For over 30 years, Illinois has celebrated Family Reading Night on the third Thursday in November. Organized by The Illinois Secretary of State and the Illinois Center for the Book, and promoted by schools and libraries across the state, Family Reading Night celebrates the joy of reading together as a family.

Why read together as a family? Whether your children are too young to speak or old enough to read on their own, reading together as a family is about more than just decoding words on a page. Studies show that reading together with children of all ages not only supports development of critical reading skills, but also promotes family bonding and improves social-emotional skills. A home environment that celebrates the joys of reading together is the best way to turn your children into lifelong readers.

In celebration of Family Reading Night on November 21, Chillicothe Public Library District (CPLD) will have a special blanket fort set up for families to get cozy and read together at the library, as well as kits for families to take home for a cozy night reading together. When you stop by the library for Family Reading Night, you can also sign up to participate in CPLD’s Winter Reading Challenge! From December through January, participants of all ages can win prizes for completing a reading bingo card. And all year round, children under the age of five can participate in 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. The library also has information about how to sign up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides a free book every month to children under the age of five.

Besides formal programs, CPLD offers many other resources to support family reading. In addition to print books and books-on-CD, your CPLD library card grants access to hundreds of free digital ebooks and audiobooks through our eLibrary. Looking for resources to help develop critical reading skills with your family? Check out the early learning and guided reading kits, which provide age-appropriate activities and questions to accompany books.

Reading together can deepen family bonds and strengthen literacy skills for children of all ages (and their grownups!). CPLD is eager to be your family’s reading home, providing the books, resources, and programs you need to grow and thrive—and have fun along the way! Find the library at 430 N. Bradley Ave., call 309-274-2719, or visit www.chillipld.org.