COLORADO SPRINGS — Research shows children who aren’t reading at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to not finish high school.
That’s why the “If You Give a Child a Book” campaign is so important. It takes donations from viewers at home and provides children with five free books to read.
I spoke with local kids at Will Rogers Elementary School who are looking forward to this week’s book fair. The fair kicks off today and wraps up on Wednesday.
For some children, reading comes naturally.
“I think reading’s really fun,” said Savannah Pierce, a student at Will Rogers Elementary School.
For others, it’s something to do to pass the time.
“I like to read all the books and basically, when I get bored, I basically read a book,” said Axel Martinez, a student at Will Rogers Elementary School.
And with so many genres to choose from, kids can never get bored with a good book.
“Something I love about reading, especially scary books, scary books you don’t actually have to worry because it’s a book,” said Cherrish Springle, a student at Will Rogers Elementary School.
“I like nonfiction, I like funny, I like weird,” said Pierce.
While reading can be a lot of fun, it also holds many benefits.
“Reading is so fundamental for students. Not only for learning but also for developing creativity and unleashing their imagination,” said Brad Haas, the librarian at Will Rogers Elementary School.
That’s why those at Will Rogers Elementary get excited about If You Give a Child a Book day. They know there’s more to gain than a good story.
“Kids should read so that they can understand more,” said Pierce.
“It’s really rewarding to see students excited about books they want to read so it’s a really cool opportunity,” said Haas.
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