Join us this Sept 8-18, 2025 in the sixth annual Babies With Books Read-A-Thon to support NICU families and celebrate shared reading!
 
The BWB Read-a-thon is a friendly reading competition between NICUs to encourage reading with babies for its many benefits to NICU babies and families. This Read-A-Thon (Sep 8-18, 2025) builds on last September’s event in which 224 NICUs participated and there were a total of 61,054 reading sessions over the 11 day period.

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There is no cost to joining this NICU Read-A-Thon and hospitals that cannot provide books to their families can still participate! BWB will provide you with information and suggestions that make hosting a Read-A-Thon easy, fun, and successful. 

Participating hospitals receive BWB's Read-A-Thon process guide with step-by-step guidelines for organizing and implementing the read-a-thon. Our guide includes materials and resources such as:

• Family information on how and why to read in the NICU

• Healthcare Provider information on NICU reading rationale

• Suggestions for engaging families and healthcare providers in Read-A-Thon

• Templated materials to promote Read-A-Thon

• Templated reading tracking sheets

• ​Templated data collection sheets

• Books lists in multiple languages, including easy access to free, online books

Learn more about how reading aloud with babies beginning in the NICU supports infant brain development, promotes family bonding, and reduces stress here.  

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For questions about the read-a-thon, please contact Benjamin Olshin at benjamin.olshin@babieswithbooks.org.