and more!
  
  

Discuss These Topics with Other Teachers

• Favorite Resources for Teaching Fairy Tales?
  
  
• What resources do you use to teach students to “go green” and “save the earth”?
  
  
• The Thinkfinity Community Mobile app is now available on Apple’s App Store! You can also download the Thinkfinity Community app on Android or VCast. All three versions are free.
  
  
• Make the most of Thinkfinity.org by adding our partners to your social network!

If you have feedback or questions about ReadWriteThink, all you have to do is contact us.

—Traci Gardner

Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Day is Thursday, April 12th.   The reading strategy is exactly what it sounds like: students stop whatever they’re doing, pick up a book, and read. Try out the strategy in the classroom with details from our DEAR lesson plan, and encourage  DEAR reading at home with the Make Time for Reading tip sheet.

Find books to enchant and inspire  K–12 readers in Graphic Novels Reviewed, Part 2, from the International Reading Association Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group. And if you’re looking for something related to the season, check out their list of Books to Celebrate Spring.

For  classroom materials on   other new and timely topics, just keep reading! We have materials on copyright, author birthdays, and more!

New Resources

• New Lesson: What Did George Post Today? Learning About People of the American Revolution Through Facebook (Grades 6–12)
  
  
• Enter the Humorous Math Poem Contest. It’s a great way to celebrate April. After all, April is Math Awareness Month, National Poetry Month, and National Humor Month.
  
  
• Enter your best piece of fiction in the Norman Mailer Writing Award for High School Teachers for a chance at $10,000.
  
  
• Celebrate Teaching! Register now to join the celebration at IRA’s 2012 Annual Convention in Chicago. Hot Topic Sessions at the  Convention focus on  Learning, Technology, ELL, Assessment, and Writing.
  
  
• Make your plans now to celebrate El Día de Los Niños/El Día de Los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day) on April 30.
  
  

From the Calendar

• April 9: In 1939, Marian Anderson was denied permission to sing at Constitution Hall. Students view Eleanor Roosevelt's resignation letter to the DAR in response to Andersen being denied permission to sing. Students write a letter to a newspaper editor about social injustice. (For grades 7–12)
  
  
• April 10: The Statute of Anne, an influential copyright law, went into effect in 1710. Student groups do web research, compile their information, and make a booklet on copyright rules for the class to use as a reference. (For grades 6–12)
  
  
• April 12: Gary Soto, poet and children's writer, was born on this date in 1952.Using one of Soto's stories, students take part in share stories about their families, describe their street/neighborhood, or compose an acrostic poem using the Acrostic Poems interactive tool. (For grades K–6)
  
  
• April 13: Seamus Heaney was born on this day in 1939. Students focus on the figurative language in Heaney's poem, "Digging," and discuss the speaker's attitude, and how metaphor, simile, and image contribute to the poem. (For grades 7–12)
  
  
• http://ow.ly/9TfiGApril 14: Noah Webster published his American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828. After dividing students into small groups, students play a variation of the game Balderdash to celebrate the publication of Webster's dictionary. (For grades 2–12)
  
  
• Later this month, find lesson plans and activities on the Titanic, Paul Revere, Earth Day, Shakespeare, and more!
  
  

Discuss These Topics with Other Teachers

• Favorite Resources for Teaching Fairy Tales?
  
  
• What resources do you use to teach students to “go green” and “save the earth”?
   
  
• Is spelling a lost art?
  
  
• The Thinkfinity Community Mobile app is now available on Apple’s App Store! You can also download the Thinkfinity Community app on Android or VCast. All three versions are free.
  
  
• Make the most of Thinkfinity.org by adding our partners to your social network!

If you have feedback or questions about ReadWriteThink, all you have to do is contact us.

—Traci Gardner

[Photo: Untitled by <cleverCl@i®ê>, on Flickr]

April is National Poetry Month, and we have lots of poetry resources for you.

• Find lesson plans on the ReadWriteThink calendar entry.
• Enter the Humorous Math Poem Contest.
• Participate in Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 26.
• Try our 30 Poems You Can Write for National Poetry Month. That’s a poem a day!)

For  classroom materials on   other new and timely topics, just keep reading! We have materials on Hans Christian Andersen, Jazz and blues singer Billie Holiday, and more!

New Resources

• New Lesson: Exploring a Teen’s World: Learning SAT Vocabulary Through Drama, Grades 9–12
  
  
• New Podcast: Brothers and Sisters, Episode 43 of Chatting About Books: Recommendations for Young Readers
  
  
• Enter your best piece of fiction in the Norman Mailer Writing Award for High School Teachers for a chance at $10,000.
  
  
• Celebrate Teaching! Register now to join the celebration at IRA’s 2012 Annual Convention in Chicago. Hot Topic Sessions at the  Convention focus on  Learning, Technology, ELL, Assessment, and Writing.
  
  
• Make your plans now to celebrate El Día de Los Niños/El Día de Los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day) on April 30.
  
  

From the Calendar

• April 1: April is National Poetry Month! Students are assigned to be “poets of the day” and are provided several models to create, illustrate, and present their different poems to the class. (For grades K–12)
  
  
• April 2: Hans Christian Andersen was born on this date in 1805. Students write a brief summary of one of Andersen’s stories, and then read the original story and compare the two versions of the tale with the Venn Diagram tool. (For grades 7–12)
  
  
• April 4: In 1928, Maya Angelou was born. After hearing Maya Angelou’s poem, “On the Pulse of Morning,” students infer information about the speaker and her feelings about America and reflect on how one’s life and experiences can influence one's writing. (For grades 7–12)
   
  
• April 5: Pocahontas married John Rolfe on this date in 1614. Students read “The Chieftan’s Daughter” and are shown the fresco that tells the legend of Pocahontas. A class discussion follows regarding fact and fiction and students research Pocahontas. (For grades 7–12)
  
  
• April 7: Jazz and blues singer Billie Holiday was born in 1915. Students listen to Holiday’s song “Strange Fruit” and identify powerful and descriptive images for a mini-lesson on tone and about the lynchings in the South during this time. (For grades 9–12)
  
  
• Later this month, find lesson plans and activities on Marian Anderson, Seamus Heaney, Gary Soto, Earth Day, Shakespeare, and more!
  
  

Discuss These Topics with Other Teachers

• Favorite online “cool” tools for teaching...
   
  
• What are some good options for assessing student achievement?
  
  
• Where are educators searching for Common-Core resources?
  
  
• The Thinkfinity Community Mobile app is now available on Apple’s App Store! You can also download the Thinkfinity Community app on Android or VCast. All three versions are free.
  
  
• Make the most of Thinkfinity.org by adding our partners to your social network!

If you have feedback or questions about ReadWriteThink, all you have to do is contact us.

—Traci Gardner

[Photo: Mia's Poem by rich115, on Flickr]

Trying to persuade a reluctant reader to pick up a book? “More and more teachers and parents are realizing that graphic novels are an easy way to hook reluctant readers as well as keep older readers engaged,” according to the latest collection of  reviews from    the International Reading Association Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group. Check out their  Graphic Novels Reviewed, Part 1 for books for grades 1–12.

Share some humorous books that get kids laughing and learning to get ready for April Fool's Day this Sunday. Extend your activities to writing with ideas from the Sample Chapter from Humor Writing: Activities for the English Classroom, the newest NCTE book.

For  classroom materials on   other new and timely topics, just keep reading! We have materials on The Hunger Games, National Poetry Month, Robert Frost, César Chávez, and more!

New Resources

• New Activity: Wild and Crazy Words, Grades K–3
  
  
• New Podcast: A Second Look at The Hunger Games, Episode 48 of Text Messages: Recommendations for Adolescent Readers
  
  
• Get ready for poetry! April is National Poetry Month!
  
  
• Enter your best piece of fiction in the Norman Mailer Writing Award for High School Teachers for a chance at $10,000.
  
  
• Celebrate Teaching! Register now to join the celebration at IRA’s 2012 Annual Convention in Chicago. Hot Topic Sessions at the  Convention focus on  Learning, Technology, ELL, Assessment, and Writing.
  
  
• Make your plans now to celebrate El Día de Los Niños/El Día de Los Libros (Children's Day/Book Day) on April 30.
  
  

From the Calendar

• March 25: Celebrate Kate DiCamillo's birthday today. After examining the characters in one of DiCamillo's stories, students write original short stories featuring animals as central characters. (For grades 3–6)
  
  
• March 26: Poet Robert Frost was born in 1874. Students celebrate Frost's birthday by exploring his innovation in the sonnet form by studying poems and presenting them to the class. (For grades 9–12)
  
  
• March 30: Black Beauty author Anna Sewell was born in 1820. Through Sewell's novel, students explore the cruelty to animals and extend the discussion to current events, eventually presenting the information. (For grades 3–12)
  
  
• March 31: César Chávez was born on this day in 1927. Students work in small groups to research a civil rights leader and do a creative writing piece, followed by a short story, with their group. (For grades 7–12)
  
  
• Next month, find lesson plans and activities on Maya Angelou, Gary Soto, Earth Day, Shakespeare, and more!
  
  

Discuss These Topics with Other Teachers

• Is YouTube blocked in your school?
  
  
• Humor and Giggles in the Classroom?
  
  
• Where are educators searching for Common-Core resources?
  
  
• The Thinkfinity Community Mobile app is now available on Apple’s App Store! You can also download the Thinkfinity Community app on Android or VCast. All three versions are free.
  
  
• Make the most of Thinkfinity.org by adding our partners to your social network!

If you have feedback or questions about ReadWriteThink, all you have to do is contact us.

—Traci Gardner

[Photo: Graphic Novels - closeup view by Enokson, on Flickr]

The theme of this year’s IRA Annual Convention is “Celebrating Teaching,” which is a fitting tribute to the literacy professionals around the world who contribute to their students’ literacy achievements.

ReadWriteThink.org and Verizon Thinkfinity are taking part in the celebration at the Annual Convention with a focus on technology in learning! Here are five reasons you need to join us in Chicago, April 29 through May 2, 2012:

1. Gather solid educational ideas that you can take back to your school.
2. Be inspired by renowned speakers and dynamic educators.
3. Connect with your peers from across the globe.
4. Be a part of the conversation on the future for reading professionals.
5. Come celebrate teaching and your profession.

Ready to celebrate? Register now at www.iraconvention.org

Our Sessions

ReadWriteThink is hosting two educational sessions this year that focus on the power of technology in the elementary classroom and how it can be woven into all aspects of the school day. You’ll learn countless ways to engage students and increase their motivation to learn. If you’re looking for practical, classroom-ready ideas to use right away with your students, these sessions should be on your itinerary.

ReadWriteThink.org Presents: Engaging Learners With “Games” in the Elementary Classroom

Monday, April 30, 2012
3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
W180

 

The use of technology in the classroom is ever-growing. Have you harnessed the motivational power of technology—or hidden from it? ReadWriteThink.org houses dozens of online, research-based interactive tools to help develop 21st-century learners. How can you engage your students with “games” and new technologies? How can you reach struggling learners with interactive tools? How can you inspire a schoolwide effort to embrace new technology? Karen Pelekis, a classroom teacher; Emily Manning, an interventionist; and Katrina Allen, a technology facilitator, will show you how in this session.

 

 

 

A Day With ReadWriteThink.org: Incorporating Tools Across the Curriculum
Tuesday, May 1, 2012

3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
W176B

You may be familiar with the amazing resources on ReadWriteThink.org, but how can you use these resources beyond your language arts lessons? Discover tips from Lisa Storm Fink, a former teacher and current project manager of ReadWriteThink.org, about how to use the site in your K–6 classroom throughout the entire school day.

 

Scavenger Hunt

Keep an eye out for ReadWriteThink posters around the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. Each poster will have a QR code (and corresponding URL) where you can find a code word. Hunt throughout the convention center for all of the QR codes and collect the code words. Not only will you have a chance to meet the people behind ReadWriteThink.org but you’ll also have the chance to win great prizes!

Enjoy a Cup of Joe

The IRA Convention is always very busy. If you feel your energy waning, it’s a good time to stop by the Verizon Thinkfinity booth located in the Technology Pavilion of the exhibit hall. Enjoy a rejuvenating cup of free coffee, and while you’re at the café, learn more about how you can take advantage of the Verizon Thinkfinity Community, a destination for teachers to collaborate, share new ideas, and find new ways to introduce technology into their classrooms.

Join Our Discussions:

What do you find most valuable about attending a national education conference?
If you do not attend national education conferences, what is it that prohibits you from registering?

Time to get your plans ready for Read Across America Day. March 2nd is the birthday of   the author better known to most readers as Dr. Seuss, Dr. Theodor Geisel.

Mark his birthday with NEA’s Read Across America, the largest reading event in the United States, by celebrating with read-aloud, read-along, and reading marathon activities. Learn more about the day from Reading Today Online.

For classroom materials on  other new and timely topics, just keep reading! We have materials on Leap Day and author birthdays plus our newest podcasts with book recommendations..

New Resources

• New Podcasts:
  • A Roundup of Teen Book Awards, Episode 47 of Text Messages: Recommendations for Adolescent Readers, Podcast for Grades 6 – 12
  • Sweet Stories, Episode 42 of Chatting About Books: Recommendations for Young Readers, Podcast for Grades K – 5
    
    
• Jazz up writing workshop! Inspire students by combining music and writing in the classroom.
  
  
• Celebrate Black History Month with lesson plans & activities for every content area in the Thinkfinity collection, and follow the development of significant events on the  NAACP Interactive Timeline.
  
  
• There’s still time to plan an African American Read-In in your classroom or  at your school.
  
  
• Tweet, Tweet! Follow us on Twitter for all the latest news from ReadWriteThink.
  
  
• Celebrate Teaching! Register now to join the celebration at IRA’s 2012 Annual Convention in Chicago.
  
  
• Visit The Kennedy Center’s What’s Going On Now site, a digital project designed to inspire, engage, and educate youth on the powerful link between the arts and social action.
  
  

From the Calendar

• February 20: Actor Sidney Poitier was born in 1924. Students do a journal entry about barriers that have been broken—such as age, race, and gender—that might impede them in the future, and how they can break through those barriers.  (For grades 3–12)
  
  
• February 21: Humorist Erma Bombeck was born in 1927. Using lines from Bombeck’s newspaper column, students identify allusive or satirical humor. Older students can rewrite the passages for a different audience. (For grades 9–12)
  
  
• February 23: Diarist Samuel Pepys was born. Students write diary entries and revisit the entries as if it were a hundred years from now. Students then brainstorm and write paragraphs about life in the 21st century. (For grades 3–12)
  
  
• February 27: In 1902, John Steinbeck was born. Students brainstorm a list of the ills of society, research a topic of their choosing, and then prepare an annotated bibliography of texts that address the topic. (For grades 9–12)
  
  
• February 29: Today is Leap Day!Our solar year is 365.24219 days. Since our calendar does not deal in partial days, every four years, we add an additional day to February. (For grades 3–7)
  
  
• Next month, find lesson plans and activities on Women’s History Month, Read Across America Day, Teen Tech Week, and more!
  
  

Discuss These Topics with Other Teachers

• What technology skills does every student need to know?
  
  
• How can the STEM movement converge with the Arts?
  
  
• Humor and Giggles in the Classroom?
  
  
• What do you do when a family disagrees with what you’re teaching?
  
  
• The Thinkfinity Community Mobile app is now available on Apple’s App Store! You can also download the Thinkfinity Community app on Android or VCast. All three versions are free.
  
  
• Make the most of Thinkfinity.org by adding our partners to your social network!

If you have feedback or questions about ReadWriteThink, all you have to do is contact us.

—Traci Gardner

[Photo: Navy Captain reads to students during Read Across America event. by Official U.S. Navy Imagery, on Flickr]