Free books to open new chapter for kids

Starting next week, volunteers will begin the wonderful work of putting about 300,000 new books into children’s hands for joy, enrichment and shared family fun in the metropolitan area.

First Book has picked Kansas City as a national distribution center for 570,000 free books from Random House for children in low-income families. More than half of those books will be given to local children.

That’s on top of thousands of books that have been distributed by the United Way of Greater Kansas City through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the mayor’s Turn the Page KC initiative and through the Local Investment Commission.

This is the largest-ever book distribution in the Kansas City area. And that’s important. Mike English, executive director of Turn the Page KC, said studies show that children in low-income families by age 3 have heard 30 million fewer words than children from middle- and upper-income families. Getting more books into their hands will help.

“The books really are tools to encourage family engagement,” English said.

The books include 94 titles for kids from birth to age 18. Examples are “Olivia Goes to Venice” for ages 4 to 6; “Maps and Geography” for ages 7 to 9; “Even the Princesses Go to the Potty” for kids up to age 3; “Go Ahead, Ask Me,” ages 16 to 18; “Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom,” ages 10 to 12; and “No Limit,” ages 13 to 15.

“There’s a new civic energy and civic culture,” said Brent Schondelmeyer, deputy director for community engagement with LINC. “This community is starting to have a book-giving culture.”

Everyone should be proud of that. The latest effort springs from a great partnership involving LINC; First Book; Turn the Page KC; the Kansas City Federation of Teachers and School-Related Personnel, Local 691; and Family and Community Trust.

The books will be distributed from a Metropolitan Community College warehouse.

At least 200 volunteers working in shifts will make the distribution possible. About 190 schoolteachers, nonprofit leaders, parent educators and people with groups serving low-income kids will pick up the books for children. (People who want to volunteer can go to turnthepagekc.org.)

The community effort is an important addition in the push to boost reading comprehension so all children are college- and career-ready when they graduate from high school.

This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 6:55 PM with the headline "Free books to open new chapter for kids."