Get Caught Reading & Latino Books Month Blossom in May

May is Latino Books Month and Get Caught Reading Month, both sponsored by the Association of American Publishers (AAP). This is the second annual celebration of Latino Books Month, and AAP has presented the Spanish-language counterpart to Get Caught Reading, Aja, Leyendo!, since 2003.

Both campaigns offer booksellers a variety of resource materials, including celebrity posters, reading lists, and brochures. In addition, the programs can be customized into one month-long celebration.

During May, AAP will be supporting Get Caught Reading Month with a major publicity campaign, including a Capitol Hill press event featuring members of Congress, public service advertisements in a variety of magazines representing millions of reader impressions, and reading events throughout the country. New this year are Aja, Leyendo! posters featuring Gloria Estefan, Maya and Miguel, Jorge Ramos, and Dora the Explorer.

Noting that Latinos are the fastest growing demographic in the U.S., Tina Jordan, AAP vice president, said, "We hope to encourage booksellers, librarians, and others in the book industry to promote reading among Latinos in their communities and to raise awareness of the great variety of books by Latinos, available in Spanish and English."

AAP's Latino Voices for America (PLVA) Task Force has created a Latino Books Month Tool Kit, which includes PLVA's 2006 edition of key titles, as well as summer reading lists for adults and children, posters, fact sheets, and contact information for booking appearances by Latino authors.

The Publishing Latino Voices brochure, which includes a sampling of titles by Latino authors published by AAP member companies, will be in the Welcome Packet for booksellers staying at Hotel ABA during BookExpo America and will also be sent to stores with Book Sense in the May Red Box mailing.

Resource materials and information about Get Caught Reading, Aja, Leyendo!, and Latino Books Month are also available by contacting Jordan at tjordan@publishers.org.