The International Literacy Association (ILA) invites you to join them on International Literacy Day (Sept. 8) and throughout September during Literacy Month 2025. We’re excited to share their resources that can help you celebrate the joy of reading, stand up for Children’s Rights to Read, and build momentum going into Banned Books Week (Oct. 5-11).
This blog post is from Nicola Wedderburn, Executive Director of the International Literacy Association (ILA), a Unite Against Book Bans partner.
Observed annually on September 8, International Literacy Day (ILD) was established by UNESCO in 1967 to remind the world that literacy is more than skills—it is both a human right and a foundation for dignity.
This principle is the beating heart of ILA’s Children’s Rights to Read initiative, which affirms that every child, everywhere, deserves access to the education, opportunities, and resources needed to read.
But in the fight to secure those rights, it’s easy to lose sight of what drew us to books in the first place: The joy of reading. That’s why we are centering Literacy Month on the celebration of stories, voices, and the power of reading together.
Every Page Has a Purpose
This year’s theme, Every Page Has a Purpose, reminds us that books are more than words on paper. They can inspire curiosity, nurture empathy, and spark change. Every story a child encounters strengthens their sense of self and their place in the world.
Throughout September, ILA is inviting families and communities to celebrate reading in ways that are simple, joyful, and deeply meaningful. Our new Literacy Month Toolkit, filled with resources for families and caregivers, provides printable activity calendars, creative prompts, and shared reading ideas designed to make books part of everyday life.
Each week carries a theme to keep the celebration fresh. Readers in the Wild shows that reading can happen any time, any place, anywhere in the world. Together We Read encourages families to pledge 10 minutes of shared reading each day. My Book Voice puts kids at the center, inviting them to share book talks and recommendations with peers—because when children raise their voices about the stories that matter to them, they inspire others to discover their own.
Public Places, Reading Spaces
The month concludes with Public Places, Reading Spaces, spotlighting libraries as community hubs and vital champions of the right to read. Ending Literacy Month in the library is no accident—we wanted to connect September’s Library Card Sign-Up Month and prime October’s Banned Books Week, underscoring both the joy of access and the urgency of protecting it.
Libraries embody the promise of the Children’s Rights to Read: They safeguard access, amplify diverse perspectives, and provide safe, welcoming spaces for all readers. By closing Literacy Month in these spaces, we affirm that literacy is not just a personal practice but a shared responsibility—one rooted in community, connection, and the freedom to read.
Whether you’re a parent, caregiver, educator, or librarian, your participation helps ensure that every child’s voice is heard through the books they read and love.
Every page has a purpose…and behind every page is a child who deserves the right to read.
