Making Books Part of a Healthy Childhood

Reach Out and Read (ROR) promotes early literacy by bringing new books and advice about the importance of reading aloud into the pediatric exam room.

ROR targets children who are growing up in poverty and often at risk for reading and school failure.

The concept is simple and includes four basic components:

1. Pediatricians are trained in the theories of early literacy development and specific strategies to promote literacy in young children. During the check-up they use this knowledge to advise parents on the importance of reading with young children and give them “prescriptions” for reading with their children every day.

2. At every regularly scheduled check-up, from six months to five years of age, children receive a new, developmentally and culturally appropriate book to take home and keep. Over time, children can receive up to 10 books for their home library.

3. In literacy rich waiting room environments, often with volunteer readers, parents and children learn about the pleasures and techniques of looking at books together.

4. As an added component, gently used books are available in the waiting room for siblings and other children to take home and keep.

ROR works!
• Research shows that ROR parents are four times more likely to share books with their children.
• Children in the ROR program show significant increases in language ability, one of the most important predictors of later reading success.
• Parents involved in ROR are twice as likely to report that reading is one of their child’s favorite activities.

ROR is cost-effective, easy to implement and helps provide children with limited resources a home environment that stimulates early literacy skills and fosters a love of books and reading.

Reach Out and Read also offers age-appropriate resources for parents including tips on reading aloud and choosing books for young children.

Southwest Human Development brought Reach Out and Read to Maricopa County in 1997. Since then, the program has grown to serve 61 pediatric clinics and will distribute 120,000 new books to low-income children this year.

Reach Out and Read Maricopa County is a member of the Reach Out and Read Arizona Coalition.

The National Reach Out and Read program was created in 1989 at Boston Hospital, to help fight illiteracy in impoverished communities.

Help support Reach Out and Read by donating now, giving new or gently used children’s books, or becoming a volunteer reader.

Thank you to the following donors for their generous support of the Reach Out and Read program:

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