“I have wanted this book ALL MY LIFE!”, exclaimed by a little kindergartener at a Book Drive for Kids free book fair in September when she saw the book, Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell. It is a counting book that was obviously read to her frequently. As she perused the book fair table, she recognized it immediately and knew she wanted to take it home for always. We watched her “reading” the pages and pointing out the pictures to her classmates. She was overjoyed to find a familiar book and one in which she could see herself. I couldn’t resist snapping this photo of her and her new book!
Isn’t that one of the wonderful things about reading? Finding characters we can relate to; characters who experience the same things we experience; characters who say and do some of the same things we say and do. This familiarity is especially important for young children. It helps them see how they “fit in” to the world around them. Even without words, beautiful picture books allow children to imagine their own stories.
Thanks to our donors and a matching grant from Reading is Fundamental, this excited little girl found something she had wanted all her life!