We’re going bananas for reading at this year’s Family Reading Night on Friday, March 6. Special guest, author Gideon Sterer, will travel from New York to share his book, “If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone,” with young readers, their families and our community.

Doors open for the free family event at 5:30 p.m. at Washington Middle School.

This annual event is organized by the Community Literacy Foundation, in partnership with the School District of Washington, Washington Optimist Club, Washington Public Library and Friends of the Library and Neighborhood Reads Bookstore.

Gideon Sterer is a New York Times bestselling author who grew up in the woods of upstate New York. Growing up, his parents owned a wildlife discovery center, where he said he would run around after hours and let the animals out.

Sterer has written almost two dozen children’s books, including his NYT Bestseller, “The Christmas Owl.”

His book, “If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone,” was a January 2026 Book Buddy Pick and “I Will Read to You” was an October 2023 Book Buddy Pick. Both of these books are available in area school and public libraries thanks to donors to the Community Literacy Foundation’s Book Buddy project and are featured on Neighborhood Reads’ Bound to Read Blog by clicking here at neighborhoodreads.com.

Family Reading Night features community leaders and high school students sharing great stories in more than 40 reading sessions. Some of this year’s student readers include football players from Washington and Borgia High Schools, Borgia softball players, Washington High Theater and FFA students and the Washington Town & Country Fair Junior Fair Board.

Julia Young, School District of Washington and WINGS Educational Foundation Teacher of the Year, and Ruth McInnis, Washington Public Library children’s librarian, are just a few of the community readers. Washington Parents As Teachers will have a Toddler Room for the youngest readers who attend.

Activity tables hosted by area school/parent groups and other organizations, including the Rivertown Arts Foundation, will offer art projects based on books. The Washington Police Department will perform a Reader’s Theater at the end of the evening.

A highlight of Family Reading Night are dozens of baskets of books given away to families. Organizations and individuals interested in donating book baskets may contact Penny Heisel at sheisel@msn.com or drop them at Neighborhood Reads or the Washington Middle School library.

Additionally, through its Book Elf project, Neighborhood Reads has a selection of books set aside for customers to support the event and help build themed baskets to give away.

Families who read together the week before Family Reading Night have the opportunity to bring their completed Family Reading Logs for a chance to win gift certificates. Reading logs will be distributed soon in many schools and can be downloaded at NeighborhoodReads.com. The logs also can be downloaded by clicking here. 

Family Reading Night is a free family event for all ages. This year’s event is being supported through additional donations from the Washington High School Football Team, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of New Haven, East Central College and Bank of Franklin County. To see a photo gallery from last year’s event, visit CommunityLiteracyFoundation.org by clicking on this link.

 

 

 

 

 

Family Reading Night Guest Author Gideon Sterer