It’s time to put ‘a book on every bed’

Dear Readers: This is a special day for me, because I take a break from hosting your questions in order to advocate for a cause that is very near and dear to me: literacy.

In my long career as a writer and reader, I have volunteered in classrooms, libraries and prisons, reading with others and sharing the work of writers important in my own life. I do so in honor of my late mother, Jane, who passed along to me her love of reading and writing — first as a young child on our somewhat isolated dairy farm, and later as adults, when we shared books and letters, sometimes over great distances. This is a legacy I continue to happily share — through the books I recommend in this space and also the two memoirs I have written.

What I learned from my mother’s life lesson is that when you have a book, you are never alone. Reading unlocks worlds of imagination and creativity. Literacy imparts power, and this is especially important for people who feel powerless.

The magic of literacy can happen at any time, but it is especially important in childhood. Reading helps a young child’s brain develop and mature. Reading for pleasure is a lifelong gift of entertainment and learning.

Today, in memory of my mother on her birthday, I joyfully share an idea that adults can easily adopt to give the children in their lives the gift my mother gave to me, by putting “a book on every bed.”

Celebrate giving season

Here’s what to do: On Christmas morning (or whatever holiday you celebrate), make sure each child in your household wakes up to a wrapped book at the foot of his or her bed. The gift could be a new book or an old favorite.

After the child unwraps the book, the most important aspect of this gift is unveiled, when the parent sits and shares it with the child. The sad fact is that more than a third of families in the United States do not regularly share books with their young children. Starting a celebration morning by reading together will forge an unforgettable intimacy for both the child and the parent.

This year I am partnering with Children’s Reading Connection, a national early literacy initiative founded in my hometown of Ithaca, N.Y. It focuses on the importance of helping families share books with babies and children. Even babies too young to talk can tune in, in a deep and abiding way, when they are held and read to.

This is an important prescription for health and success in growing brains — and sharing a book is a wonderful way for families to connect. Every year I hear from teachers, librarians, church groups, parents and grandparents who tell me they have adopted the “book on every bed” tradition. I can think of no nicer way to kick off a busy Christmas Day than by snuggling up with a book before opening other gifts.

Actor, writer give back

I am thrilled to announce that this year, the actor and literacy advocate LeVar Burton is supporting and endorsing the “book on every bed” tradition. As the producer and longrunning host of the PBS show “Reading Rainbow,” Burton has been the kindly conduit between generations of children and lifelong literacy.

“Literacy is the birthright of every human being, even in this digital age,” Burton told me. “I don’t care if it is in a traditional bound book or on a tablet device ... I simply want our children to read!” (“Reading Rainbow” is available as a mobile app.)

Writer and illustrator Peter Reynolds says, “Picture books are wisdom dipped in art and words.” His book “Happy Dreamer” (2017, Orchard Books) is an ideal story for parents to share with their dreamy young children. Key message? “You are good at being you!”

Share literacy in your own way

Parents and caregivers can put a book on every bed in their own households; you can also help spread the cause of literacy by sharing this idea in your own community. For families who celebrate through service projects, I suggest adopting a local classroom or day care center and providing a book for each child to unwrap on Christmas morning.

To learn more, and to watch an “instructional” video of me demonstrating this concept, go to childrensreadingconnection. org or facebook.com /ADickinsonDaily.