Tennessee First Lady Promotes READ20 Family Book Club in Northwest Tennessee

First Lady Crissy Haslam visits public libraries in Weakley, Henry and Carroll Counties and the Benton County Fair to encourage READ20 Family Book Club participation
                             
NASHVILLE – First Lady Crissy Haslam visited public libraries in Weakley, Henry and Carroll Counties and the Benton County Fair today to promote her READ20 Family Book Club.  During the library visits, Mrs. Haslam encouraged participation in the program by reading to children and donating copies of E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, the August Book of the Month, to the library. The First Lady concluded the day at the Benton County Fair where she encouraged participation in her READ20 Family Book Club by distributing copies of Charlotte’s Web to families at the fair.

“Literacy is the most important skill that children need for academic success. When parents engage in their child’s education by reading together for at least 20 minutes each day, students will be significantly more successful in school.”

The First Lady’s READ20 Family Book Club is an initiative to highlight the importance of parental engagement in children’s academic lives, encouraging Tennessee families to read together for at least 20 minutes each day. Mrs. Haslam has participated in other events throughout the state this summer to encourage Tennessee families to participate in her book club, including visits to minor-league baseball games and military bases. During the month of August, Mrs. Haslam will be traveling to several of Tennessee’s rural communities to highlight the importance of reading proficiency to academic success. 

“Literacy rates tend to be lower in rural areas, and we need all Tennessee students reading on grade level by the end of the third grade to help ensure the bright futures they deserve,” Haslam said. “One of the best ways parents can partner with teachers is to increase the amount of time reading to children, and I hope that my book club provides another opportunity to do so.”

For more information about the Read20 Family Book Club visit www.tn.gov/read20, www.facebook.com/CrissyHaslam, follow @Read20TN on Twitter, or visit your local public library.