Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 6, Number 2, 1 February 1989 — "Year of Young Reader" Promotes Joy of Reading [ARTICLE]

"Year of Young Reader" Promotes Joy of Reading

Stimulating the love of reading among our youngsters is the theme of a statewide campaign in 1989, "Year of the Young Reader." Proclaimed by Governor John Waihee, in conjunction with a nahonal campaign, it calls upon community organizations, school and public libraries, and families to join in encouraging reading to and among young children.

The theme of the loeal campaign is "Books Can Take You Anywhere," and its goals are to: promote the joy of reading in children from preschool to grade 6; help parents nurture an appreciation for reading; and to raise community awareness and encourage community participation in activities promoting reading. Major activities planned this year include: • a reading fair at the April 2 Bishop Museum Family Sunday

• An "adopt-a-school" library campaign to invite small businesses to make $100 donations to elementary school libraries for purchase of books; • individual school and public library reading programs • community-sponsored activities to encourage reading.

Honorary co-chairpersons are Lynne Waihee and Frank DeLima. The Hawai'i State Public Library System has published a short free brochure to help parents nurture an appreciation for reading in their ehildren. Called the "Parents' Magic Formula," it describes how "Atmosphere + Opportunity + Environment = Reader." A short suggested reading list is provided for different age groups. Some suggestions from the brochure: • "The most important thing parents ean do to ensure that youngsters become readers is to let their kids see them reading."

• "Read newspapers and magazines regularly and discuss articles with your children." • "Borrow or buy do-it-yourself books before starting a project." • "The best way for parents to begin providing children with books and reading time is by reading aloud to the youngsters." • "It is wise to have a regular time for reading aloud. Bedtime is traditional but any hour will do." • Take your children to the library . . . to new and used bookstores . . . to movies and plays

based on books . . . encourage them to read the original work." • "Review your children's schedule . . . is there free time? Do they spend every free moment watching television? Consider limiting television to a certain amount of time per week, or have your children "buy" tv time by reading, for example one book read might entitle a child to watch one hour of television."

• Are there so many members īn your household that's rarely quiet long enough for children to read? Make your library visits long enough for kids to spend time reading as well as selecting books." • "Have at least one comfortable chair with a nearby reading light . . . or good reading lights in their bedrooms." Parents ean also make sure their school-age child has a library card, and ean encourage their child's natural curiosity by helping the child find books whieh ean provide answers. This ean lead to regular time for the family to talk about different things and give the child a ehanee to leam to express his or her feelings.