
Pre-register for this FREE event!
Published: January 22, 2025
By: Julianna Steen
SHORT the Squirrel, Alabama’s literary mascot, is having a virtual birthday party on February 21, 2025, and you and your elementary school class are invited! SHORT has really made its way around town over the past five years with reading sessions, school visits, contests, and other community engagements, each designed to inspire and educate children. Not to mention the free coloring sheets, educational videos, and other resources on his website, shortthesquirrel.com, all part of the nonprofit reading initiative. The organization’s mission is to inspire a love for reading and ignite the imaginations of Alabama’s youngest citizens through literacy-rich, community-oriented content.
For his birthday, he’s giving you a gift: the release of his newest title, SHORT Races to Road–adding to the 14 grant-funded titles and interactive booklets already available—as he races around the Talladega Speedway on his YouTube channel in a virtual birthday celebration. “We’re excited to celebrate SHORT the Squirrel’s fifth birthday with this special event,” expresses SHORT co-founder Dee Bennett, Ed. D. “This virtual party is an opportunity for us to encourage Alabama students to engage with reading in a fun and interactive way while celebrating the unique spirit of our state.”

Teachers and parents, when you pre-register for this FREE event, SHORT will email you lesson plans that help you encourage reading in your classroom and home—and your kids will love participating in the fun activities, interactive games, and educational content this event has to offer. Bennett explains, “SHORT’s mission has always been to create fun and engaging reading experiences that resonate with children.… We hope SHORT Races to Read will inspire students to keep racing toward their reading goals… for years to come.”
Dr. Quentin J. Lee, Superintendent of Talladega City Schools, also shows his support for all that SHORT is doing across the state of Alabama: “SHORT the Squirrel has been an incredible resource for our students and communities.… The combination of literacy and Alabama heritage is a powerful way to inspire our young readers, and we’re thrilled to be part of this celebration.”
SHORT aims to foster a sense of community, curiosity, and joy, so if you’re curious, what are you waiting for? Visit shortthesquirrel.com to pre-register and to learn more about this reading initiative.