Delray Reads
The Delray Beach Campaign for Grade-Level Reading
Presented by Delray Chamber Education Fund and the City of Delray Beach with support from the Delray Beach Historical Society and Courtyard by Marriott.
Sponsor a Delray School
Funds raised for Delray Reads will ensure that the impact of Delray Reads Day extends far beyond a single morning of reading. By sponsoring a school, donors help provide new books, classroom activities, and year‑round literacy experiences that strengthen reading skills and spark a love of learning in our elementary students. These resources support ongoing initiatives, from author visits to family literacy nights, that keep students engaged long after the event ends. Delray Reads unites our community around one powerful belief: when we invest in our youngest readers, we invest in the future of Delray Beach.
Register for Delray Reads
This year, we’re excited to bring you two parts to Delray Reads. The official day of reading takes place on Thursday, February 26th at 8am, at your specific school, where community volunteers will join students for a joyful morning centered on stories and reading. When you register, you’ll also have the opportunity (and we strongly encourage you to attend) to sign up for our kickoff breakfast on Tuesday, February 24th, at the Delray Beach Historical Society from 8:00–9:00am. Together, these events help build a lasting culture of literacy that reaches beyond one day.
Fourteen Years Running
Delray Reads Day has sparked a community-wide movement around the importance of early literacy. We address the learning loss facing children across Delray Beach and the disproportionate impact on underserved children. We endeavor to promote reading and raise funds to provide new books for every child attending a Delray Beach Elementary School in pre-K, Kindergarten, first and second grade as part of the national program “Read for the Record”.
It’s more important than ever to promote the importance of early literacy and providing access to high quality books.
Celebrating 20 Years
Jumpstart’s Read for the Record® brings together millions of adults and children around the world each year to read the same book on the same day in order to raise awareness about the critical importance of early literacy. Sharing high-quality picture books with young children is at the core of Jumpstart’s mission. Each year, Jumpstart selects a campaign book that fosters language and social-emotional development, honors the diversity in our world, has a strong narrative, and appeals to young children.
This year, Jumpstart is celebrating their 20th anniversary of Read for the Record® on Thursday, February 26, 2026. Click here for more information.
Featured Book: See Marcus Grow
This year’s selection is See Marcus Grow written by Marcus Bridgewater, also known as social media sensation, Garden Marcus, and illustrated by Reggie Brown.
See Marcus Grow is a vibrant picture book that introduces young readers to the wonders of gardening while exploring themes of curiosity, discovery, nurturing and growth. In this story, the young character named Marcus learns from his grandmother in her garden. The book beautifully illustrates the parallel between plant care and human development, sharing the wisdom that both children and seedlings need “water and air and sunshine. And space to grow.”
“Grandma’s favorite place is her garden. It seems like she could stay there forever! Marcus wants to know why–so they set about exploring it together. From shells protecting seeds (like Marcus’s helmet protects his head!) to a small seed eventually growing into something big (also just like Marcus!), there are so many amazing connections to be made in this wonderful place. Day after day, Marcus delights in realizing how much he has in common with the plants–he drinks water every day, too, and he gets haircuts just like the plants get pruned. As his grandma says, there’s a whole world to explore in a garden, and Marcus likes thinking about it as a playground for all the snails, birds, bugs, and worms. And one of its many beauties is the bounty they are rewarded with after all the love and care they pour into it!”