Jumpstart's Read for the Record Campaign

Since its inception, Pearson has proudly presented the annual Jumpstart Read for the Record Campaign, encouraging more than a million people since 2006 to help set a new record each year for the world’s largest single-day book reading. In the process, we’ve been helping to make sure that all young people across the United States have an equal chance to begin school with the literacy skills they need to succeed.

Efforts to support the 2009 campaign were focused in direct response to what we learned by conducting the first “Pearson Foundation Early Childhood Education Perception” poll – a nationwide survey that explores perceptions surrounding the reading inequality gap that exists between children in low-income homes and their more affluent peers. The initial survey found that far too few Americans understand the important connection between early childhood literacy skills and a life of sustained learning and success. Of U.S. residents polled, 95 percent were unaware of the long-term importance of reading to children between the ages of three and five; 73 percent wrongly believed that unprepared kindergarteners will catch up in elementary school; and 53 percent were unaware that nearly half of low-income children start first grade with reading skills up to two years behind those of their peers. The conclusions were simple: we need to give every child an equal chance to succeed, and we need to continue to spread the word.

Part of this ongoing effort has so far included donating more than one million books to children in low-income communities so that they could take part of the campaign. In 2009, thanks to the Penguin Group, 275,000 copies of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar were created just for Jumpstart’s Read for the Record. On the morning of October 8, the book – which included an introduction by Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, as well as commentary by LL Cool J and Mary-Louise Parker – was featured on NBC’s TODAY show with a host of celebrity readers, including Eric Carle himself.

Each year, the Pearson Foundation organizes events across the country to support the cause of early literacy, including kick-off events in cities like Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City. We especially look forward to our kick-off event in Washington, D.C., where together with the USO we host reading celebrations for children and families of U.S. service people who are stationed overseas. And nationwide, we work year-round to engage leaders from hundreds of school districts; to organize statewide reading events; and to bring governors, mayors, and city officials together to involve more public and school libraries with each year’s campaign.

To find out more, check out the 10 Fast Facts page. Even better, get involved in Read for the Record by visiting www.readfortherecord.org.