Read for the Record

This year’s Read for the Record event will be held on Thursday, February 26. The book is See Marcus Grow by Marcus Bridgewater and Illustrated by Reggie Brown.

See Marcus Grow by Marcus Bridgewater & Illustrated by Reggie Brown

We are thrilled to announce that this year’s book for Jumpstart’s 20th Annual Read for the Record is See Marcus Grow, written by Marcus Bridgewater, also known as the social media sensation Garden Marcus, and illustrated by Reggie Brown. See Marcus Grow is a vibrant picture book that introduces young readers to the wonders of gardening while exploring themes of curiosity, discovery, nurturing and growth. In this story, the young character named Marcus learns from his grandmother in her garden. The book beautifully illustrates the parallel between plant care and human development, sharing the wisdom that both children and seedlings need “water and air and sunshine. And space to grow.”

Meet Our 2024 Read for the Record Co-Authors, Phillipa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran

Meet Our 2024 Read for the Record Illustrator, Qin Leng

Phillipa Soo is an actor and singer, best known for originating the role of “Eliza” in Broadway’s critically acclaimed “Hamilton”, which earned her Emmy and Tony nominations and a Grammy win. She has appeared in many other plays and musicals, including “Cinderella”, “Camelot”, “One True Loves”, and “Over the Moon”. She currently resides in Brooklyn with her husband, Steven Pasquale. Piper Chen Sings is Soo’s first book.

Maris Pasquale Doran is a licensed social worker who works as a private psychotherapist and as a lecturer at Columbia University. Piper Chen Sings is her first publication. She resides in Maplewood, NJ with her husband and two children.

Qin Leng is a visual development artist in addition to being an illustrator and author of children’s books. Her work has included “A Day for Sandcastles”, “I am Small”, and “Clover”, which won the prestigious Governor General Literary Award. She lives in Toronto with her husband and son.

Grandma’s favorite place is her garden. It seems like she could stay there forever! Marcus wants to know why—so they set about exploring it together. From shells protecting seeds (like Marcus’s helmet protects his head!) to a small seed eventually growing into something big (also just like Marcus!), there are so many amazing connections to be made in this wonderful place. Day after day, Marcus delights in realizing how much he has in common with the plants—he drinks water every day, too, and he gets haircuts just like the plants get pruned. As his grandma says, there’s a whole world to explore in a garden, and Marcus likes thinking about it as a playground for all the snails, birds, bugs, and worms. And one of its many beauties is the bounty they are rewarded with after all the love and care they pour into it!

Who Can Participate

Whether you’re leading an individual classroom or engaging an entire community, Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is a powerful way to come together around for the power of reading. Schools, libraries, museums, and other organizations help bring Jumpstart’s Read for the Record alive in communities around the world. From large group readings in school auditoriums to story hours and community-wide reading festivals, Read for the Record is truly an opportunity to rally your school, library, or larger community around the importance of high-quality early learning experiences.

How to Participate

The best part about Read for the Record is that everyone is invited to join in on the fun! No matter where you live or how old you are, all you need is a copy of the official campaign book or access to a computer with internet. When you pledge to read, you’ll receive campaign news and updates on all things Read for the Record. Plus, we’ll include the number of children and adults you plan to read with in our record-breaking total.

Whether you’re leading an individual classroom or engaging an entire community, Jumpstart’s Read for the Record is a powerful way to come together around for the power of reading. Schools, libraries, museums, and other organizations help bring Jumpstart’s Read for the Record alive in communities around the world. From large group readings in school auditoriums to story hours and community-wide reading festivals, Read for the Record is truly an opportunity to rally your school, library, or larger community around the importance of high-quality early learning experiences.