DEAR stands for Drop Everything And Read, and National DEAR Day is a special reading celebration to remind and encourage families to make reading together on a daily basis a family priority and on that day you are asked to read for 30 minutes.

The birthday of author Beverly Cleary, April 12, is the official event date.

The subject of many of Ms. Cleary’s books, Ramona Geraldine Quimby, is the official 2010 spokesperson for National DEAR Day and is responsible for spreading the word and the love of reading.

The FLAIR Department of the Woman’s Club of Kingsville and the Friends of the Library are sponsoring a local National DEAR Day event. Everyone is encouraged to take the DEAR Challenge on Monday, April 12, and read for 30 minutes.

By completing the DEAR Challenge you become eligible for a drawing for a $25 gift certificate to Young’s Pizza.

Simply fill out a Challenge Card, which is available at the library, and return it to Robert J. Kleberg Public Library by noon on Saturday, April 17.

Four $25 gift certificates will be given away, one in each of the following are categories: 0 to 6 years; 7 to 12 years; 13 to 18 years; and 10 years and up.

For more information about DEAR Day, call the library, 592-6381 or Sue Miller, FLAIR chairman, 592-2728.