Break Into Blossom. Give Free Books!

Volunteer to pass out books to children and adults who rarely open a book or never read!

On April 23, 50,000 "givers" are needed to hand out free paperback novels for World Book Night -- and you could be one!

"Extending your hand to give someone a book, a story, is a gesture of hope and joy," said celebrated author Kate DiCamillo.

DiCamillo's Newbery Honor-winning Because of Winn-Dixie is among 30 books selected for donation.

"It is a chance for all of us, givers and receivers, to break into blossom," she said.

Launched last year in the United Kingdom, World Book Night is a charitable project to spread the joy of reading.

This year 1 million paperbacks will be donated nationwide, including seven children's novels.

Also on the list are Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls, Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games, Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, Leif Enger's Peace Like a River and Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian.

Volunteers will be selected through an online application, then will receive 20 novels to share with children or adults who don't have access to books or haven't yet discovered them.

The event will simultaneously occur in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and will coincide with the United Nation's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO's) World Book and Copyright Day.

"It makes perfect sense to me that World Book Night will take place in spring," DiCamillio said.

Adult titles include John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany, Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and  Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner.

To become a book giver, go to www.us.worldbooknight.org to apply.

Volunteers must be 16 years or older and U.S. residents. Also, they must have the means to pick up 20 books from a local participating bookshop or library.

Most importantly, they must be committed to giving the books to non readers and light readers.

Givers will be chosen in early February based on where, to whom and why they want to give books away.