Literacy • imagination • service • belonging
Read Across America—and across the world.
Join author Lisa Caprelli, Unicorn Jazz™ & Friends, talented young readers, educators, and community partners as we help children smile, create, believe, and discover the joy of literacy.
Read Across America with Unicorn Jazz Club
City after city, children are sharing stories, talents, and acts of service.
Teachers, librarians, families, and friends are invited to join Unicorn Jazz & Friends throughout the year. Together, talented kids help spread literacy, inspire other young people, and give back within their own school communities and hometowns.
Life since the pandemic changed for many students, teachers, and parents. One silver lining was creating new ways for children to connect, share what they love, and inspire one another through Unicorn Jazz Presents The Thing I Do, virtual author visits, music, stories, and creative participation.
Literacy
Read-alouds, writing, storytelling, and joyful book experiences.
SEL
Confidence, kindness, teamwork, empathy, and belonging.
STEAM
Art, music, imagination, technology, and creative exploration.
Service
Young people share talents and give back in their communities.
Featured author visits and literacy videos
See Read Across the World in action
School tours, virtual author visits, World Read Aloud Day, story time, student voices, bilingual learning, and service—all gathered in one place.
Read Across America 2025
Lisa Caprelli brings Unicorn Jazz literacy and participation to elementary schools.
Read Across America with Unicorn Jazz & Friends
A year-round tour helping children smile, create, believe, and read.
Why Reading Is Fun—Created by Kids
Young voices share the joy, creativity, and possibilities found in reading.
Unicorn Jazz Read-Aloud
A children’s story-time reading from the Unicorn Jazz social-emotional learning series.
Dance and Sing With Me
The official video featuring performers from the Unicorn Jazz kids show.
Reaching Schools Across the World
Lisa Caprelli connects virtually with elementary-school readers near and far.
What Is Imagination?
Rhett Drennen explores imagination for Read Across America literacy outreach.
Why Reading and Literacy Matter
A young actress shares why reading is important and inspiring.
Choose Love and Bee Happy
Lisa discusses books, literacy, SEL, and elementary-school author visits.
A Poem About Reading and Imagination
Rhett Drennen reads a literacy poem to help classrooms spread awareness.
Unicorn Jazz Club kids
Young people sharing talent, service, and the joy of literacy
The original Read Across the World project featured young actors, singers, readers, multilingual students, and imaginative storytellers who encouraged other children to keep doing what they love.
Emily Isabel
A Brooklyn actress, singer, model, ukulele player, and Russian speaker who joined Unicorn Jazz to share music, reading, empowerment, and kindness.
Read Emily’s story →Rhett Drennen
A North Carolina storyteller and performer who shared ideas about imagination and the importance of books.
Read Rhett’s story →Sofia Swade
A young performer who shared her belief in kindness, literacy, music, and encouraging other children.
Read Sofia’s story →Isabella Iannelli
A Yonkers student who helped celebrate World Read Aloud Day through story time, song, reading, and writing.
Read Isabella’s story →Emily Jewel Hoder
A Florida performer whose message to other young people was to find their passion, work hard, and never give up.
Sheylan
A trilingual young person from Alaska who speaks English, Spanish, and French and celebrates bilingual learning.
Read Sheylan’s story →
Baila y cante conmigo
Bilingual educators helping stories travel farther
First-grade bilingual teacher Pam Quevedo became an advocate for the mission and work of Unicorn Jazz during the pandemic. She also read Unicornio Jazz with the Unicorn Jazz puppet for Children’s Hospital of Orange County.
Maestra Natalia Sepulveda is a bilingual translator, author of Kai the Missionary Sea Turtle, and longtime friend of Unicorn Jazz. Together, educators and collaborators help English- and Spanish-speaking communities connect through stories.
Bilingual reading and sing-along songs
More videos for classrooms and author visits
These six links appeared as ordinary text on the original page. They are now fully embedded so none of the bilingual reading or music content gets lost.
Unicornio Jazz with Maestra Pam
A bilingual educator reads with the Unicorn Jazz puppet for CHOC.
Unicorn Jazz Friendship Song
A sing-along celebrating friendship and being uniquely you.
The Thing I Do
A song about discovering and celebrating the special things we do.
Dance & Sing With Me
A joyful participation song that can be included in school visits.
Make That Smile a Little Bit Bigger
A positive Unicorn Jazz sing-along for classrooms and families.
Happiness News
A playful song encouraging children to notice and share positive moments.
Children’s nonprofits and organizations
Literacy outreach grows through community.
Schools, hospitals, educators, nonprofits, performers, and families have joined Unicorn Jazz literacy outreach through virtual visits, book donations, story time, bilingual reading, music, and acts of service.
Schools can request an education packet and collaborate on an experience that incorporates literacy, social-emotional learning, teamwork, STEAM, music, creativity, and community participation.
Help spread the joy of reading
Bring Read Across the World to your school or organization.
Collaborate with Lisa Caprelli and the Unicorn Jazz education outreach team on a virtual or in-person literacy experience filled with stories, music, movement, creativity, SEL, and student voices.
Media outreach contact from the original program: Tara Ackaway, Education Outreach Team
Read • imagine • create • give back
Every child has a story—and every story can travel.
Share the importance of books, encourage young voices, and help joyful literacy reach another classroom.