Amy Poehler, actress, comedian, Saturday Night Live veteran and star of Parks and Recreation and Smart Girls, has been named the honorary chairperson for this year’s literary giveaway World Book Night, which will be held April 23.
“I grew up loving books,” Poehler said. “In today’s digital world, it’s more important than ever to know how it feels to have a good book in your hands. I’m thrilled to be part of World Book Night. People who read are people who dream, and we connect through the stories we live and tell and read.”
World Book Night U.S. executive director Carl Lennertz said: “This news is the icing, cherry and candles on the year three WBN cake … Amy Poehler joining our cause is a happy, happy event.”
The third annual World Book Night U.S., to be held April 23, is organized by a coalition of publishers, booksellers and librarians. They will enlist 25,000 volunteers who give away a total of 500,000 books – mostly aimed at areas and groups where books are not that prevalent. Not only do we love their choice of Amy as chairperson, but we adore the WBN slogan which is “spreading the love of reading, person to person.”
Each year, the organizers select a broad range of titles to give away – in specially printed paperback editions. This year’s list includes Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 and Carl Hiaasen’s Hoot, as well as Solomon Northup’s 12 Years a Slave, made popular by the Oscar-winning movie.
Click to Learn More About World Book Night.
