As usual, books are on my mind!  Every day in my pediatric practice I have the privilege to provide my young patients with the gift of a book, and for their caregivers, advice on book sharing to ensure their children will be ready for school, as well as a strategy to show that child they are loved.  When Ethan told me his favorite things in kindergarten are “art and libery”, I knew that the ROR model has done its job! Reach Out and Read KC is committed to providing age-appropriate books that serve as both windows and mirrors – allowing our patients to see children that look like them, as well as children whose lives may be different than their own.  Windows and mirrors – critical to a child’s sense of who they are in the world.

I always ask my kindergarten aged patients what their favorite book is. Often, they cite the original Captain Underpants.  Many of you may know this book…it is so funny and fun with potty humor. Other popular titles for the early readers include Dogman and Junie B Jones.  We are so lucky that ROR-KC provides an amazing selection of books for our youngest patients along with gently used books for any child that comes to clinic!  We know that libraries strive to provide the widest range possible of titles, so that everyone has the opportunity to select books that are mirrors of their unique experience. However, many of our families do not have the opportunity to get to a local library either due to transportation barriers, or work constraints! Without ROR-KC, these children would have no access to books!

In these interesting times, I continue to be so grateful to our donors that allow ROR-KC to purchase an amazing selection of books that serve as mirrors and windows for our patients and their families! 

* https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement