Scholastic has started a Global Literacy Campaign to get people to encourage the children in their lives to read every day.  It's something I believe it and I hope you will take some time to watch this.  If you ever had any questions as to why it's so important for kids to read every day, you'll have some answers after this.

Believe me, I know how hard it is to get kids to read, but we as adults, need to keep on trying.  Just to give you an example, my niece who is almost 10 always tells me how much she doesn't like to read.  I told her that I'm going to keep doing everthing I can to get her to one day love books and reading.  You know what she told me?  "How's that working out for you?"  Kids! But that is not going to stop me from working on her.  Hey, I like a challenge. 

For more information about Scholastic's Global Literacy program and to sign the pledge to encourage kids to read every day CLICK HERE.

The final movie has been released, and after Sunday's Oscars, the Harry Potter franchise has set another record.  According to E!Online, it is the most successful movie franchise never to have won an Oscar. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was nominated in three categories - art direction, makeup and visual effects - and didn't win any of them.  In total, the Harry Potter series went 0-12 at the Oscars over the years.

BUT...the good news is...it still made a boatload of money!  The franchise is #1 on the list of the highet-grossing films making a total of $2.39 BILLION dollars domestically, followed by: Star Wars, James Bond, Batman and Shrek. 

Take that Academy Awards!

The Berenstain Bears has definitely been a part of my childhood, and I'm sure it's been a part of yours.  So today I pay tribute to the co-creator of the Berenstain Bears books, Jan Berenstain, who died on Friday in Solebury, Pennsylvania, at the age of 88. She died at home a day after suffering a major stroke.

Jan started the series with her late husband Stan in 1962, and it featured more than 300 books.  Stand died in 2005.

Her son Mike says that she was still working on books until the end and was currently working on two books that she was doing illustrations for. 

So thank you Jan for giving us the wonderful memories of Mama Bear, Papa Bear, Brother Bear, and Sister Bear.  You left behind a beautiful legacy of love and literacy!

CLICK HERE to go to the Berenstein Bears official website.