TV ads encouraging reading

Betsy Bird over at Fuse #8 linked to some “Hooray for Reading” videos over at RetroJunk, acting out scenes from children’s books from the 70s, some of which many of us are familiar with (Judy Blume’s Then Again, Maybe I Won’t; Betsy Byars’ The TV Kid; and A Billion for Boris by Mary Rodgers). I started looking through the other decades, and found some commercials encouraging parents to read to their kids.

I liked this one with child actor Fred Savage (from TV show The Wonder Years, and others). There’s also a bunch of animated OG Readmore TV clips from the 80s. The message is great, though they’re pretty fuzzy and not good sound.

That got me looking on YouTube, where I found this Public Service Announcement from Lindenwood University on keeping your mind alive by reading. It’s a more modern take.

And this RIF (Reading Is Fundamental) Ambitious Mom: Read With Kids Challenge:

And this RIF with Shaquille O’Neil (NBA player).

There’s a bunch of neat Reading Is Fundamental videos on Youtube from over the years. Check them out.

July 13th, 2008