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We’ve adopted the slogan "Twenty Minutes a Day Paves the Way" because research has shown just 20 minutes of reading or being read to can:

  • Provide time for parents and caregivers to bond with children
  • Expose children to as many 1.8 million words per year
  • Help students reach the 90th percentile on standardized tests
  • Improve listening skills
  • Prepare pre-kindergartners for school
  • Improve their earning potential later in life
  • Lead to healthier lives.

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan on importance of reading

 


 

Mayor Deegan's River City Readers

Minutes Read

2,011,983

Join Mayor Deegan’s River City Reading Challenge and help get Jacksonville to 1,000,000 minutes read this year!

Find out more about the challenge at: jacksonville.gov/rivercityreaders and follow along here for additional reading resources and to see our progress!


 

Jill Dame with a

Passion for Reading


 

Read anytime, anywhere, with BookSmart!

With BookSmart, children have the required tools to build their reading skills through high-quality books, activities that reinforce reading skills in fun and interactive ways, and where they are celebrated for their reading success. It's never been easier to achieve 20 minutes of reading a day than with BookSmart!

If you’re here, we know you care about this as much as we do.

We are inviting everyone in the community to join READ JAX — there are many ways you can be in support!

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Join us as we pave the way for our students’ success!