But put a board book like Clap Hands in front of them, and their eyes will light up with delight. Infants may chew books and toddlers may tear them, but the fact is, even the smallest children can fall in love with books. Not only do children like books, but books are good for them. Children surrounded by books from birth gain a valuable edge.
Research shows that reading at young ages promotes brain development.
When they enter kindergarten, children are better prepared to learn. Because of these facts, I am extremely excited about Born to Read, a new program sponsored by the Vermont Business Roundtable with funding from The Freeman Foundation and Bell Atlantic. This is the first privately funded project in the country that provides free books to every child born in a state. I cannot be more grateful to the Vermont Business Roundtable and these other partners who have exemplified the wisdom and generosity to help children develop a love of reading for a lifetime. Over the next year, beginning this July 1 and continuing through next July 1, every child born in the year 2000 will receive five books for free.