The "Power of Words"

Brigid Hubberman, Guest Columnist
Toward a Brighter Future for Reading
The Power of Words, Ithaca Journal
October 7, 2002

Brigid Hubberman is a founding member and serves as the Executive Director of the FRP. Membership checks can be sent to FRP at 54 Gunderman Rd. Ithaca, NY 14850

The power of words, the magic of words, the joy of words—all have been evident in the 20 weeks of community perspectives on the impact that books and reading has on the lives of young children and families. The Family Reading Partnership (FRP) is grateful to all of the community members who shared their special stories with us.

Just as Family Reading Partnership imagined when planning the series, each perspective was very different, yet there was a common thread throughout. Books and reading and stories add to our quality of life. Even beyond reading, they enrich our lives by helping us understand and appreciate our world, and they bring us closer to loved ones with whom we share these stories.

Literacy development, the process that brings a child to reading, begins in the first days of life at home. It is here that early, frequent, pleasurable experiences with books and stories, shared with someone you love, can build a strong foundation for reading, and a good life –intellectually, socially and emotionally.

Yet, nationally only 39% of parents read regularly to their children, and locally it has been estimated that 20-25% of children enter school having had little or no book experience in their homes. This is more than an issue for just our schools and libraries; it is a social action cause. Ensuring all children begin life with a strong foundation for literacy and learning should be the business of us all.

Imagine a community that is so committed to ensuring that all children have joyful experiences with books in their young lives, that they all join together to make it happen!

Imagine a community that is so committed to letting parents know they should read to baby right from the start that all babies begin life with a book gift given at birth. Then, each time families take baby for well-visits, the doctor gives them a book and a "prescription" to share books with baby, "at least twenty minutes a day." Finally, upon entering kindergarten, all these children and their families receive a beautiful book to welcome them and encourage reading aloud to continue. This community wants all of these books to serve as appetizers to its wonderful libraries.

Imagine a community that is so committed to helping children make friends with books that each year they gather for a community book celebration that showcases local authors and involves more than 30 community organizations, schools, libraries and 200 volunteers. The community is committed to keeping the event free, and each year more than 2,000 children and families immerse themselves in book fun for the day.

Imagine a community that is so committed to ensuring that low-income families have access to books to own, that they donate their gently-used favorites in red collection crates all around town, so that another family might also enjoy them. Then, to help families include new children’s books in their holiday traditions, the community's coaches and even college presidents invite fans and staff to donate new books at hockey games, staff luncheons and holiday parties – to be distributed to low-income families during the holidays.

WE are that community, and the Family Reading Partnership is a coalition working to make this and more happen! Already, in just five years – in partnership with businesses, schools, libraries, community organizations, and a dedicated group of volunteers and donors-- more than 50,000 books have been given as gifts to families through a multitude of programs that promote family reading.

Those programs are now drawing national attention and being replicated in numerous cities across the country. Jim Trelease, renowned author of "The Read Aloud Handbook" says, “The Family Reading Partnership is exceptional in the United States. Your organization should be held up as a national model for communities to say that this is what is possible to achieve when public and private work together for the good of children and families.” While recognition and replication are wonderful, we have a long way still to go toward our vision to create a culture of literacy here.

Now, we need your help to make that vision become reality. The Family Reading Partnership was established with a grant that is drawing to a close. In an effort to sustain these innovative programs, for the first time we invite everyone to become a FRP member. Your $25 membership will support the ideal that every child in our community deserves to experience the power, magic and joy of books in their young lives.