The 2007 program launches March 5, and lasts through April 27. An estimated 36,000 preschools and child-care facilities will participate in the program this year.

DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Celebrating its tenth year of fostering literacy in early childhood, BOOK IT! Beginners® announced today that it is featuring “Guess How Much I Love You” in its 2007 read-aloud program. Created and sponsored by Pizza Hut®, the program encourages teachers to read aloud to students in preschool and pre-kindergarten to develop a life-long love for reading and books.

“We’re excited to feature ‘Guess How Much I Love You’ in this year’s BOOK IT! Beginners Program,” said Leslie Tubbs, BOOK IT! Beginners program director. “For more than a decade, our program has helped to develop reading-readiness skills in children. ‘Guess How Much I Love You’ is a great read-aloud book for families, which makes it a terrific fit for the program.”
Teachers will receive a free program packet that features “Guess How Much I Love You” theme-related materials for the classroom and for parents to use at home. Beginning March 5, teachers will read to the children for at least 60 minutes a week during the eight-week program. At the end of each four-week period, every child is rewarded with a certificate for a free Personal Pan Pizza® to redeem at participating Pizza Hut locations.
Children participating in the BOOK IT! Beginners Program graduate to the BOOK IT! National Reading Incentive Program for kindergarten through sixth grade students. More than 900,000 classrooms nationwide are enrolled in the award-winning BOOK IT! Program for the 2006-07 school year. Both programs celebrate and encourage reading through pizza, praise, and recognition.
First published in hardcover in 1995, “Guess How Much I Love You” by Sam McBratney is a touching bedtime story, charmingly illustrated with endearing watercolors by Anita Jeram. The story captures a deep and tender bond between the characters and is now available in a variety of editions, which has allowed the book to become an international best seller.
About “Guess How Much I Love You”
“Guess how much I love you,” says Little Nutbrown Hare. Little Nutbrown Hare shows his father how much he loves him: as wide as he can reach and as far as he can hop. But Big Nutbrown Hare, who can reach farther and hop higher, loves him back just as much. Well then Little Nutbrown Hare loves him right up to the moon, but that’s just halfway to Big Nutbrown Hare’s love for him. “Guess How Much I Love You,” is a much-loved classic for all ages that has sold more than 15 million copies.
About Candlewick Press
Candlewick Press, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, publishes outstanding children’s books for readers of all ages. Since first opening its doors in 1991, the company has received more than 1,500 accolades and honors, and has been named the “fastest growing children’s publisher in the United States” by Publishers Weekly.
About BOOK IT! Beginners
BOOK IT! Beginners is a read-aloud program that builds reading-readiness skills and establishes an at-home reading routine by providing interactive classroom materials to teachers. These materials add an exciting, hands-on activity to read-aloud time. A literacy activity with a strong parent component, BOOK IT! Beginners was established in 1998 and reaches over 1.7 million children. The objective is to develop a lifelong love of reading in children. For more information about BOOK IT! or BOOK IT! Beginners call 1-800-4BOOKIT or visit www.bookitprogram.com.
About Pizza Hut
As the world’s largest pizza restaurant company with almost 6,600 restaurants in the United States and more than 4,000 restaurants in 100 other countries, Pizza Hut, Inc., a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM) is America’s Favorite Pizza. The company’s 49-year legacy of leadership and innovation has made it the recognized leader in the $37 billion pizza category. Those hungry for more information can go to the official Pizza Hut Web site at www.pizzahut.com.