About Claire's Day
Northwest Ohio's Largest Children's Book Festival
Claire’s Day began as a one-day festival celebrating reading and young readers, held at the Maumee, Ohio branch of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library system. Schools in the greater Toledo (Ohio) area partner with Claire’s Day in hosting our authors and illustrators for school visits, providing an opportunity a unique and fun experience for students.
A highlight of the festival is the C.A.R.E. Awards, given to children who earned the distinction of being chosen as the most improved readers in their schools. Each C.A.R.E. Award recipient receives a personalized certificate, and a coupon to choose a book written or illustrated by one of the participating authors and illustrators.
The Rubini family is honored by the staff and board of Read for Literacy continuing our mission of celebrating and honoring our little reader gone too soon.
Program Events
Claire's Award for Reading Excellence
C.A.R.E. Awards
C.A.R.E. Awards recognize K–8 students who have struggled and demonstrated marked improvement in their reading skills over the course of a school year. Your nominee should not be the best reader in the class, but the student who has made the most reading improvement in your classroom.
Submit an Award
About Claire
Claire Lynsey Rubini danced in this world from May 24, 1990 to July 6, 2000. Claire was loved by her mom and dad, Julie and Brad, and her two younger siblings, sister Kyle and brother, Ian. She gathered a large circle of friends in her short time with us. We all miss her.
Claire left us all too soon, but memories of her fun, impish, loving spirit will remain forever. She packed a lot of life in her short time in this world…from traveling adventures with her family, to playing games with friends, dancing, swimming, playing softball, dressing up in colorful outfits.
Most of all, though, Claire was passionate about books and reading. She would use reading as an excuse to get out of chores, and was often late for dinner, just wanting to “read one more page.” She would encourage and help others in their reading journey.
The Rubini family chose to honor Claire and celebrate this passion for reading by establishing Claire’s Day…A Celebration of Life, Authors, Illustrators and Reading Excellence.
Awards & Recognition
Claire’s Day Founders Receive Bridge Award
Julie and Brad Rubini were named recipients of the 2010 Hometown Hero Bridge Award for their work in creating Claire’s Day, a reading festival that brings authors and illustrators of books for children and teens to the Maumee Branch Library each May. The event was created in memory of their daughter Claire, who died unexpectedly of an undiagnosed heart condition in 2000. The event draws thousands of visitors and hundreds of local students receive awards for their achievements in reading.