Do you recognize these characters? A lot of kids these days might not for one unhappy reason.

It’s my favorite thing to do. Second-fave is deciding what to read next.

It might have had something to do with this guy*.

Obviously, this video makes the 9-year-old inside me want to boogie.

But as I watched this, I couldn’t help but wonder … what if I didn’t recognize any of these amazing characters from my childhood? What if books were never put into my hands as a kid? That’s a reality for many children, and with some pretty big consequences. According to

Reading Is Fundamental:

“Experts estimate that nearly 40 percent of U.S. 4th graders do not achieve basic levels of reading proficiency.”

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Either through small gestures like giving a kid you know your favorite childhood book or big things such as volunteering at a local school to read to kids through literacy programs like this one in NYC, we can ensure the next generation rocks out just as hard to this video.