Small Screens
Serious Side-effects
Our kids are growing up in front of screens — and it’s costing them their lives.
By age 8, most children spend over 4 hours a day on devices. By their teens, it’s over 7.
This level of screen exposure is now linked to:
We’re losing them to the scroll — and everyone knows it.
Parents. Educators. Communities.
We know.
This isn’t a phase.
This is a crisis.
A WAY OUT
Reading.
Reading slows the nervous system — right there is enough. It also:
Deepens empathy
Ignites imagination
Strengthens language
Supports mental well-being
Improves concentration and memory
Promotes visual comfort, no blue light disruption
Supports natural posture without tension or strain
Encourages mindful stillness, no ad-driven snacking
Bottom Line:
Screen time damages. Reading restores.
But none of this matters if a child doesn’t want to pick up a book.
Before the algorithm there was wonder
Books matter — we can all agree on that. Great programs are getting them to kids.
But that doesn’t mean kids are reading them.
And the truth is — most aren’t.
Why?
Because they’re not inspired to.
The problem isn’t access.
It’s inspiration.
Inspiration is the springboard.
(Harvard Business Review)
Intrinsically motivated (inspired) children spend 300% more time reading than their less motivated peers. (Sweet Institute)
But anyone who’s tried to force inspiration knows — it doesn’t work that way.
ENTER...
TM
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”
— Albert Einstein
"When authors use visual aids and interactive storytelling, during visits, students' interest in reading is enhanced. (arxiv.org)
"Fantasy stories (like Root Karbunkulus) hold a significant appeal for children, stimulating their imagination and sense of wonder. (booktrust.org.uk)
From Page to Stage
K.R. Lilac is the author of the Root Karbunkulus series — an Amazon #1 Bestseller and winner of the Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal and Kids’ Pick Seal of Approval. She is also a proud finalist for the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for her adapted screenplay of Root Karbunkulus.
But before she was an author, she was a stage actor and director — and she brings all of that theatrical magic with her into school gymnasiums with:
Costumes and Props
Soundscapes
Live action trailer
Prizes and Merch
"Ever since her visit, it is impossible to keep the book in the library and I have a waiting list.."
Anne Bartel, Librarian - Glengarry School
“The children loved you! We have the book on hold many times over in the library” — Eleise Johnston, Librarian, Montrose Elementary School
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"A thrilling and powerful catalyst in helping us to reinforce the important message of reading!"
Corrie Bacha, Librarian, Calder School
“The waiting list for her book started the moment she left.”
Louanne Mann, Librarian, Keheewin School
The Read-It Roadshow™ is not your typical literacy program.
This is a theatrical, high-energy event that jump starts kids out of screen-induced apathy and reignites a hunger for creativity and imagination.
Teachers and Librarians agree, when an Author visits a school
Students are twice as likely to read above their expected age level
Kids are inspired to express their own creativity, and in turn build confidence
Teachers report increased classroom engagement and participation after the visit.
It boosts reading focus, vocabulary, and emotional intelligence, while too much screen time is linked to shorter attention spans and delayed language skills.
It creates a measurable increase in voluntary reading across all grade levels.
Students’ listening comprehension and oral language processing is enhanced.
Take-Home Impact That Lasts
The Read It Roadshow™ doesn’t end when the assembly wraps up—it continues at home, where lasting change takes root.
These materials ensure the Roadshow’s message is not only heard—it’s remembered, lived, and shared.
Gifted Books for the School LIbrary
When students are fully engaged—leaning in. Inspired
A 30-Page Workbook
inspired by the RK books to deepen comprehension and creativity while making reading fun again.
A Branded “Unplug Tips”
offering simple, effective ways for families to reduce screen time and reconnect with one another.
Each sponsor’s branding is featured prominently—positioning them as part of the solution families are seeking.
The Read It Roadshow™ is launching its
2025–26 season
Schools
One Mission
And we’re inviting one aligned partner to help lead the shift—from bytes to books.
Why You Can't Afford to Say No
In a world where most companies offer more or less the same thing, what sets a brand apart isn’t just the product — it’s what the brand stands for.
Today’s consumers are more discerning than ever. They’re tired of being sold to. They’re saturated with ads. And they’re choosing — mindfully — to support businesses that reflect their values, their communities, and something real.
That’s what the Read It Roadshow™ delivers:
prime experiential branding wrapped in authentic community goodwill.
It’s not just a sponsorship. It’s a chance to be remembered — for the right reasons.
Real-world connection has become the most valuable form of advertising.
Where Most Brands Struggle
Traditional ads fall flat
Customer engagement drops.
Brand loyalty weakens.
What Experiential Brands Do Differently
Immersive real-world experiences:
Command attention
Create market disruption
Leave lasting impressions
Even the most creative digital campaigns are getting lost in the scroll.
87% of consumers believe experiential marketing has a greater impact on their emotions than traditional advertising channels. (i)
According to EventTrack (2023), 91% of consumers have more positive feelings about brands after participating in events and experiences.
Why The Read It Roadshow™
This is more than visibility.
This is the experiential thrust — the keystone event that elevates your brand above the noise and places you directly into the hearts of families, schools, and communities.
Backed by research.
Driven by impact.
Rooted in story.
Experiential Branding is no longer 'nice to have' -
it's mission critical (i)
Kids Behind the Carts
The Kid Factor in Retail ROI
Many brands underestimate the role children play in household purchasing decisions. While parents may hold the wallets, kids often have a significant say in what gets bought.(i)
“Kids are the shoppers of today and tomorrow. Creating a strong connection with them now is the best investment to build a future-proof loyalty to your brand.”
Hong Liem, UNGA Co-CEO
Nearly 9 in 10 parents say that their children influence at least some aspect of their purchases. Positive emotions experienced by children make parents more likely to choose those brands.
Moreover, a study in the Journal of Consumer Research pointed out, children develop brand loyalty that they carry over into their adult lives and it does not change easily. (iii)
The Roadshow is Your Bridge
The Read It Roadshow™ isn’t just a feel-good literacy event — it’s a brand-building engine powered by joy, memory, and trust.
When kids have a powerful, emotional experience with your brand, they don’t forget it — and neither do the parents, teachers and staff.
At every stop, the Roadshow puts your brand directly in front of the most emotionally influential audience in any household: children.
And when kids are engaged, parents pay attention.
They follow their children’s enthusiasm straight to your store, your product, your name.
That’s not just marketing —
That’s memory-making.
That’s future-proofing.
That’s loyalty, built from the ground up.
Legacy Leader
One Visionary Partner. One Unprecedented Opportunity
The Let’s amplify your marketing campaign with the Read It Roadshow. It’s a smart, multidimensional marketing move that gives your brand a human face and brings it into real communities, with real engagement, and real trust.
As our exclusive Legacy Leader Sponsor, your brand becomes the cornerstone of a literacy campaign that spans 30 schools, reaches thousands of children, families, and educators — and leaves a permanent, cultural imprint.
You’ll fuel a movement that unplugs and reconnects. At every stop, your sponsorship will be acknowledged, celebrated, and remembered.
As our Legacy Leader, you receive:
Classroom Presence
Your logo across worksheet bundles and 'Unplug' guide, bringing your brand into classrooms long after the tour has passed through.
Branded Books in Every School
Every book donated features your business name printed inside, keeping your presence alive in school libraries for years to come.
Spotlight in school newsletters
A custom coupon or message included in schools — reaching thousands of families through the most trusted channel available: school newsletters
Recognition at every event
Acknowledged at each event - large screen and verbally - as the sponsor who brought the magic to students
Logo on Roadshow posters
Prominent placement on printed and digital posters seen by schools, families, and the broader community.
Online Presence
Feature placement on the campaign website
And this year you gain a powerful bonus:
Full-Page Placement in Retail Books Outside of the Tour - Timed for Holiday Visibility
Advertising like never before, far beyond what traditional marketing can offer.
Your business will receive a full-page placement in all retail books sold during the critical Q4 season
This has never been done before — a sponsorship presence embedded directly in the pages of a book. Not a sticker, not a footnote. No fleeting digital post. A permanent place in the printed front matter of every copy purchased during the fall rush: back-to-school buying, book fairs, holiday gift season.
While the RK books are available through all major retailers and can be ordered into local bookstores, Amazon is always fully stocked and widely used by families — ensuring that your full-page sponsorship is not only permanent, but scalable.
You benefit from the post-tour spike in demand that’s driven by school visits, teacher endorsements, and student excitement. This post-tour momentum consistently triggers Amazon’s recommendation algorithms, further increasing visibility and sales.
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Your presence stays in a book that continues to move — traveling with every copy sold.
This is a cutting-edge model for sponsorship — a forever presence in a beloved book series.
The Timing Is Perfect
This fall marks the release of book three in the Root Karbunkulus series — a critical milestone in publishing that often transforms a beloved series into a national breakout.
Here’s why:
Momentum traditonally explodes with the third book. Readers who've hesitated jump in. Schools, book clubs, and libraries begin to see the series as a long-term investment.
Sales compound. Book one and two experience a surge, while book three rides the wave of growing fandom.
The series becomes “real.” Parents buy when they see there’s an arc. Teachers start recommending it. Media takes notice. Algorithms respond.
And you’re not just riding this wave — you're embedded in it.
Measuring Your Impact
Real-world engagement. Real-world results.
We know return on investment matters — here’s how we help you track it:
Trackable Coupons & QR Codes
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Use of coupons, QR codes, or web links
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Trackable redemptions and site visits
School Regional Reach
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Total number of participating schools
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Regional breakdowns
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Estimated number of students impacted
Branded Take-Home Materials
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Number of worksheets, booklets, and other items sent home
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Estimated household impressions
Direct Student Engagement
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Live presentation attendance
School Newsletters to Parents
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Number of schools including your brand in parent newsletters
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Estimated parent readership
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measurable response via coupon redemptions or digital clicks.
Emotional ROI & Community Goodwill
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Letters, drawings, or testimonials from students and teachers
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Photos/videos of kids engaging, laughing, connecting
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Follow-up emails or comments from educators and parents
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Stories shared on social or in local press
The sponsorship is $25,000
This covers the cost of the full tour — including the theatrical show itself (tech assistant, travel, costumes, props, book donations, prizes) and the full suite of educational worksheet bundles.
It brings the Read It Roadshow to life, from the first curtain rise to the last inspired child.
The return is enormous: your brand featured in every donated and retail book, every worksheet bundle, every school newsletter — with your logo front and centre.
It’s the kind of visibility no ad campaign can buy — woven into story, memory, and the trust of families across the region.
“She came home raving about the book and the show — it was the first thing she wanted to read instead of the iPad.”
Liz P - Parent
A NOTE FROM KR LILAC
Yes — the ROI is significant.
But more than that, this is a mission.
I’ve seen it firsthand — kids so overstimulated they can’t focus, so screen-bound they’ve forgotten how to imagine freely, connect deeply, or even sit with a story.
And I’ve also seen the shift — the spark — when they’re given something real. A book. A breather. A reason to look up.
If you are feeling truly moved by the urgency of this message, then this just might be the perfect fit.
Because we’re not just looking for sponsors.
We’re looking for allies.
Our children are suffering.
Let’s change that.
If you’ve made it this far, thank you. It means you’re the kind of person who sees the value in something bigger — — I’d love to connect this week and walk you through the impact and possibilities.