Read me a book by Barbara Reid

I volunteer in the children's library at Westmead Children's hospital here in Sydney. In 2011 Scholastic Australia (who support this library) published or reprinted this small format book from 2003 as a promotional publication. I found a copy in our give away box.

"This little book is a gift from the Book Bunker, the special library for the young patients at The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney. ... Experts say that reading to our children for just ten minutes a day will make the difference. They suggest that we read one favourite book, one familiar book and one new story each time."

Here is the text of this sweet little book which has wonderful plasticine illustrations. Read more about her work here. I am hoping Barbara Reid might be one of the speakers at the IBBY Congress in Ottawa this year. 

This is a simple and very format book but the message is important!

Tell me a story, 

Read me a book, 

Bounce me a poem, 

Let's take a look. 

Read around the garden, 

Upstairs and down, 

Underneath the covers, 

Read around the town. 

Tell it one more time, 

Pick out something new, 

The very best beginning is ... 

to read a book with you!

Read Me A Book was initially commissioned by the Government of Ontario’s Early Learning Initiative and was distributed to newborn children across the province. Original artwork from Read Me a Book was presented to the Toronto Public Library Foundation and is displayed in various branches throughout Toronto.

There is something rather comforting about small format books - I am thinking of Beatrix Potter and all the Miffy books. 

Companion book:

Read more here