Inside the Reach Out and Read Leadership Conference 2024

In May 2024, the AAB team had the pleasure of attending the Reach Out and Read Leadership Conference in the vibrant city of New York. The first day was filled with enriching opportunities, starting with a seminar on Early Relational Health hosted by Scholastic at their Manhattan headquarters. Sarah and Paige caught up with familiar faces over lunch before delving into the seminar. It was fascinating to learn about the evolution of Early Relational Health and how to seamlessly integrate this vital concept into our practices moving forward. 

The main conference day on Thursday was a bustling and exciting event, with vendors setting up bright and early at 7:30 am. Attendees relished in a delightful breakfast and were captivated by a keynote that began promptly at 8 am. Throughout the day, guests had the chance to take breaks and explore the vendor tables, where a variety of engaging samples awaited them. Included were paper samples of the new Bedtime, Baby, Safe and Sound title COMING SOON! and a selection of new book samples. The positive feedback for these new titles sparked enthusiasm among attendees, especially for favorites like My Papa is a Princess and My Mama is a Mechanic, prompting discussions about their deeper themes. Check out our interview with the author of the series Doug Cenko! Guests were thrilled to closely examine the physical books, recognizing the importance of reviewing them in person before finalizing their orders for their respective sites. As Sarah looked back on the conference, she shared, "My highlight at the Reach Out and Read Leadership Conference was reconnecting with colleagues we often email but seldom meet in person, and finally meeting those I've only corresponded with digitally. It’s always a delight to give someone a hug and thank them for being so great to work with." 

The Thursday night celebration was a highlight of the conference, and as the leading sponsor, we were delighted to host such a memorable event. Chuck Abate, our Vice President, shares his reflections on the event, "It was a honor to be able to sponsor the Thursday night dinner reception and put on a great party for the ROR network. While the opening night cocktail reception has traditionally been our big event in years’ past, being the premier sponsor for the Thursday night dinner was a great opportunity to further our continued partnership with Reach Out and Read." Our dynamic event planning duo, Sarah and Paige, put their creative energies into every aspect of the evening to ensure its success. The atmosphere was spirited as attendees eagerly joined in the scavenger hunt, competing for exciting prizes in the raffle, and making lasting memories in the immersive 360 photo booth. The caricature artist added a whimsical touch, while the dance floor invited guests to relax and enjoy the evening. Every aspect of the celebration was thoughtfully planned to bring joy and foster a sense of community among attendees, and the enthusiastic response from all who took part was incredibly uplifting. Paige enthusiastically expressed, "My favorite part was (selfishly) the All About Books party! It was so much fun to see the room decorated in our colors, catch up with people that we either haven’t seen in a while or were meeting for the first time in person, and overall everyone had a chance to laugh and have a great time after a long conference day."

As Friday wrapped up the conference, we saw numerous attendees stopping by the booth to share their exciting stories and express gratitude for the memorable evening they had experienced the night before. It was heartwarming to hear how much everyone enjoyed the celebration and how it brought people closer together.

Attending the Reach Out and Read Leadership Conference is always a highlight for us as we get to reconnect with so many of our amazing colleagues whom we work with every day from across the country. It's a time to strengthen bonds, exchange ideas, and foster a sense of community within our industry. Building these connections is not only rewarding but essential in our mission to provide the best service to our valued customers. As we bid farewell to another successful conference, we carry with us the memories of shared experiences, new connections made, and the excitement of what the future holds for All About Books.