Oklahoma City Public Schools kicked off National Literacy Month by planning a reading fair on Saturday.

This district is calling all bookworms and families hoping to spark their child’s love for reading to the Belle Isle Library.

“Our goal is to instill the love of reading in our kids,” said Mary Melon-Tully, the president and CEO of the OKCPS Foundation. “We’re going to Kona Ice here. We’re going to have games. We’re going to have the Sugar Free Allstars performing tomorrow morning, and we’re going to have special celebrity book readers reading to kids.”

The foundation is putting on the event in celebration of National Read Across America Day.

“There’s no doubt about it. Kids who read more do better in school,” said Melon-Tully. “They will learn. They will grow. They will succeed in life and school. It all starts with planting that seed that reading is fun. Reading provides joy.”

The event will kick off with a meet and greet with author Tammi Sauer, a former Edmond resident. Several other standout readers will be there, including state Sen. Carri Hicks.

“When they really meet and hear from someone who has written and published a book, it may inspire them to do the same thing,” said Melon-Tully.

After the guest readings, each child will get a copy of Sauer’s book, and they will get to pick one of their very own on the mobile book bus.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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