06/03/2026
Every year WUFT Education Outreach participates in Read for the Record, the world’s largest shared reading experience, uniting millions to read the same book on the same day, and raise awareness of early literacy. This year's Read for the Record was held on Feburary 26, 2026.
This year’s book is See Marcus Grow written by Marcus Bridgewater and illustrated by Reggie Brown. Marcus Bridgewater, also known as the social media sensation Garden Marcus, shows kids the lessons he learned in his grandma’s garden when he was growing up.
See Marcus Grow is a vibrant picture book that introduces young readers to the wonders of gardening while exploring themes of curiosity, discovery, nurturing and growth. In this story, Marcus learns from his grandmother in her garden. The book beautifully illustrates the parallel between plant care and human development, sharing the wisdom that both children and seedlings need “water and air and sunshine. And space to grow.”
As a follow up activity The Magnolia Club of Gainesville provided a copy of book for each of the 2nd graders in Ms. Walker's class at Meadowbrook Elementary School. After reading the book, Ms. Walker's class completed an activity where they reflected on something they have learned from a special adult in their life. Each day their work will be highlighted on the WUFT Media page.
