Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-Thon

Read-a-Thon day was my favorite day of the year when I was in elementary school. Wearing our comfiest pajamas, we students would walk to school with our bookbags stuffed and overflowing full of pillows, blankets, snacks, and of course, books. At school, we’d stretch out on our blankets and pillows and read, and talk, and snack, and read, and talk, and snack some more. Sometimes we’d talk more than read, but you had to have breaks, right?  Once I reached second grade, my family moved, and I changed schools. That is when the read-a-thons stopped. Oh, the sadness.

I guess you could say that those early read-a-thons are part of the reason why reading holds such magical childhood memories for me. Many days, my parents would beg me to go outside and play, but all I wanted to do was sit inside with my nose in a book. For me, reading wasn’t just sitting. It was a way to learn about different people, their lives, and their experiences.

I guess as an adult, I still haven’t lost my need for that escape. My perfect day is one where I can put aside everything that may be wrong with my life and get lost in someone else’s life for a while.

That is why I was so excited to read on Maw Books Blog about Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-Thon. The goal is to read for 24 hours, or as much as you can within reason. Really, it can be customized  for what fits you, which is nice because most of us will have to find ways to work this around families, school, or jobs.  If you can only commit to read for an hour, consider signing up as a cheerleader. When you need a break, post updates on your blog about what you’re reading, pages read, etc.  You can also check other bloggers’ sites to find out what they are reading and read their updates. Also, some sites will be hosting mini challenges and giveaways. It all sounds very fun. In case you haven’t figured it out by now, I will be participating. Want to join me?

Here is the basic info:

When: Saturday, October 24th at 5 am Pacific (1 pm GMT)

Where: Anywhere you want!  I prefer a comfy couch, but it’s up to you.

How: First, read October 2009 Read-a-thon Sign-up post, and sign up as a reader or a cheerleader at the bottom. Second, if you want to share the books you will be reading with other participants, write about it in your blog, then read What’s in your read-a-thon pile? And finally, add your blog post URL link at the bottom of that page.

I’d love to hear from you, if you will be participating.

On a final note, when I was looking into the history of how this read-a-thon began, I was very saddened to read that its original creator, Dewey passed away in 2008. What a wonderful idea. I am so glad that the bloggers who helped with the previous read-a-thons, Hannah (WordLily), Ana (Nymeth), and Trish (Hey Lady!), have decided to continue on with them. So, a big Thank You to them and anyone else who is helping out.