A state politician will take time out to read to area school kids during the last week of October.

According to the office of Senator David Pearce, of Warrensburg, on Thursday, October 27, the Senator will participate in Read for the Record, a national campaign hosted by Jumpstart to address the importance of reading and early childhood education.

Senator Pearce will read to preschool, kindergarten and first and second grade classes at both Glasgow Elementary in Howard County and Hardeman R-X Elementary in Saline County. Story time at Glasgow will begin at 8:30 a.m. while the Hardeman appearance will begin at 10 a.m.

This will be the senator's fourth consecutive year of participation. The featured book for 2016 is “The Bear Ate Your Sandwich,” written and illustrated by Julia Sarcone-Roach. After this year, Pearce will have read to schoolchildren in all eight counties of the 21st Senate District.