About Maine Reads

Established in 2002 by the Office of the First Lady, Maine Reads is dedicated to the fight for a more literate Maine through meaningful programs that create awareness, raise funds, and encourage collaboration among literacy providers.

The Maine Festival of the Book 2008 will be held in May 15-17 in venues surrounding Monument Square in downtown Portland. Look for the big tent on the Square. More than 50 authors will present and sign during the festival. Featured authors include David Baldacci, Elizabeth Strout, Amy Sutherland, Brian Wood, Ellen Cooney, and Crystal Zevon.

More than 2000 people attended the festival in this our inaugural year. If you would like to see what the festival 2007 was about, go to the website of Maine Public Broadcasting Network and watch tapes of selected festival programs.

Learn more about the Maine Reads Community Literacy project, a grants initiative offering funding to libraries for community and literacy building.

Learn more about Read With ME., a state-wide literacy outreach program that brings books to every kindergartener in Maine.

This year's featured Read With ME. book is Shape Capers by Cathryn Falwell. See videos with author/illustrator Cathryn Falwell to read along and learn how to create books with her.