Right on the heels of National Poetry Month which included National Library Week we welcome Get Caught Reading Month.
Since 1999 the beautiful month of May has been home to this literary concoction. The celebration was devised by former Congresswoman Pat Schroeder through the Association of American Publishers (AAP), where she is the President and CEO.
Its goal: “to spread the word about the joys of reading through an industry-supported literacy campaign.”
I am not sure if this was created to give her a job after her political life but this is basically a political action committee for the publishers. This is the Hollywood and Capitol Hill version of a celebration of the book.
The names they throw around include First Lady Laura Bush, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Dolly Parton and Drew Carey. The inanimate celebrities include Clifford the Big Red Dog, Spiderman and The Rugrats, all who have “been ‘caught reading’ their favorite books and magazines for print ads and posters.” Over 40 posters of celebs caught reading are available to libraries and bookstores.
There is one; however, that is “temporarily out of stock” and that is the poster of Rosie O’Donnell reading Barbara Kingsolver’s “The Bean Trees”. All these A-list celebrities and athletes and Rosie’s is the only one that is not in stock. Sold out? A printer’s error? Politics? The speculation is killing me.
And don’t miss the image gallery featuring members of Congress “caught reading.” Every image I looked at the Congressperson was looking at the camera not the book! Ad placement Congressional style.
Here is Rep. Mark Foley reading a real page turner Fahrenheit 451.
Highlights of the month long celebration include:
A Capitol Hill Press Event with members of congress. Really.
Public Service Announcements. How about this one: This is your kid…This is your kid caught reading.
Celebrity Posters. Why not celebrity chapbooks? Little printed booklets of their own writing or their favorite quotes or celebrity artist books where then can design and produce the book of their choice. Auction them off and the proceeds go to literacy programs.
I know they are trying to reach out to the majority, the people “not typically associated with reading” (whatever that means), and I applaud them for the effort but something is not quite right here. It feels like it has much more to do with business and politics and ways to turn non-readers into readers into customers than it has to do with literacy. Under their “Literacy Program” header you’ll find three links to literacy fact sheets.
I didn’t see any mention of literacy programs they support or links to any other literacy promoting agencies.
Is this helping anybody?