Love was in the air at Burton Barr Central Library. Love of reading, that is. Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, Phoenix Public Library and Friends of the Phoenix Public Library sponsored the annual Love to Read A-Z event. In its fourth year, Love to Read A-Z brought community partners together to promote literacy for children and families. Special guests, Mayor Greg Stanton and Councilman Michael Nowakowski were present to interact with those in attendance. Councilman Nowakowski even visited the Bookmans Photo Booth with his own children, nieces and nephews -- such a gracious family! Face painting with Dawn Wentzell, live music with Chuck Cheesman and the Great Arizona Puppet Theater were also hits with the crowd. Curious George stopped by to show support for storybooks and turned out to be as adorable as his illustrations.

Curious George greets one of the first guests of the day.

Love to Read A-Z was a collaborative work of, well, love. After months of planning, the Phoenix Library staff, Friends of the Phoenix Public Library members, Bookmans Phoenix staff and a plethora of volunteers were in full effect to make the day run smoothly. Among the hustle and chaos of set up, there was a sense of excitement surrounding those involved. Once the event began, that happy energy was joined by an enclave of ecstatic children with entourage in tow. "It's wonderful to see entire families come together," says Carol Finch, Love to Read A-Z organizer and former Children and Teen Services Coordinator for Phoenix Public Library. "It's important that every member of a child's family be involved in literacy. Something I've noticed every year of this event is that in addition to moms, there are so many dads in attendance."

Kids were not just guests at the event, but also behind the scenes. A majority of the volunteers were teens from local middle and high schools. These young people took time out of their weekend to assist library staff, help print pictures at the photo booth, register attendees at check in and even wear the character costumes -- not easy tasks when inundated with over 1000 attendees. Community partners were another important part of the event, offering information and activities for all ages. Tonia with Sailbear Labs, a non-profit organization for young filmmakers and writers, was enthusiastic about hosting a table at Love to Read A-Z, "We had a blast today!"

Every year, Love to Read A-Z sparks an appreciation for books in the heart of Downtown Phoenix. Bookmans Phoenix is proud to support those who love to read and, more importantly, pave the way for new literary aficionados.