“It’s Library Day!”

Brody may be a math whiz, but when he gets to a word problem, he slows to a halt.

You see, Brody has had trouble reading since kindergarten. He’s slow to sound out common words and has trouble with fluency. He gets frustrated practicing with his parents at home.

His family was at a standstill.

Then they heard about Let’s Read, a free program at the library made possible by kind library supporters. Brody’s family eagerly signed up and quickly learned that Brody was a perfect fit.

A Reading Roadblock

At eight years old, the bright and inquisitive Brody is approaching a crossroad in his education. 

Experts say that from kindergarten to 3rd grade children learn to read. Around that point in their education continuum, reading becomes critical to mastering every subject in school. The focus shifts, and they now, read to learn. 

When young students can’t make that transition, they can disengage from school and are four times more likely to drop out of high school. That’s why, thanks to the support of library friends, the library is lending a hand to families whose students fall 6 months to 2 years behind in reading. 
 

Sue and Brody’s Bookish Adventures

Brody now meets weekly with a fun-loving tutor named Sue.

A retired special education teacher, Sue was motivated to volunteer by the great need she saw in our community and the joy she experiences in watching a child grow.

The two hit it off instantly, ending the first session in a fit of giggles. When Sue learned about Brody's passion for bugs, she took care to find books that aligned closely with his interest.

“I always tell my students that reading is like going on an adventure—you can travel to different places and times. My hope is that Brody finds joy from books, and he becomes more confident in reading and in himself,” Sue shares.

Progress Report!

Brody looks forward to his reading sessions each week. On those particular days, he rushes from the school bus, announcing to his parents, “It’s library day!”

One Tuesday afternoon, Brody stands next to Sue, identifying a list of sight words. Sue’s a perfect cheerleader, offering continuous encouragements for Brody: “Good job!” “Nice work reading that word!”

With increasing speed and accuracy, Brody shouts out “the,” “if,” and “that” with enthusiasm. As a reward for his hard work, he’ll get to choose a prize. As a budding naturalist, perhaps he’ll select another book on the great outdoors. 

The Next Chapter

Brody is one of dozens of students participating in the launch of Let’s Read. After a handful of sessions, he’s also one of many to undergo a noticeable transformation.

“Library staff and our volunteer tutors are eager and delighted to offer this service in response to their community’s urgent need,” shares program leader DeMaris Johnson.

With help from library friends,  Let’s Read will continue through the summer and expand from 6 to 8 libraries in the fall.