Celebrities, politicians and TV personalities will be sharing stories at the Stafford Library in Woodbury on Saturday. Lots of them.

From the time the doors open at 9 a.m. until they close at 5 p.m., they'll be reading aloud stories written by some of the most revered authors in children's literature along with some of their personal favorites, all in the name of encouraging kids to pick up a book.

"I always encourage kids to read books about a topic they enjoy," said WCCO-TV meteorologist Chris Shaffer, a Woodbury resident and one of the participants. "I wish all libraries would do stuff like this. I smile when I see kids holding a book versus staring at a computer screen."

Shaffer will pull up a chair in the library's children's area, where he plans to read a few Curious George adventures, Dr. Seuss tales and naturally, a book on the weather.

Authors will rotate through the day, with each taking a 30-minute shift.

Similar programs also will take place Saturday at the Park Grove Library in Cottage Grove and the Wildwood Library in Mahtomedi.

The Read-a-Thon is one of several special events connected to the library's "One County, One Book" initiative. That program is encouraging Washington County residents of all ages to read Alice Ozma's book, "The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared," between January and March.

Ozma was in fourth grade when her father embarked on a challenge to read aloud to her for 100 consecutive nights. Those bedtime stories continued all the way through junior high and high school and didn't stop until the night Alice left for college. In her book, Ozma recounts special moments she had with her dad and lessons she learned from the books he read to her.

"I don't think there's anything better for a child's future than cultivating a love of reading," said Woodbury author Brian Freeman, who will release his seventh novel, "Spilled Blood," in May. "Events like these get kids excited about reading, stories and characters. It shows them the kind of amazing worlds and people they'll find inside books."

While the Read-a-Thon is aimed at children, KSTP-TV meteorologist Patrick Hammer said he hopes the event will show parents how much of an impact reading to their kids can have and inspire them to begin a regular story time if they don't already have one.

"I am participating in this event as I read to my two kids every night," said Hammer, who plans to read Dr. Seuss' "The Lorax." "It's the best moment of my day, a time to really bond. If you read with a little animation, the story can come alive, and hopefully this kind of event can get these kids to expand their imagination. Maybe these kids can encourage their parents to read to them if they currently don't."

Tim Harlow • 651-925-5039 Twitter: @timstrib