Children’s Book Council Prepares for 100th Anniversary Celebration of Children’s Book Week

The Children’s Book Council (CBC) and Every Child a Reader have announced plans for the 100th anniversary of Children’s Book Week in 2019, which will feature a new logo and theme, works by 20 featured illustrators, activities in 15 languages, and more.

Throughout the year, Every Child a Reader, the charitable arm of the CBC, will conduct an ongoing campaign of spotlight author and illustrator events, media resources, and contests to celebrate the anniversary of Children’s Book Week (CBW), the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country.

Over 125,000 copies of the 2019 official CBW poster will be sent to 1,000 schools, libraries, and bookstores for events to be held from April 29 to May 5, 2019. Registration to be an official Children’s Book Week location is open now. The poster, featuring a new logo and theme — Read Now. Read Forever — will be illustrated by Caldecott-winning children’s author and illustrator Yuyi Morales.

In addition, a second, collaborative poster will be revealed in stages throughout the year and feature the work of 12 different artists: Sophie Blackall, Eric Carle, Bryan Collier, Grace Lin, Juana Martinez-Neal, Barbara McClintock, Frank Morrison, LeUyen Pham, James E. Ransome, Erin Stead, Melissa Sweet, and Raina Telgemeier.

CBC is also designing new online activity materials for the occasion, including activity pages in over 15 languages and original bookmarks created by artists Selina Alko and Sean Qualls, Vera Brosgol, Jason Chin, Ekua Holmes, Juana Medina, and Jessie Sima. These designs were chosen from CBC member publishers’ submissions by a 100th anniversary art committee comprised of Betsy Bird, Little Shop of Stories owner Diane Capriola, Andrea Davis Pinkney, Christopher Lassen, Leonard Marcus, Susannah Richards, and Lisa Von Drasek.

Associate Executive Director of Every Child a Reader Shaina Birkhead said the CBC has been looking forward to the 100th anniversary of Children’s Book Week for years.

“The program continues to grow in exciting and unexpected ways and we cannot think of a better way to celebrate in 2019 than with more events, more artists, more resources, and a brand-new logo to lead us into the next 100 years,” Birkhead said. 

In addition, as part of a collaboration with Every Child a Reader, The Rabbit hOle in Kansas City will create an immersive narrative exhibit featuring six life-size Children’s Book Week posters that transport visitors into the 100-year history of Children’s Book Week, opening fall 2019. More CBW contests, initiatives, and author and artist events will be announced at the start of the year.