January 24 is National Readathon Day.

The National Book Foundation, Penguin Random House, Mashable, and Goodreads are sponsoring the readathon.

Read four hours on Saturday, Jan. 24, from noon to 4, invite friends to participate in the silent readaton, or attend a bookstore reading  party or library party..

Isn’t that adorable?

During the readathon, you also  can tweet, using the hashtag #timetoread.

Those of my generation may ask how a readathon is different from any other day.

We come home from work and read, no?

Perhaps we don’t read quite four hours.

Thomas Hardy read six hours a day.  Wouldn’t that be lovely?

Perhaps the social media will encourage the younger generation to participate.  Some younger bloggers (Gen X? The Millennials?) regularly participate in readathons  and chime in on what they’re reading at their blogs or by Twitter..

Very sweet.

The Readathon is a fundraiser for the National Book Foundation.  They encourage us to ask friends to sponsor us with money for each hour, or give the money ourselves.  You can register here.

Only $600 has been raised so far.

The National Book Foundation has some interesting statistics on reading.

Consider this: 53% of 9-year-olds read for pleasure daily, and by the time they turn 17, that number drops to 19%. Without your help, book worms may soon become an endangered species.

That’s why Penguin Random House and the National Book Foundation are launching National Readathon Day. We’re asking book lovers across America to pledge to read for four hours starting at noon (in respective time zones) on January 24, 2015.

Make your commitment here on FirstGiving and fundraise to support the National Book Foundation’s efforts to create, promote, and sustain a lifelong love of reading in America.

You can fundraise individually, join an existing team, or start your own of friends, family, and colleagues.

Very disturbing statistics.  Let’s read for tomorrow!