From Scholastic Inc. and Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. (RIF) — and with a big boost from RIF® Celebrity Reader Shaquille O'Neal — comes an invitation to children across the country to write a page for The Biggest Children's Book in the World.

Bigger than the mighty 7 ' 1" Shaq. . . Generating more dreams than a giant pile of pillows…

It's The Biggest Children's Book in the World, a book of children's writing on the theme, "My Dream for a Better World." In original essays of 100 to 500 words, young people will focus on what they would do, or what other people could do, to help make the world a better place. The writer's "world" can be his or her neighborhood, school, town or city, the nation, or the world.

Scholastic will work with a leading children's book author, an illustrator, and Scholastic editors and designers to turn children's pages into The Biggest Children's Book in the World! The book will be unveiled at a special ceremony in Los Angeles hosted by RIF® Celebrity Reader Shaquille O'Neal and will then travel to RIF® locations across the country.

To write well, children need to read.

That's why it makes sense for Scholastic and Reading Is Fundamental, the nation's largest children's literacy organization, to team up on this project. It offers young people everywhere a fun project that focuses on the fact that frequent reading and good writing go together. And The Biggest Children's Book project provides children with a unique and powerful opportunity to share their hopes and dreams for the world around them.

How It Works

Students in grades 3 to 12 may submit an essay of 100 to 500 words. Teachers and local RIF program coordinators also may submit one group project essay, however, only individual student entries will be considered for The Biggest Children's Book launch event sweepstakes. Click here for complete rules.

You can print out a certificate for each student acknowledging his or her participation in The Biggest Children's Book project. In addition, each child who submits a page will have a chance to be selected to attend The Biggest Children's Book launch event hosted by Shaquille O'Neal in Los Angeles in summer 2002.

So get your students started on their essays. It's going to be BIG!