March 17, 2010
Phoenix Public Library hosts two WrestleMania XXVI® events designed to encourage teen reading. Both events are free and open to the public.
Palo Verde Library hosts the WrestleMania XXVI Reading Rally from 4 − 5 p.m. Thursday, March 25, at 4402 N. 51st Ave. Fans can meet World Wrestling Entertainment® (WWE) Superstars and Divas and get autographs by showing their library card.
Burton Barr Central Library hosts the WrestleMania Reading Challenge World Finals from 10 a.m. − noon Saturday, March 27, in the Pulliam Auditorium, 1221 N. Central Ave. WWE’s Kofi Kingston, John Morrison, and Brie and Nikki Bella are part of the excitement.
Phoenix area students Melissa Rafet Dennis, age 11; Sofia Eury, age 13; and Brian Keith Chest, Jr., age 15 are among the 18 world finalists who will compete by answering trivia questions about books by authors Will Weaver and Jerry Spinelli. Winners in each of three categories (grades 5-6, grades 7-8 and grades 9-12) will be named this year’s “World Champions of Reading” and win ringside tickets to WrestleMania XXVI held March 28 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.
The finalists qualified by reading a total of 10 books, graphic novels or magazines over a three-month period and won in their grade category in a regional bookmark design contest. Each finalist received a WrestleMania XXVI prize package and their library received a $2,000 grant. Phoenix Public Library received a total of $6,000.
The WrestleMania Reading Challenge is sponsored by WWE and the Young Adult Library Services Association with support from Mattel, Inc., DK Publishing and Cold Stone Creamery.
Phoenix Public Library is a system of 15 branch libraries and the Burton Barr Central Library. For more information, call 602-262-4636 or visit phoenixpubliclibrary.org. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/phxlibrary.
Media Contact:
| Victoria Welch | 602-262-7939 |