Tomorrow (Wednesday March 5) is World Read Aloud Day, a celebration of the joy of reading books to… well, anyone I suppose. Kids. Spouses. Siblings. Pets (although it might be wasted on fish).

Bungalo Books started its read-aloud celebration by launching its own YouTube channel. It features our two StoryTalk videos that offer hope and inspiration to parents of pre-schoolers who want to inspire their children to read.

When a busy parent is reading to a fidgety two-year old, the payoff may seem far away in the future but actually they are building a bond that will last a lifetime. My mom read to me every night after the supper dishes were done and I still remember those evenings curled up beside her on the couch. In turn, I read to all three of my kids until they reached high school (and I remember my grade nine son eavesdropping at his younger sister’s door as we read Harry Potter).

That early exposure to books helped turn me into a lifelong reader — and a writer/editor. So please, check out those videos (one featuring my granddaughter Paige) and spread the word.