Target Launches Read Across America at New York Public Library

Celebrity guests Uma Thurman, Mark Ruffalo, and Keri Russell helped launch this year’s Read Across America program with reading activities at the New York Public Library.

Uma Thurman read Dr. Seuss during Read Across America Launch event.

Actress Uma Thurman reads Dr. Seuss during the Read Across America launch event at New York Public Library.

On February 24, the National Education Association (NEA) and Target launched this year’s Read Across America program with an opening ceremony at the New York Public Library in midtown. 

After unveiling a 26-foot-tall “READ” installation on the steps of the library, several celebrities stepped inside for a morning of story time with local children. Notably, actors Uma Thurman, Mark Ruffalo, and Keri Russell read from a selection of masterworks by the late Dr. Seuss, whose birthday (March 2) served as inspiration for the event. After the morning’s reading activities, Target donated 25,000 Dr. Seuss books to New York schools, thanks in part to a book grant from Random House Children’s Books.

Mark Ruffalo on the steps of the New York Public Library during Read Across America launch event

Actor Mark Ruffalo on the steps of the New York Public Library. 

NEA’s Read Across America, now in its thirteenth year, is a year-round program that focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources. For more information on the program, visit www.nea.org/readacross.

Find more National Reading Month events in Manhattan and the New York metro area.