The New York Times Announces Third Annual ‘Great Read’

The New York Times today announced the third annual New York Times Great Read to be held rain or shine on Sunday, Oct. 14. The day-long celebration will feature two distinct events: The Great Children's Read, a free celebration of reading featuring live entertainment for children and families, presented by Target and held at Columbia University; and The Great Literary Brunch, featuring several best-selling authors and held at TheTimesCenter, a new performance space and cultural center located in The New York Times Building.

A list of New York's Top 20 All-Time Favorite Children's Books was specially selected this year by children's librarians from the three public library systems of New York City: Brooklyn Public Library, The New York Public Library and Queens Library. Celebrities from film, TV and Broadway will read from the 20 books on the list at The Great Children's Read.

Featured entertainment at the Target Children's Stage this year will include performances by They Might Be Giants, Justin Roberts & the Not Ready for Naptime Players, Playhouse Disney's "Johnny and the Sprites" and "Choo-Choo Soul," Laughing Pizza!, Peter Himmelman and T Squad. There also will be readings and signings by many favorite children's book authors and illustrators, including Academy Award-winning actress Julie Andrews Edwards and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton, Cheech Marin and Michelle Knudsen. The Target Children's Stage is part of Target's national initiative, Ready. Sit. Read!, a program that fosters a love for reading at an early age. Admission to The Great Children's Read at Columbia University is free and open to the public. Columbia University is located in Manhattan at Broadway & 116th Street.

The Great Literary Brunch will feature new books by Alan Alda, Amy Bloom, Stephen L. Carter, Chris Matthews, Ann Patchett and Tom Perrotta, and will be held at TheTimesCenter at 242 West 41st Street. The brunch will be hosted by Robert Lipsyte, a New York Times contributing writer. The sold-out event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes discussions with the authors, a buffet brunch and book signings. For more information, please visit www.NYTimes.com/GreatRead. Programs and speakers may change.

Selected portions from the list of New York's Top 20 All-Time Favorite Children's Books for young readers ages 6 to 12 will be read by Miss New York USA 2007 Gloria Sophia Almonte, "Mary Poppins" actress Ashley Brown, musician and original "Blues Clues" host Steve Burns, film and stage actor Brian Dennehy, WCBS-TV meteorologist Elise Finch, NBC's "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" actress Mariska Hargitay, Fox's Judge Glenda Hatchett, NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly, NY1 morning anchor Pat Kiernan, TLC's "What Not To Wear" co-host Stacy London, ABC's "Nightline" and "Primetime" co-anchor Cynthia McFadden, PBS's "Sesame Street" actress Sonia Manzano, "Are We Done Yet?" actor Tahj Mowry, "Twitches Too" actress Tamera Mowry, New York City Council speaker Christine Quinn, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" actress Jennifer Simard, "Guiding Light" actress Michelle Ray Smith and "The Fantasticks" creator, star and director Tom Jones, among others. The selected books are, in alphabetical order:

"Abiyoyo" by Pete Seeger, illustrated by Michael Hays
"Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo
"The Bossy Gallito" by Lucia M. Gonzales, illustrated by Lulu Delacre
"Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis
"Bunnicula" by James Howe
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" by Roald Dahl
"Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White
"Clementine" by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Marla Frazee
"Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
"Frog and Toad are Friends" by Arnold Lobel
"From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg
"Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss
"Harriet the Spy" by Louise Fitzhugh
"Holes" by Louis Sachar
"Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
"Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything" by Lenore Look, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf
"The Stories Julian Tells" by Ann Cameron
"The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!" by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith
"Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein
"The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh" by A. A. Milne
"We're delighted to again host this fantastic celebration of reading as a way to give back to all New Yorkers," said Alyse Myers, vice president, brand programs, The New York Times. "Whether you visit the Target Children's Stage for all their exciting entertainment, listen to celebrities read from everyone's favorite children's books, or come to our new state-of-the-art TimesCenter for the literary brunch, it will be a great day to enjoy books and authors. We are also pleased to again welcome Target as the presenting sponsor of The Great Read."

The lead sponsor of the Great Read is "Bee Movie," from Dreamworks Animation, opening nationwide Nov. 2. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The New York Hall of Science and The New-York Historical Society are the supporting sponsors of the Great Read. WCBS-TV is the media sponsor.

For updates and the latest schedules of participating authors and events, please visit www.NYTimes.com/GreatRead. Visitors can register for a free e-mail newsletter that will keep them up to date on the latest news about The Great Read.