9
BOOK
SMART…
Books For Kids Spreads the Joy of Reading
WORDS: Amy Bell
PICTURES: Whitney Patton
Here’s a shocking statistic: In
middle-income neighborhoods,
the ratio of books to children is 12
books for every child. In low-income areas,
the ratio is one book for every 300 children.
This shortage of books might explain why
55% of Florida students are reading below
grade-level by the end of fourth grade.
Books For Kids is working to change this
disturbing trend in Manatee and Sarasota
counties. “We ask these boys and girls to
read, yet they don’t have books at home
to read,” says Ted Lindenberg, founder
of Books For Kids, a project of
the Rotary Club of Lakewood
Ranch. “The goal of the Books For
Kids program is to help raise the
reading levels of young children
and to spread the word that
literacy matters.” Lindenberg
says the organization is also on
a mission to provide books to
children who don’t have access
to them.
Late American journalist and novelist
Christopher Morley once wrote, “When you
give someone a book, you just don’t give
them paper, ink, and glue. You give them
a whole new life.” Lindenberg says this is
exactly what Books For Kids is trying to do.
According to the Campaign for Grade-
Level Reading, reading proficiency by
third grade is the most important predictor
of high school graduation and career
success. This is why Lindenberg believes
it’s critical for all children to have access
to books from an early age.
Bedtime Stories
Lindenberg has worked in the education
field for nearly 40 years. He has been
a teacher, teacher trainer, guidance
counselor, school principal, district
administrator, and staff developer. His
passion for spreading literacy was sparked
by a story he heard when he was the
principal of a school in New York.
“A successful businessman came into
him well, but it turned out that there was
one thing I did not know. As he began to
talk, tears came to his eyes,
and I could see that this was
extremely emotional for him.”
Each night the businessman’s
wife would read a book to their
young daughter. When his wife
was gone, he was the only
one there to read to his child.
Only he always read from the
same book - the one he had
memorized.