On April 20, Obama, in association with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and Penguin Random House, will read from some of her favorite children's books in an event called "Mondays with Michelle Obama." On Thursday, Obama will read "The Gruffalo," written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.
Families interested in watching will be able to live-stream the story time via PBS Kids' Facebook page and Youtube channel, or on the Penguin Random House Facebook page.
"As a little kid, I loved to read aloud," Obama said in a statement. "And when I became a parent, I found such joy in sharing the magic of storytelling with my own children — and then later, as First Lady, with kids everywhere. At this time, when so many families are under so much stress, I'm excited to give kids a chance to practice their reading and hear some wonderful stories (and to give parents and caretakers a much-needed break)."
The full story time series schedule can be seen below:
- April 20: "The Gruffalo" by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler
- April 27: "There's a Dragon in Your Book" by Tom Fletcher, illustrated by Greg Abbott
- May 4: "Miss Maple's Seeds" by Eliza Wheeler
- May 11: "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle