Friends of the Libraries' Guest Columnist Features Books delight young kids By Joan Scanlon McMath May 8, 2004 The Athens Messenger

It will come as no surprise to anyone reading this that an important predictor of reading success is hanging out with people who read. Parents, friends and relatives of young children are all the gatekeepers of literacy. We open the gates when we daily read aloud to young children, when we consistently provide opportunities for them to observe us reading, when we take weekly trips to libraries, and when we regularly visit bookstores -- especially those with a children's section.

So when does one begin reading aloud to a child? The sooner the better -- on the way home from the hospital, or as soon as possible after a home birth. Why? Let's explore just four of an infinite number of reasons. First, the earlier a read-aloud routine is established, the more likely it is to become a fixture in everyday life. Second, newborns are especially receptive to rhythms, rhymes and delightful sounds of language in Mother Goose and other nursery classics. (In one study, 3-day-old infants recognized their mothers' voices; these infants had listened daily to their mothers reading Dr. Seuss stories throughout the last trimesters of their pregnancies.) Third, the recent explosion of infant research has ushered in a plethora of "baby books" which are vibrant in both text and illustrations. These books just beg to be shared with the very youngest literary explorers. Last is the creation of early literacy memories that remain throughout the lifespan.

Happily, there may be few places better for the gatekeepers of literacy than our very own community of Athens. In fact, once opened here, they never close. The Athens Public Library and Alden Library do not wish to be the best-kept secret in town. They welcome all ages in ways that, I suspect, make historically renowned public library champion, Andrew Carnegie, look down, nod, and remark "Och, I dinnae know it would be so good with all the wee bairn in here." Head Reference Librarian Wanda Weinberg is responsible for the attractive children's collection on the fourth floor of Alden Library. This welcoming niche enthusiastically appeals to young children with its cozy nooks, tables for spreading out and pouring over books, and light, airy spaces in which to "wonder" through books. Ms. Weinberg knows books, a great number of books, and therefore genuinely knows how to respond to young children's interests and queries.

Some blocks away lies a second haven for young children and literature. On a recent visit to the children's room in the Athens Public Library, a young father was dozing contentedly as his young daughter "read" at least three books to him while I watched; neither participant deterred from the pleasurable pursuits of their napping or reading. Linda Cochran, the children's librarian here, so competent and caring, loves living with books and shares her passion and knowledge with the young who populate this area. It occurs to me that we have in our community two of the best-ever librarians whose attitudes and behaviors post an OPEN sign to the gates of literacy. An invaluable escort, a library card creates a predisposition toward literature and should be a treasured first gift.

Gatekeepers of literacy thrust open wide the entrance when they journey to bookstores with eager young children. Each trip becomes a wonderful voyage full of sensory appeal -- fragrant smells of paper and leather; delightful sounds of turning pages and adults cheerfully talking about books; tactilely feeling the size, shapes, and textures of books, and the boundless visual delights of stunning illustrations. The owners of The Little Professor Bookstore, Curt Holsapple and Rich Purdy, fully recognize that looking at many books precedes the decision to purchase a book. After all, choosing just one book among so many can be an arduous process. Here yet again, within the auspicious walls of our local community, are two bibliophiles who do what they love and love what they do. Fortunately, Ms. Weinberg, Ms. Cochran, Mr. Holsapple, and Mr. Purdy can quickly locate any of the 100,000 children's books in print. Each of them gives life to the message that a book is a gift to open again and again.

Joan Scanlon McMath teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in early childhood and children's literature at Ohio University.