Although it was a hot and humid day Thursday, September 9, at the Baton Rouge Center for the Visual and Performing Arts (BRCVPA), Louisiana First Lady Supriya Jindal read kindergarteners "The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats. It is the official book of Jumpstart’s national Read for the Record campaign, which also is sponsored by Penguin Young Readers Group and the Pearson Foundation.

The campaign calls for millions of children across the United States to read the book at the same time on Thursday, October 7. Read for the Record has helped more than three million participants share in the power of reading since 2006 – all while setting a world record for the most children reading the same book on the same day. It highlights the importance of reading to very young children to develop crucial early language and literacy skills and supports Jumpstart’s mission of ensuring that every child enters school prepared to succeed.

This week, representatives of the foundation and Jindal (first photo) visited kindergarteners at BRCVPA to read "The Snowy Day," hand out free copies of the book and a state coloring book and give each child a snowflake-shaped cookie. Jindal (back row, center, second photo) stopped to visit with classes, as well, including Principal Mark Richterman (back row, left), teacher Sara Henderson (back row, right) and her kindergarteners: (left to right, first row) Natalie Ainsworth, Samana Owens, Sasha Williams, Derrick Selvage, Trinity Escort, Jace Brown, Grace Wilbourn, Sophia Schafer, Harry Griffen, Kaleb Lee, (second row) Madeline Shelton, Caroline Beck, Laila Jefferson, Carly Daniels, Paris Lewis, Michael Cox, Tessa Gordon, Jordan Wright, Kamran Vienne and Austin Wells.

For more information, visit www.readfortherecord.org (http://www.readfortherecord.org/) or www.pearsonfoundation.org ( http://www.pearsonfoundation.org/).