News

Read On! Children’s Book Week

April 30, 2018

Happy Children’s Book Week! This surprisingly little-known literacy initiative is celebrating its 99th year this week. Children’s Book Week is grounded in the idea that “children’s books and literacy are life-changers” and encourages us to spread the joy of reading to young people.

In 1919 when Children’s Book Week started, we didn’t have the studies, data, or technology of today. The founders relied on their own observations as librarians and publishers to assert the life-changing nature of being read to and learning to love reading at a young age. Now, virtually every study verifies what the founders of Children’s Book Week knew almost 100 years ago: Reading to kids and inspiring kids to love reading makes them more successful adults.

It’s never too early to start reading to children – in utero, in the hospital, whenever. And if you missed those early days, it’s never too late to start either. We’ve got lots of books to choose from in our collection (and staff happy to help you find good stuff), but reading magazine articles (or this article!) to your kids also counts. Children are more likely to copy the behaviors they see in the adults in their lives, so it’s important for us to show them that reading is an enjoyable and valuable way to spend time. Plus, talking to kids about what everyone is reading is super fun!

To celebrate Children’s Book Week, the Pryor Library is doing several things. In addition to normal librarian duties, our Youth Services staff made paper fortune tellers for our after-school crowd that are designed as a fun way for them to start thinking of or writing their own stories; we will have a special craft on Wednesday morning for toddlers; and we will celebrate with our 3rd Graders Go To Work class during their visit. Come by and help us celebrate!