Join over 32 million children and adults at schools and libraries around the globe in over 190 countries to celebrate International Dot Day – a grassroots “creativity and courage” movement, started in 2009 by a teacher in Iowa.
Inspired by New York Times best-selling author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds’ classic storybook for all ages The Dot, International Dot Day inspires young and old to embrace the power of personal creativity to help make their mark on the world, and move it to a better place.
Celebrating its sixteenth anniversary this year, International Dot Day began when Iowa teacher Terry Shay introduced his classroom to Reynolds’ book, and noticed the original publishing date of The Dot was Sept. 15, 2003. Shay and his students decided to celebrate the book’s birthday – and, little did they know, launched what would become a worldwide celebration of creativity and courage to “make your mark.”
Exploring the themes of creativity, bravery and self-expression, The Dot is a story of a perceptive and caring teacher who reaches a reluctant student who thinks she can’t draw by encouraging her to be brave enough to “just make a mark and see where it takes you.” The Dot has been translated into many languages (including Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, Hebrew, Spanish and even Braille) and the animated film of The Dot (produced by Reynolds’ multimedia design and development firm FableVision Studios and co-producer Scholastic) earned the Carnegie Medal of Excellence.
Reynolds’ non-profit Reynolds Center for Teaching, Learning, & Creativity (ReynoldsTLC.org), Reynolds’ creative learning support center, is now steward of International Dot Day, providing support for the worldwide program. The organization built and manages the International Dot Day website (www.internationaldotday.org), which provides free registration for the event, along with many complimentary resources, including a downloadable Dot Day Educator’s Handbook, multilingual posters, and an official participation certificate.
For more information about International Dot Day, visit their website.