Children’s Book Week is a celebration of books for young people to foster learning and a love of reading. Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the United States.
Held twice every year, this month’s Children’s Book Week is from May 1-7. This year’s theme is “Read Books, Spark Change”, celebrating the power that books and stories have to inspire change within individuals, families, classrooms and communities.
Reading books is foundational to how we learn and serve as a gateway to expand our world. Encouraging children to read a variety of stories sets them on a path to success. The Yonkers Public Library supports this mission through its 1000 Books Before Kindergarten initiative.
When you begin reading to children at a young age, you set the stage for a lifetime of success and a lifelong love of reading. According to the Children’s Bureau, there are many benefits to reading to children, including:
- Supporting cognitive development
- Improving language skills
- Increasing concentration and discipline
- Encouraging imagination and creativity
Initiatives like 1000 Books Before Kindergarten and storytime programs at your local library branch can help you and your child explore the wide and wonderful world of reading!
Be sure to visit your local branch this week to celebrate Children’s Book Week, and join us for any of these great programs for our youngest readers!
Thursday, May 4
1000 Book Thursdays at 10:30 AM - Crestwood Branch, Children’s Room
Storytime @ Will at 10:30 AM - Will Branch, Lower Lobby-Inside
Friday, May 5
Cinco de Mayo Story and Craft at 11:00 AM - Riverfront Branch, The Cove
Saturday, May 6
Crestwood Saturday Storytime at 10:30 AM - Crestwood Branch, Children’s Room
Be sure to explore all of our wonderful resources and programs for our youngest readers at the Yonkers Public Library. Check out some of these recommended children’s reads or ask a children’s librarian for a recommendation on where to start!
Alison Robles is a part-time page at the Crestwood Library. She is an avid reader with a passion for YA lit, historical fiction and fantasy. A Yonkers native, she graduated from Iona University in 2020 with a dual-degree in Marketing and Public Relations.