The eager reader is one who learned early on that reading can be fun. Typically, a child’s earliest experiences with books are being read to by an adult. Wanting to hold the magical spell of the lines and shapes on a page, the keys that open new worlds, the child learns to read.
Book●ed blog followers value reading. We love books. Can you imagine never having a book to call your own? In the United States, sadly, countless children do not own a single book. Fewer than half of families read to their kindergarten-age children on a daily basis. Thirty-three percent of low-income 4th graders are unable to read at their basic grade level; sixty-eight percent are unable to read proficiently at grade level. Forty million adults in the U.S. can’t read well enough to share a simple story with their child. One in four Americans grows up functionally illiterate.
Children who are poor readers at the end of 1st grade show decreased self-esteem, confidence and motivation to learn. They fall behind in school. They fall behind in life. We all suffer as a result. This is a scandal that does not have to continue!
Two programs are working diligently to turn the tide of literacy in the U.S.: RIF and Reading Rainbow.
RIF – Reading is Fundamental – is the nation’s largest nonprofit organization working for children’s literacy. In 2014, RIF distributed 1.7 million books to children in underserved communities. Since its establishment in 1966, RIF has provided more than 401 million books for children to choose and keep – “because to understand the value of books, kids need to own books.” There is no charge to the children or their families for the books or other provided by RIF.
In addition to letting children choose their own books from a carefully selected assortment, RIF volunteers generate enthusiasm for books and reading with storytellers, costumed book characters, guest readers and author visits. Programs are tailored to individual communities through collaboration with community members and parents.
Reading Rainbow was an Emmy-winning PBS series that aired for 23 seasons (1983-2006), reaching a nation of elementary school-aged TV-watching children and motivating them to read. For the show’s host, actor LeVar Burton, Reading Rainbow was more than a gig. “My mother was an English teacher, so there were always books around,” he said. “I’d be sitting in Sacramento, California, but I could see and experience things I couldn’t even dream of.” About the lifelong impact of early literacy, Burton observed, “If you can read, you are free. If you can read, no one can keep you in the dark. You can learn anything, inform yourself and make up your own mind.”
Burton’s commitment to Reading Rainbow continued after the series ended. He and a business partner produced a reading app. Realizing that tablet computers are not affordable by everyone, he is taking Reading Rainbow content in an expanded version to the Web. Burton supports reading books in digital format and in print. Although he co-founded a digital technology company, he also is a first-time author of a whimsically illustrated children’s book, The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm in print because, “…we need to keep turning those pages.”
If you love books, love reading, love children, take a closer look at RIF and Reading Rainbow.