U.S. Governors Spouses and Governors give the gift of reading this holiday season

First Lady Carla Markell reads to students in Delaware as a holiday Reading Ambassador. For the past four summers, Governors and Governors’ Spouses from across the country have come together as “Reading Ambassadors” of theScholastic Summer Challenge to help spread the importance of literacy. This holiday season, 42 U.S. Governors’ Spouses, plus the Governors of Illinois, Vermont, and Arizona, have once again joined forces as Reading Ambassadors to give the gift of reading to America’s children. To ensure that more kids across the country have books to read at home this holiday season, Scholastic is donating 500 books to the school or organization of each Reading Ambassador’s choice. That means the Reading Ambassadors–many of whom are personally delivering books and hosting holiday reading events–are getting 22,500 new books into the hands of children nationwide. The Governors and Governors’ Spouses participating as Reading Ambassadors this holiday season are (to date): Alabama – First Lady Dianne Bentley Alaska – First Lady Sandy Parnell American Samoa – First Lady Mary Ann Tulafono Arizona – Governor Jan Brewer Arkansas – First Lady Ginger Beebe Colorado – First Lady Helen Thorpe Delaware – First Lady Carla Markell Florida – First Lady Ann Scott Georgia – First Lady Sandra Deal Guam – First Lady Christine Calvo Hawaii – First Lady Dr. Nancie Caraway Idaho – First Lady Lori Otter Illinois – Governor Pat Quinn Iowa – First Lady Christine Branstad Kansas – First Lady Mary Brownback Kentucky – First Lady Jane Beshear Louisiana – First Lady Supriya Jindal Maine – First Lady Ann LePage Maryland – First Lady Katie O’Malley Massachusetts – First Lady Diane Patrick Missouri – First Lady Georganne Nixon Nebraska – First Lady Sally Ganem Nevada – First Lady Kathleen Sandoval New Hampshire – First Lady Dr. Susan Lynch New Jersey – First Lady Mary Pat Christie New Mexico – First Gentleman Chuck Franco North Carolina – First Gentleman Bob Eaves North Dakota – First Lady Betsy Dalrymple Ohio – First Lady Karen Kasich Oklahoma – First Gentleman Wade Christensen Oregon – First Lady Cylvia Hayes Pennsylvania – First Lady Susan Corbett Puerto Rico – First Lady Luce Vela Rhode Island – First Lady Stephanie Chafee South Dakota – First Lady Linda Daugaard St. Thomas Virgin Islands – First Lady Cecile de Jongh Tennessee – First Lady Crissy Haslam Texas – First Lady Anita Perry Utah – First Lady Jeanette Herbert Vermont – Governor Peter Shumlin Virginia – First Lady Maureen McDonnell Washington – First Gentleman Mike Gregoire West Virginia – First Lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin Wisconsin – First Lady Tonette Walker Wyoming – First Lady Carol Mead A huge thank you to all of our holiday Reading Ambassadors for encouraging kids across the country to read every day!