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National Readathon Day will take place this January

Groups including the publisher Penguin Random House and the National Book Foundation encourage bibliophiles to read between 12 and 4 p.m. on Jan. 24 and to raise money for the event.

Teacher Casondra Johnson (l.) reads to her kindergarten class at Daniel Webster Elementary School in Pasadena, Calif.

Robert Harbison

November 14, 2014

Do you and your friends like to sit down and read together? Publisher Penguin Random House wants you to do that on Jan. 24 next year.

Penguin Random House is teaming up with the National Book Foundation and the websites Goodreads and Mashable to launch a National Readathon Day on Jan. 24. Participants are asked to read between 12 and 4 p.m. that day and to raise funds to support the National Book Foundation.

鈥淓ach year, millions of Americans 鈥 especially our youth 鈥 are losing touch with the power and importance of reading books,鈥 the website reads. 鈥淗elp change lives this winter.鈥

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On the event鈥檚 website, organizers suggest libraries, schools, bookstores, or other venues head up reading parties.

For the fundraising, participants can gather money on their own or form a team.聽

Check out the website for the Readathon .