Kansas Reads to Preschoolers, a project of the Kansas State Library, was created to highlight the importance of reading to children as well as to promote the library as a renewable resource of reading material. The goal is that every Kansas child between the ages of 0 – 5 years [all 226,453 of them!] will be read to during National Children’s Book Week, November 14-20, 2005. Nancy Swearingen, retired Hiawatha Middle School Librarian, is Honorary Chair for the local event.
A child develops language skills long before being able to speak and develops literacy skills long before being able to read. Early Childhood experts tell us that children develop much of their capacity to learn in their first 3 years. Reading to babies, toddlers and preschoolers can have an incredible impact on their short and long-term reading capacity. It is no exaggeration to say that how well children learn to read affects directly not only how successful they are in school, but how well they do throughout their lives.
The book chosen for 2005 is No Matter What by author/illustrator Debi Gliori. November 14-20, 2005 is the week selected where libraries, Early Childhood centers, and others plan special programming using the One Book chosen. That week coincides with Children’s Book Week. Local libraries and others partner with service organizations and others to purchase books and advertising as well as plan occasions for local celebrities and others to read to preschoolers. In some libraries, children are reading to senior citizens!
Vikki Jo Stewart, Special Project Director, Kansas State Library, is Kansas Reads to Preschoolers project director. Vikki Jo and Christie Brandau, State Librarian, met May 18 with an early childhood specialist and others including representatives of the Kansas Humanities Council to ask for their involvement in this project. Librarians, early childhood resources, social and service organizations, parents, grandparents, older siblings, and others will plan reading-to-preschoolers opportunities!