Get ready for double the fun as Children's Book Week dedicates two weeks to the celebration this year. The first week is May 2-8 and, of course, we’re excited to celebrate the joy of books and reading for young people! (The second week is set for Nov. 7-13, so mark your calendar.)

Children’s Book Week was established in 1919 and is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. It’s rooted in the belief that children’s books and literacy are life-changers. In 1913, Franklin K. Matthews, the librarian for the Boy Scouts of America, began touring the country to promote higher standards in children’s books and proposed creating a Children’s Book Week. In 1916, the American Booksellers Association and the American Library Association sponsored a Good Book Week with the Boy Scouts of America. And in 1944, the newly-established Children’s Book Council assumed responsibility for administering Children’s Book Week. The 100th anniversary of Children’s Book Week was celebrated in 2019.