Revenge of the Book Eaters

NEW YORK, July 17 (UPI) -- A U.S. non-profit group has employed some top pop and rock stars for its nationwide campaign to raise money to promote children's literacy.

Participants in "The Revenge of the Book Eaters" tour include David Byrne, Sufjan Stevens, Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard, Aimee Mann and Mark Kozelek, The Book Standard reported on its Web site. The six-stop tour will raise funds for the 826 group's programs promoting literacy.

The first show, Aug. 23 at the Beacon Theatre in New York, will feature acoustic sets from Byrne, Stevens and the Long Winters' John Roderick. "The Daily Show" fake news anchor Jon Stewart will also make an appearance with readings by Dave Eggers and Sarah Vowell also scheduled.

Gibbard, Eggers and Roderick will perform Aug. 24 at Chicago's Park West while Mann, Kozelek and the Mountain Goats will play the Aug. 26 show in Los Angeles at Royce Hall.

Mann, Jonathan Richman, Eggers and Vowell perform at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts Aug. 28 while the Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt joins the proceedings in the fifth show Sept. 1 in Seattle at the Bumbershoot festival.

Details were still being worked out for the final show Sept. 7 in Ann Arbor, Mich.