National Book Reading Day
Off-site: the team reads in Köln-Rodenkirchen
The initiative celebrates the power of stories and invites children to rediscover language, imagination and books. Barnes Crossing is taking part with read-aloud sessions at daycare centers in Rodenkirchen and Sürth.
Happy Birthday, Children's Rights!
On November 20, 1989, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was adopted by the United Nations. It sets worldwide standards for the protection, support and participation of children. In Germany, too – as in 196 other states – it has been formally ratified and is therefore legally binding. This makes it the most widely accepted and most frequently ratified human rights treaty in the world!
National Book Reading Day (Bundesweiter Vorlesetag) has also been around for many years – since 2004 – and year after year it inspires children with the power and poetry found in books and stories. In this complex world, which sometimes leaves us adults speechless, Book Reading Day celebrates the power of the word and its magical ability to grasp and change the world.
Reading aloud to children not only strengthens their feel for language but supports their entire development, sparking self-directed learning on a cognitive and emotional level.
That's why, in Barnes Crossing's JUBEL program, November 20 and 21, 2026, belong to our young audience: on Friday we take part in National Book Reading Day, and on Saturday we host a Family Day for families with children aged 3 and up.
Off-site: the team reads in Köln-Rodenkirchen & Sürth
For National Book Reading Day, the Barnes Crossing team is looking forward to reading the following stories at various venues and daycare centers in Rodenkirchen and Sürth:
- Katja Reider / Cornelia Haas: “Bestimmer sein – Wie Elvis die Demokratie erfand” (“Being the Boss – How Elvis Invented Democracy”) – reading with kamishibai
- Antje Bohnstedt: “Paul Wüterich” – musical and theatrical reading with kamishibai
We will share the exact schedule here shortly.
About the National Book Reading Day initiative
Since 2004, National Book Reading Day (Bundesweiter Vorlesetag) has been organized by Stiftung Lesen in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn and the newspaper DIE ZEIT. Together with millions of participants, it sends a clear signal for reading aloud – and thus for the future of children and our society!
In 2026, it takes place under the motto “Ich lese vor – du auch?” (“I read aloud – do you?”); everyone is invited to take part with their own read-aloud activities.
More information about Read-Aloud Day
Event notice: Family Day at Barnes Crossing
At the Family Day on Saturday, November 21, 2026, the theme of language development and the joy of speaking is on the agenda again – this time as a full theater piece by Wolkenstein Theater for Children: Zu Besuch in meinem Buch (“Visiting My Book”) invites families with children aged 3 and up on a reading adventure with a giant book. And with Blooom by Teatro 4 Garoupas, you can then explore the poetic world beyond words.