Award-winning children's book author Lynn Plourde will be joining Lewiston and Auburn's "Read Across L/A" as part of the 2008 "Ready…Read!" initiative on Tuesday, May 13.

Plourde, author of 20 children's books, including "Wild Child," a 1999 Lupine Honor Book by the Maine Library Association and an American Booksellers Kids Pick of the Lists, and "Snow Day," a Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year, will give interactive readings at the Auburn Public Library at 9 a.m. and the Lewiston Public Library at 10 a.m.

Plourde is participating in the "Read Across L/A" to help raise community awareness about the benefits of early literacy. One of the best predictors of a child's success in school is his or her reading readiness.

Reading to children 20 minutes a day from birth through age 5 gives them more than 608 hours of pre-literacy experience by the time they enter kindergarten.

Along with Plourde, more than 75 members of the community will volunteer as guest readers at more than 80 local child care centers in support of the "Ready…Read!" initiative.

Plourde's readings at the Auburn and Lewiston libraries are free and open to the public.