Hello!
Guys Read Gals Read, Inc. is a nonprofit organization in Alaska focused on making reading fun for kids. We want to show children that reading can be enjoyable, and when they read for fun, they’re more likely to do it regularly and improve their skills. Our goal is to get kids excited about reading by exposing them to books that are age-appropriate and enjoyable.
What problem are we solving?
Research shows that boys and girls have a gap in reading achievement, and many children, especially boys, stop reading for fun around 3rd or 4th grade. Contributing factors include a lack of role models who read, fewer books at home, brain development differences, and limited access to fun books.
Guys Read Gals Read helps by offering kid-friendly books and providing adult readers as role models.
Our approach
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Visit 4th-grade classrooms during lunch.
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Donate featured books to school libraries.
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Read engaging, illustrated books aloud during lunchtime and show the pages on a screen.
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Read only part of each book to encourage students to finish them on their own.
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Host fun parties at the public library with games, food, and books to introduce families to library services.
Why graphic novels?
​Graphic novels (comics) make reading accessible to all kids, even struggling readers, by combining fast-paced stories with illustrations. Studies show these books help build vocabulary and comprehension. Comics also help a broader range of kids see themselves as readers, which can lead to lifelong reading habits.
Program History
In 2001, children’s author Jon Scieszka started Guys Read to promote reading for boys. Greg Hill, then Director of Fairbanks Libraries, expanded on this idea in 2006 by creating a local version where volunteers read fun, illustrated books to students. The program grew to include girls in 2010 and now operates in all public elementary schools in Fairbanks.
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When the pandemic hit in 2020, we adapted by creating video readings for students to access from home or school. We also distributed copies of the books to local school and public libraries.
Contact
I'm always looking for new and exciting opportunities. Let's connect.
123-456-7890