If you give a child a book, you give them an opportunity to grow. Thanks to community donations to KSBY's “If You Give a Child a Book” fundraiser, local kids are getting a chance to do just that.
Over the next week, all 375 students at Oceano Elementary School will be attending a Scholastic book fair where they'll be able to pick out five free books each.
Third grader Carter Manos couldn't wait to take home his new books.
“I'm going to read them with my family and probably read them again and probably just cherish this moment," he said.
Carter said he loves to read with his family so he can share the new information he’s learned.
Librarian Kelci Gonzalez said many families don’t have room in their budgets for books. She sees many students choosing a book specifically for their siblings or other family members.
“A lot of the students do come from families where the parents are not reading English," Gonzalez said. "So the students get to read it with their parents or read it to their parents, which is really nice. It's building literacy for the whole family.”
Second grader Juan Pablo Delgado Espinoza said he picked out books that he can share with his 6-year-old little brother at home.
“I’ll talk to my brother, say ‘Hey look, read this book and I’ll read this one. Read it, or I’m gonna tell mom,'" he joked.
KSBY partners with the Scripps Howard Fund and four local schools with higher poverty levels to help children build their own home libraries. Gonzalez said the students at Oceano Elementary look forward to this gift every year.
“That's how I tell the students about it, is that it's a gift we have been chosen for," Gonzalez said. "We talk a lot about how it's something special. Not every school is getting this. Most schools are not getting a book fair like this.”
“I felt amazed," Manos said. "I mean, like, you don't get that type of stuff all the time these days.”
Gonzalez said the children’s excitement hasn’t died down in the five years they’ve been a part of this program.
Oceano Elementary will have another book fair in May where the kids will get to pick out five more books, bringing their total to 10 free books each.
To donate to the "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign, click here.
