Press Release

Governor Bush Announces Statewide Book Club
Governor launches month-long effort to encourage reading

NAPLES - Governor Jeb Bush today announced a statewide book club aimed at getting Floridians excited and eager about reading. Read Together, Florida! will be a month-long effort, starting in April, encouraging Floridians to read the book, "Their Eyes Were Watching God," by Florida author Zora Neale Hurston.

"From schools and libraries to the local bookstore, reading is a powerfully effective tool to educate and bring people together," Governor Bush said. "By encouraging communities to join together in reading a single text, this program will spur discussions and bring a sense of unity to cities throughout Florida."

Throughout April, the Florida Department of State's Division of Library and Information Services is sponsoring book discussions in Florida's libraries. Local bookstores will sponsor book discussions and other activities in their stores around Florida. Additionally, book publisher Harper Collins is making reading guides available throughout the state.

Floridians will also be able to register and discuss the book online through the MyFlorida web site or the Volunteer Florida Foundation web site. The Foundation's website was launched today and details information on the Governor's family literacy initiatives.

Read Together, Florida! is supported by the Florida Department of State, Just Read, Florida!, local book stores, Comcast Cable, and Harper Collins.

For more information on Read Together, Florida! and on the Governor's Family Literacy Initiative or to volunteer as a literacy tutor, visit the Governor's website www.myflorida.com or the Volunteer Florida Foundation website at www.VolunteerFloridaFoundation.org.