- The Good and the Beautiful hosts a virtual read-aloud on Read Across America Day.
- The event aims to inspire children and families to enjoy reading together.
- Registration is free for up to 1,000 participants.
LEHI — A Utah based company with a passion for education wants to inspire a love for reading among children and their families.
On Monday, the Good and the Beautiful, a homeschool curriculum and media company in Lehi, will host a virtual read-aloud event in honor of Read Across America Day.
Held annually on March 2, the day is meant to celebrate reading through various activities and events that promote the appreciation of literature among children. Read Across America Day is also an observance of Dr. Seuss' birthday.
Families, educators and influences from Utah and beyond are invited log into a live "Reading Room" on Zoom at 5 p.m. MST, where the read-aloud will be led by the Good and the Beautiful team followed by time for families to read a book among themselves together.
Patch Crowe, director of media for the Good and the Beautiful, said they're planning on around 1,000 people to log on and take part in the event.
Monday's virtual read-aloud will be the company's first time doing the event in alignment with Read Across America Day. Crowe said the goal is to foster unity and bring fun back to reading.
"We just see a tremendous value in providing young minds with good media that they can use throughout their lives to kind of have signposts along the way and help them become the type of people that they're interested in becoming," he said.
Crowe, a father of three and a musician, said he's passionate about helping children strengthen their literary skills.
He acknowledges the importance of reading for confidence and academic success among the youth. He also understands the pressure kids may face in learning how to read.
"We want to make sure that we're making it fun and enjoyable for them, that kids can see themselves in powerful and unique characters and that they're able to do that in a way that is uplifting and inspiring to them as well," Crowe told KSL.
State leaders are also looking at ways to boost reading among Utah's youth. On Friday Gov. Spencer Cox and author John Schu spoke about the importance of reading and literacy as hundreds of students received free books as part of Operation Literacy's book drop event.
That event followed a Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute report released last month that said nearly half of Utah's third graders struggle with reading proficiency.
When it comes to reading for pleasure, a 2025 study revealed a 40% decline in the United States over the past two decades.
The Good and Beautiful believe Monday's event can be one way of creating an opportunity to bring families together around books.
"At its heart, this event is about reminding children that reading is joyful, communal and meaningful," said its founder and CEO Jenny Phillips in a statement. "When kids see adults and peers reading together, it reinforces that books matter and that they belong in every home."
Launched in 2015, the Good and Beautiful is offered worldwide. Its homeschool curriculum includes language arts, math, science, history, handwriting, reading books and much more. People can also purchase selections from the Good and Beautiful's bookstore.
They also host a summer reading program where they plan to give away around 200,000 books to families this spring.
Crowe said registration to join the virtual event is free and still open, but it caps at 1,000 people.
Drawings will also be held for people to win gift certificates to the Good and Beautiful's bookshop.
