In 2008, only 38% of Los Angeles fifth-graders scored high enough on California’s English language arts tests to qualify as ready to enter sixth grade.

Explore-A-Story Event

The Wonder of Reading’s Explore-A-Story: A Celebration of Books is a unique and fun-filled event for families of elementary school children in Greater Los Angeles, hosting up to 1,000 guests. The event celebrates The Wonder of Reading’s purpose: to inspire in children the love of reading. It is an incredible day of readings by children’s book authors and illustrators, celebrity readers, performances, arts-and-crafts, movies, and a book fair with book signings . . . all inspired by great children’s literature.

2009 Explore-A-Story guests and performers included:

Celebrity readers:
Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)
Jesse McCartney (Singer/Songwriter)
Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle, Raising the Bar)
Madison Pettis (Disney's Cory in the House, The Game Plan)
Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly, Drake and Josh, School of Rock)
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

Readings and book signings by authors:
Joan Bransfield Graham (Splish Splash)
Elisa Kleven (The Paper Princess)
George McClements (The Night of the Veggie Monster)
Hope Anita Smith (The Way a Door Closes)
Ann Whitford Paul (If Animals Kissed Good Night)

Press Room

of WireImage's photos of the 2009 event!

This event would not have been possible without our generous in-kind donors:
ArcLight Cinemas, Pacific Theatres, Paramount Pictures, California Pizza Kitchen, Nicholas Weinstock, and many others. We also thank our wonderful event readers, who all donated their time.

We are grateful to our 2009 sponsors for their generous support:

BOOK ILLUSTRATOR Paramount Pictures BOOK DISTRIBUTOR Barnes & Noble Booksellers Jordan & Lisa Bender Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc. Ashley Kraines & Adam Kassan Michael & Ronnie Kassan Christina Liao & John Lesher Northrop Grumman United Talent Agency VISTAR BOOK COLLECTOR Leslie & Paul Aronzon Lili & Jon Bosse Haltrecht Family

HONORARY COMMITTEE Jim & Jenny Belushi Rory Bruer Carol Burnett California Pizza Kitchen Jim Carrey Rick Caruso Judy Cascapera Wendy Chang Leonardo DiCaprio Dan Fellman Jack Foley Honorable Eric Garcetti Honorable Mónica García Sharon Hearn Honorable José Huizar Michael & Ronnie Kassan Sharon Lawrence Councilmember Tom LaBonge Edward James Olmos Mary Pope Osborne Emily Procter David Shannon Bruce Snyder Ben Stiller Jim Tharp Chuck Viane Honorable Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa

For more information about this and other Wonder of Reading events please contact Kim at: 323-634-7103, info@wonderofreading.org