“Initially we questioned giving books away. However, an open mind, expert opinion, and first-hand experience soon convinced us of the enormous value of giving books ‘for-keeps’. The benefits are enormous. Reading and sharing stories helps build strong bonds, which allows for open conversations; stimulates thinking and language; and creates opportunities to discuss feelings and outcomes. Books are prized possessions. Valued and loved. Their very own.”
“Linking health to education resources is new for Bethesda, but our Occupational Therapy team found amazing teaching opportunities with babies, toddlers and young children, both in the ward and during clinic visits. They used the books to teach and engage: body awareness, visual perceptual skills, language development. The books are ideal to link the hospital-based interventions to home learning and take-home tasks.”
“Chosi-Chosi Book Club is for grades 2 to 7, but children as young as ages 0 to 5 received the books, and this made them believe now they are eligible to attend the book club. A week later, I arrived to a full class of toddlers with their books in hand. It was such a beautiful and funny sight to see because they looked so determined to be part of the book club, ready to read and learn.
When you’re handing out the books you pray that they reach one or two kids and change their lives. But when it transforms the whole neighbourhood then your efforts are rewarded with children who stop you at every corner, asking for more books to share with their friends at school and the whole of Philippi.”
“We’ve seen how families creatively integrate reading into their routines. In some homes, siblings take turns reading aloud to each other, while in others, children are excited to retell the stories they’ve read in playgroups or schools to their families, reinforcing their comprehension and storytelling skills. [Parents commonly report that] these books have made reading a more accessible and enjoyable activity at home.”
“Crèche organisations are almost never in a position to buy reading materials for their children – and if they are, they would normally only buy one teacher copy which the children might not even touch. To be able to give out these books is such an essential part of the child’s educational development and we are so grateful to be involved.”
“Shhhh! is at the perfect level for the little ones I see: there is a dog that barks, a phone that rings, a truck that brmmms, a ball that bounces! It’s helping me both with children learning language and increasing vocabulary, and with my non-verbal ACC users (augmentative and alternative communicators) who are using pictures to communicate – I can match their own picture of a ball to the ball in the story… Excellent language stimulation opportunities all round!”
“We love Book Dash books! They are an amazing tool to help focus our educational interventions more clearly to meet our desired outcomes. We use the books in a variety of ways – from knowing colour and shapes to spelling and maths – while also developing comprehension, reading skills and a love of reading.”