FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Boston, MA – December 14, 2016 — Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, sponsor of Screen-Free Week, announces its partnership with Every Child a Reader, sponsor of Children’s Book Week. Both weeklong events, to be celebrated May 1 – 7, 2017, encourage a week of unplugged fun and reading.  Families, schools, libraries, bookstores, faith groups, and communities will pledge to turn off screen-based entertainment for one week by reading books together and plugging into life.

Research shows that children who spend less time with screens do better in school, sleep longer, eat better, get more exercise, and spend more time with their families. Leading health, education, and advocacy organizations around the country actively support Screen-Free Week. Endorsers include: American Public Health Association, National Black Child Development Institute, the National WIC Association, the Alliance for Early Childhood and Kaboom! The partnership with Children’s Book Week takes going “Screen Free” to the next level, recognizing the power of the written word in healthy child development.

“Reading is one of the very best ways to unplug during Screen Free Week and throughout the year,” says Jean Rogers, Screen Time Program Manager at Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. “We are delighted to partner with Every Child a Reader to introduce our combined celebrations. We know that reading together increases family bonds, encourages language development and prepares children for success in school and life.”

Shaina Birkhead, Programming and Strategic Partnerships Director of the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader, added that “this is the perfect match of goals: for children and families to read more and to organize events to be together with a book. We and the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood will be providing event kits and downloadable activities for the week at our websites in the new year.”

Schools and families are encouraged to schedule both Screen Free Week and Children’s Book Week now to ensure that teachers can plan and families can count on great reading, art, exercise, and outdoor activities the week of May 1 – 7, 2017.

About Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood

CCFC’s mission is to support parents’ efforts to raise healthy families by limiting commercial access to children and ending the exploitive practice of child-targeted marketing.

About Every Child a Reader

Every Child a Reader is a 501(c)(3) literacy charity dedicated to inspiring a lifelong love of reading in children and teens across America. Every Child a Reader’s popular national programs include Children’s Book Week, the longest-running literacy initiative in the country; the Children’s Choice Book Awards, the only book awards chosen by children and teens; and the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature program, in partnership with the Library of Congress.

About Children’s Book Week

Launched in 1919, Children’s Book Week will commemorate its 98^th anniversary in May 2017. It is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country.

Contacts:

Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood
Jean Rogers, Screen Time Program Manager
jean@commercialfreechildhood.org

Every Child a Reader
Emma Kantor, Publicity and Digital Content Manager
emma.kantor@cbcbooks.org