CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Public Library wants to encourage everyone in the city to crack open a book, no matter their age. It’s the middle of the Cleveland Reads challenge.
The challenge is for the city to read 1 million books, or for 1 million minutes over a year. Clevelanders already soared past the million-minute mark, so that goal has been raised to 10 million minutes. And anyone who checks out their local library to participate might just recognize some members of their own community on the spines of the books.
Bill Cotter is the best-selling author of the “Don’t Push the Button” series. His stories encourage kids to wiggle, roar and talk like a robot – sometimes all at once.
“It’s like the exact opposite of asking a kid to sit still and look forward,” he told News 5. Which is something he himself struggled with in school. Cotter’s books are U.S. bestsellers and even topped the charts in Japan.
“It’s really meaningful to be able to have that kind of scope to have people on the other side of the planet be laughing at the same stuff that people around the corner from me are laughing at, at my local library,” he said. Cotter is a Clevelander living in Tremont. He works closely with CPL to come in for book readings at its branches. The Main Library Youth Services Manager, Annisha Jeffries, told News 5 it’s all about community.
“Authors are our community,” she said. “Our authors, our illustrators, they really help us bring our community together.” The library knows how vital reading is to enriching young minds. It’s happy to place local authors on its shelves. Together they’re working to make sure every child develops an early love of reading.
“It’s all about making sure that we get a book in the hand of every child the moment they’re born,” Jeffries said. Cotter’s on board with the mission, no matter what people choose to read.
“Please read your local authors,” he said. “Read any authors; just read, read, read.”
The Cleveland Reads challenge wraps up in December. Every quarter the top readers are entered to win prizes like Chromebooks, Zoo tickets, or Kalahari family packs. You can sign up by clicking here.
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