Read Together, Florida is a statewide - one book/one state - literacy project designed to encourage all Florida middle school students to read and share the same book, enhancing their love of reading. This literacy project is managed by Governor Jeb Bush's Family Literacy Initiative, a program of the nonprofit Volunteer Florida Foundation. The Florida Center for the Literary Arts is a partner in this literacy campaign.

Selected book for Spring 2005: Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Geared for middle school students, Hoot tells the story of Roy and his classmates, who fight against the construction of a pancake house in his neighborhood to protect a group of Florida owls nested on the site.

The Center promoted Hoot in schools throughout Miami-Dade County and co-sponsored an essay contest. The winner was published in Beginnings , a literary magazine published by the Center, and featured the work of first-time writers.

Visit www.volunteerflorida.org for more information, reading activities and the Fall 2005 selection for Read Together, Florida.

Governor Bush and Carl Hiaasen at
Rockway Middle School for the kick
off of Read Together, Florida