County Kids Read

Program provides free books to County children

One of the major contributing factors to child literacy is the presence of books in the family home. Children in low-income families were less likely to have books, and have fewer books than children in midor high-income homes. In 2009, this was reflected in the relatively low literacy scores of County children. With the help of the Prince Edward Arts Council, the volunteer-driven County Kids Read organization was formed with the aim of providing books to every County child up to the Grade 6 level. “We began to have conversations about what we could do to address the issue of literacy and the low literacy levels of children in the County,” says volunteer Anne Preston. “We came up with a model based on the Children’s Book Bank in Toronto, where children come in and choose a book, and it’s a book they get to keep.” The program was adapted for a rural setting in that the books are distributed via community partners, of which there are now 14, including The HUB Child and Family Centre, Prince Edward County Family Health Team and Community Living. “We are working with our community partners and layering literacy into their organizations,” says Preston.

Coordinator Anne Preston in the book room at St. Mary Magdalene Church.

County Kids Read purchases all of the books directly from Canadian publishers, from which it receives a generous discount. The books range across many genres, from basic board books for babies to chapter books and graphic novels, and more recently, books for vision-impaired children. A grant from the County Community Foundation was used to purchase books on Indigenous and multicultural topics, subjects that had not been well represented in the current library on offer. The partner organizations request the type and number of books they need for their clients. For example, the HUB has a Babies and Beyond project targeted to teenage mothers, providing them with books to read to their babies. The Family Health Team provides books for all babies born in the County, a program that is sponsored by the Friends of Wellington Library.

The partner organizations do not have to pay for any of the books they receive. Fundraising is done through donations from community groups, via grants or through fundraising events. One of the major additions to the program happened three years ago with the opening of a book room at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Picton. Now children from the local school could visit with their class and choose a book of their own to take home with them. “They are thrilled, and the pride of ownership is so amazing,” says Preston. “They are clutching those books when they leave, and in the books we have put a spot where the child can write their name.” Typically, each class will visit the book room about three times a year. Some kids are so excited about reading that they will ask for an extra book, or for a book to take home for a sibling.

There has been no quantitative research on the effect the program has had on child literacy in the County. “The research tells us very clearly that literacy acquisition is tied to having books in the home,” says Preston. “We get so much positive feedback from parents, from all of the stakeholders involved in the project. It’s hard to get quantitative data, but I do see the scores going up at schools.”

For more information about County Kids Read, please visit countykidsread.ca.