Scholastic Canada Doubles Book Donation and Offers Visit from Dog Man Author Dav Pilkey as part of 2020 Classrooms Care Campaign Français
TORONTO, Feb. 4, 2020 /CNW/ - A Canadian school will be the lucky recipient of a visit from bestselling author Dav Pilkey, creator of the Dog Man and Captain Underpants series while playing a part in getting 200,000 books into the hands of young readers who may not otherwise have access to their own books.
For the 2020 campaign, Scholastic Canada's Classrooms Care program is partnering with Pilkey's "Do Good" initiative, which began in 2019 as a campaign encouraging people to give back to their community. Each class that completes this year's challenge will be entered into a draw for one grand prize of a visit and presentation from Pilkey.
Through the Classrooms Care literacy program, for each class that reads 100 books, Scholastic Canada Reading Clubs and Book Fairs will donate 100 new books to communities in need, up to a total of 200,000 new books this year – doubling past years' donations.
Pilkey, whose Dog Man series featuring a main character who is part dog, part policeman and has been on bestseller lists since the first book was published says, "When I was a kid, I had a difficult time reading because of my dyslexia and ADHD. Fortunately, my parents encouraged me to read whatever books I wanted, which helped me to associate reading with love. With the Classrooms Care program, not only do kids learn about giving back to their community, they can also choose the books they want to read, allowing them to discover their own favorite books."
"This year, we are proud to partner our Classrooms Care program, with the Do Good campaign as a reminder that reading for pleasure not only enriches the lives of students, but that this small act will also make a difference in the lives of children who don't have the same access to books," says Nancy Pearson, Scholastic Canada's President of Marketing and Publishing. "There is great joy and power in the stories that fantastic authors like Dav Pilkey and others bring to children. Every child deserves to have this opportunity – to relish in stories, ignite their imaginations and have a book to call their own."
"In my Dog Man books, I try to focus on positive themes including kindness, empathy, and the importance of doing good,' says Pilkey. "I know that behind every great reader is a dedicated teacher, librarian, and parent. I truly believe that by inspiring your students to read every day, you are doing good and changing the world."
Since its inception in 2005, the Classrooms Care program has provided more than 1.6-million books valued at $8-million in English and French to Canadian children. More than 80,000 classes have participated. The winning class will be notified in early June and Pilkey's school visit will take place in Fall 2020.
ABOUT CLASSROOMS CARE: The Classrooms Care initiative is open to all classrooms Canada-wide through Scholastic's Reading Clubs and Book Fairs. In order to reach some of Canada's most remote and deserving areas, the donated books are distributed in the name of both Scholastic Canada and participating classrooms through program partners such as Frontier College, United Way Regina, Save the Children, Conseil pour le développement de l'alphabétisme et des compétences des adultes du Nouveau-Brunswick, La Coalition francophone Le goût de lire, and Fondation pour l'alphabétisation. For more information, visit www.scholastic.ca/classroomscare
ABOUT DAV PILKEY: In addition to the phenomenally bestselling Dog Man and Captain Underpants series, Dav Pilkey is the author and illustrator of over 60 books, including The Paperboy which won a prestigious Caldecott Honor, Dog Breath, 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving, God Bless the Gargoyles, and the Dragon series. Super Diaper Baby, Pilkey's first graphic novel, was published nearly twenty years ago. His Dog Man graphic novel series, launched in Fall 2016 to multiple starred reviews, has more than 26-million copies in print and has been translated into 38 languages. The Captain Underpants series, which helped to create the industry's illustrated chapter book category for children, has more than 90-million copies in print to date, and was adapted into a movie by DreamWorks with an original TV series currently streaming on Netflix. When Dav Pilkey was in second grade, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and what is now widely known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Because of his learning and behavioral issues in school, he was often sent out in the hallway by his teachers. It was in his elementary school hallway where Dav created comic books about superheroes that eventually became Dog Man and Captain Underpants. Dav Pilkey was recently named one of Fast Company magazine's "Most Productive People", The Beat's "Comics Industry Person of the Year", and Publishers Weekly's "Person of the Year."
ABOUT THE DO GOOD CAMPAIGN: In 2019, Scholastic launched the Dog Man "Do Good" campaign. Inspired by the characters and themes in Dav Pilkey's worldwide bestselling graphic novel series, the initiative encourages readers of all ages to give back in any way they can, and make a positive impact in their communities. Highlights of the campaign include Dav Pilkey's "Do Good" global tour. At each of the tour stops, there is a philanthropic component, whether a book drive or a donation to a worthy cause.
ABOUT SCHOLASTIC CANADA: Scholastic Canada is the country's largest publisher and distributor of children's books in both official languages. A subsidiary of Scholastic Inc., which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020, the company is a leading provider of quality books and eBooks, print and technology-based educational resources. Scholastic also makes a great variety of books available to children through school-based Reading Clubs and Book Fairs as well as retail and online stores, schools and libraries. Established in Canada in 1957, with a long history of service to schools and families, Scholastic Canada continues to carry out its commitment to "Open a World of Possible" for all children. Learn more at www.scholastic.ca.
SOURCE Scholastic Canada
Denise Anderson, [email protected].
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