Schools across the city celebrated World Read Aloud Day Wednesday.

The nonprofit organization, Lit World, started the worldwide initiative in 2010 as an opportunity for people to celebrate the joy of reading aloud and to advocate for literacy.

"If you just read 20 minutes a day, you can increase your academic level for over a year’s worth of learning,” says Dorothy Lee, the executive director of the organization.

Lauren Zoldess, a teacher at PS6 West Farms, says her school began the celebration with crafts and read-a-louds in the morning. The school also got very special visitors, such as Clifford the Big Red Dog and scholastic author Sam Wedelich.

Wedelich gave the kids a preview of her new book, “Chicken Little: The Real and Totally True Tale,” which isn’t coming out until June.

"We hope that kids who get a chance to participate are reminded that reading is meant to be joyful and fun and engaging, and it’s not something that you should feel like you have to do, but something you should want to do,” says Lee.