Parents looking for new activities to do with their children can tune into a live reading session with Michelle Obama beginning at noon today.
“Mondays with Michelle Obama” is a new weekly livestream series featuring the former first lady in partnership with Penguin Young Readers, Random House Children’s Books and PBS Kids, according to a press release.
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Over the course of four weeks, Obama will read aloud from beloved children’s books, beginning with Julia Donaldson’s “The Gruffalo.”
“As a little kid, I loved to read aloud,” Obama said in a statement. “And when I became a parent, I found such joy in sharing the magic of storytelling with my own children — and then later, as First Lady, with kids everywhere. At this time when so many families are under so much stress, I’m excited to give kids a chance to practice their reading and hear some wonderful stories (and to give parents and caretakers a much-needed break).”
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The readings will be livestreamed at noon each Monday simultaneously on PBS Kids' Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as Penguin Random House's Facebook page. Immediately after the readings, the videos will be viewable on the aforementioned platforms.
Obama’s reading livestream series is part of a recently announced “Read Together, Be Together” Penguin Random House literacy initiative and PBS Kids’ “Read-Along” effort on Facebook and YouTube.
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The full schedule of the former first lady’s readings can be found below.
- April 20: "The Gruffalo" written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler
- April 27: "There's a Dragon In Your Book" written by Tom Fletcher and illustrated by Greg Abbott
- May 4: "Miss Maple's Seeds" with story and pictures by Eliza Wheeler
- May 11: "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle
