Annual Tackle Reading Event with the NFL

March 2, 2023: 7th Annual Tackle Reading Across America Day…Your Classroom, School, or Football Team Can Join our Team This Year!!

**Presented by Kathryn Starke

To celebrate literacy, Read Across America has been a tradition in elementary schools across the country. This year, we are kicking off the seventh annual Tackle Reading Across day on Thursday, March 2, 2023, in which all 32 NFL teams have been represented by current players, former players, retired players, and Hall of Fame members promoting a love of literacy with a passion for football in elementary schools in their community. You don’t need to have an NFL team in your city to participate. Here is how you can Tackle Reading with us today!

Wear the apparel of your favorite NFL teams.
Email kathryn.starke@creativemindspublications.com or use the Contact Kathryn page to announce your participation
Complete language arts based football assignments throughout the day. Download your Tackle Reading language arts booklet here
Invite former athletes, college football team, or local high school football team in your community to be a virtual guest reader for the day. Enjoy reading your favorite children’s books, whimsical rhyming books by Dr. Seuss to celebrate his birthday, or our curated list of football themed books (see list below). Many are written by NFL athletes.
Set reading goals on Super Bowl weekend for a month by number of minutes or books read. (See example of football reading field bulletin board below.)
Read and prepare the recipe of an edible football stadium by our celebrity cook, Daina Falk, Hungry Fan (see below).
Share your pictures of the special day day on social media @KathrynStarke using #TackleReading

8. Read football themed children’s books. Many of these books are written by current and former NFL athletes including NFL Legends on Amazon.

Some examples include the following: A * denotes a book written by an author with an NFL affiliation who has participated in a Tackle Reading event!

Where is Pidge? by Michelle Staubach Grimes*
Pidge takes the Stage by Michelle Staubach Grimes*
Beyond the Laces by Bob Salomon
Tackle Reading by Kathryn Starke
A Touchdown in Reading: An Educator’s Guide to Literacy Instruction by Kathryn Starke
Freddie Football series by Marnie Schneider, granddaughter of Leonard Tose, former owner of Philadelphia Eagles *
Critter Fritter series by Jen Welter*
Amy’s Travels by Kathryn Starke
Mr. Business: The Adventures of Little BK series by BK Fulton
Smitty Hits the Books by Wade Smith*
Come Find Me by Ken Harvey Illustrated by Terry Crews*
The Me that Needs to Be by Ken Harvey*
When Chocolate Milk Moved In by Ken Harvey*
The Little Linebacker by Maria Dismondy and Stephen Tulloch*
So You Want to be a Pro? by Nate Daniels*
Chasing Space: Young Readers’ Edition by Leland Melvin*
Twin Treasures by Michael Attardi*
Nathan Hunt and Zandora’s Box by Michael Attardi*
Grant’s Sports Adventures by Johnny Rutledge*
Flying High by Julian Edelman*
Don’t Throw it to Mo by David Adler
Bobblehead Beatdown by Bo Rush
Tavon Does it All by Tavon Mason*
The Little Gladiator by Joel Gamble*
JoJo! What Happened to your Hair? by Craig Colquitt*
Desiree Davenport: Welcome to Treeless Park by Chental Song Bembry
Carter: My Dream, My Reality by Tyrell Zimmerman*
Kickin’ It with Kenzie by Makenzie Lee-Foster
You Are Loved by Tanya Terry
My Teacher Looks Like Me by Autumn Dodson
I Am, and I Will Be: Positive Affirmations for Boys and Girls by Reggie Barlow*

Sponsorship/Purchasing Opportunity

**This March, we want to provide more books for children to take home and/or teachers to add to each classroom. We welcome a partnership with any foundations, businesses, corporations, individuals, or organizations interested in sponsoring a local elementary school for a Tackle Reading event.

Contact: info@creativemindspublications.com for purchasing/orders/inquiries

*Example of football reading goal field. Choose your favorite team, and assign each student a number. The students’ number is moved to each line as reading goal is achieved (reading goal lines can be either number of minutes or number of books read).