By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-896548.mp3
Dallas, TX – Four thousand Dallas Public school students kick off the 15th annual DallasKidsRead! festival today at Friendship West Baptist Church.
It's a massive field trip that features authors and illustrators reading their own books. And each child will get two books to take home.
Laura Leppert, wife of Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, is honorary chair of the event. She says the DallasKidsRead! party for the whole city is tomorrow, 1 to 6, at Northpark.
There will be entertainment, arts and crafts, and 19 award-winning children's book authors and illustrators.
Leppert: And these authors, they really make their books come alive. When they're reading, they're really animated. And it really makes it a lotta lotta fun.
Mrs. Leppert says the goal is to get kids excited about reading. The event is free. And, Essilor Vision Foundation will provide free vision screenings and glasses to children who qualify.