Family Reading Night, a free community event, was held on Friday, March 7, at Washington Middle School.

The Community Literacy Foundation, in partnership with the School District of Washington, Washington Public Library and Friends of the Library, Neighborhood Reads Bookstore, and the Washington Optimist Club, hosted the event.

The event featured Marla Frazee, a Caldecott Honor author and illustrator.

Frazee's picture book "The Boss Baby," has been turned into a DreamWorks animated feature film and TV series. She is the illustrator of "The Seven Silly Eaters," the NYT bestselling “Clementine" series, the picture books "It Takes a Village," and "The Great Zapfino." Her wordless picture book "The Farmer and the Clown" won the 2015 Boston Globe Horn Book Award for Picture Book and a Best in Book Illustration Award from the National Cartoonist Society - and is the first book in The Farmer Books trilogy. More information on her other books can be found at MarlaFrazee.com.

Children who attended Family Reading Night listened to stories read by community and school leaders, along with local high school students, participated in crafts based on books, and won books.

Washington Parents as Teachers held a toddler activity room throughout the event.

The Washington Police Department held its annual skit in the gymnasium.

Readers representing the School District of Washington in the reading rooms were: WHS Theatre Guild, WHS Choir, WHS Football Team, WHS Girls Soccer Team, WHS FFA, WMS Societas Historica, Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Kephart, South Point Elementary Principal Stacey Secor and Assistant Principal Stefanie Virgen, Clearview Elementary first-grade teacher Keli Schneider, Campbellton and Clearview Elementary Library Para Kellie Harbath, and Board of Education member Dr. Frank Wood and his wife, retired SDOW teacher Kelly Wood.

Additional support for the event was provided by Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of New Haven, the Washington High School football team, and Washington NEA, along with several volunteers.

Photos from Family Reading Night are below.