Booking It

"Mom, I just love books. Books can take you places, give you adventures, make you feel happy, sad, scared and excited. I just feel so good when I have a book."

Books and reading were a part of Max's life long before he was born. Gifts of books were bestowed upon him when he was still in my belly. When I found myself on bedrest, I embarked on the Harry Potter series and often read aloud; thinking baby Max might enjoy hearing about wizards and such.

Max’s very first very present after he was born was a copy of Where the Wild Things Are. A more appropriate gift couldn't be found. During Max's 5 weeks in the NICU, his Dad and I read The Cat in the Hat, Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and other childhood favorites just so he could hear our voices.

I've always been a reader and nothing made me happier at age 10 than a Judy Blume book and an afternoon to myself. I have vivid memories of Saturday trips to Southern Oaks Library with my Mom. I'd grab a few books and race to the carpeted castle in the children's section where I would climb to the top and lose myself in whatever book I'd found on the shelf. Trips to the bookstore were always a treat and to this day I know that even when money was tight, Mom rarely said no to a book.

Max loves going to the library and exploring bookstores and like my mother, I rarely say no to a book. I joke that Max has his own library in his room with shelves overflowing and stacks of books on his bed. We go through his books often and donate those he's ready to pass along to his school library. And on occasion, we deliver a stack or two to his pediatrician.

It would be naïve of me to think that all kids are as fortunate as Max. There are too many children in our state and country who don’t get the opportunity to have books at their fingertips, enjoy weekly bookstore visits or even trips to the library.

Reach Out and Read Oklahoma is doing its part to change this. A national program started locally by my college friend and Delta Gamma sorority sister Dr. Marny Dunlap, Reach Out and Read strives to deliver specialized early literacy counseling and support. This is achieved by the access pediatric primary care providers have to children while they are in their critical years of cognitive and language development – 6 months through 5 years old.

Three program components include:

At each well-child visit from 6 months through 5 years, children receive a new, developmentally and culturally appropriate children's book from medical providers. By the time they begin school, children acquire a home
library of at least 10 beautiful children's books.

In the examination room, physicians and nurse practitioners offer tips and age-appropriate advice about the importance of reading with their young children, including materials to take home.

Volunteers read stories and look at books with children in clinic waiting rooms, thereby modeling for the parents reading aloud techniques.

There are 37 Reach Out and Read clinic locations throughout Oklahoma and over 17,00 children participate each year. Thanks to this program over 25,138 books are distributed annually--creating readers and lovers of books from an early age. If you’d like to learn more about Reach Out and Read Oklahoma or maybe even volunteer, visit www.reachoutandreadok.org.

And to quote Jacqueline Kennedy:

"There are many little ways to enlarge a child’s world. Loving books is the best of all”

I couldn’t agree more.