Did you know that today, April 12th, was a national day set aside for reading? It's know as DEAR Day.

So if you're reading this on twelfth---Stop what you are doing! Or rather stop your kids from what they are doing?

Drop what is in your hands! Unless it could break. If that is the case, just set it down gently.

Now use those free hands to pick up a book and start reading!!

What Is DEAR Day?

Beverly Cleary first wrote about the DEAR concept in her book, Ramona Quimby, Age 8, which is fantastic by the way!

It stands for:

Drop

Everything

And

Read

Which is totally something we can get behind!!

Every year on Ms. Cleary's birthday, we celebrate the amazing gift that books provide us. We do this by dropping everything and spending the day reading.

5 Ways To Celebrate DEAR Day

Anybody and everybody can celebrate D.E.A.R day according to the official website! Here are a few ways you can make the day special for you and yours.

#1 - Read a "real" paper book.

Drop the Kindles, Nooks, and iPads.

Pick up the paperback, hardback, and leather-bound wonders that grace your shelves.

Open them up and get lost in an adventure! We know a few good ones {ahem...Sassafras Science...ahem} if you need some suggestions.

#2 - Discuss your favorite books.

At lunch (breakfast or dinner would work too), ask everyone to share a few things about books! You can ask the following questions:

• What is your favorite book and why?
• What is your favorite character and why?
• What is your favorite part of the current book you are reading?

It's always fun to see what the peeps around your table connect with in the books you are reading!

#3 - Enjoy tea and poetry.

If you have never had a poetry tea time, D.E.A.R. day is a great time to get started!

Basically, you brew a pot of tea (or hot chocolate, or lemonade, or...well you get the idea) and grab your favorite poetry volume.

You pick out a poem and read it out loud. Then, you rinse and repeat.

Your kids can also share their faves is they have one, too!

#4 - Host a reading party!

Have a few friends over, which is always a blast!

Then, instead of watching TV or playing video games, pull a book off the shelf to read. Here's how you can make a game of it:

1. Sit down in a circle (preferable with cookies or some kind of candy in the center).
2. Read the first page of your selected book.
3. Then, hand it to the person to your right to read the next page.
4. Continue around the circle until the chapter is done (or until you all end up in a fit of giggles!)

Here are a few tips to make your read-aloud time go a bit smoother:

#5 - Head to the library or your local bookstore.

Lots of libraries and bookstores have special events for D.E.A.R. day.

You can check one of those out, or you can just head on over to one to grab a few "real" books or poetry volumes!

Wrapping It Up

Blaine and Tracey Sassafras hope that you all have a fantastic day packed with a truckload of super cool books!