Library announces Read, Think, Share!

The Demopolis Public Library is partnering with the Reading Club for Read, Think, Share!, a program designed to help students entering first and second grades improve their reading and comprehension skills.

Did you know that learning to read is a challenge for almost 40 percent of kids? The good news is that with early help, most reading problems can be prevented. The bad news is that nearly half of all parents who notice their child having trouble wait a year or more before getting help. Unfortunately, the older a child is, the more difficult it is to teach him or her to read. If a child can’t read well by the end of third grade, odds are that he or she will never catch up. Children who are proficient readers by the end of third grade are more likely to graduate from high school and to be economically successful in adulthood.

The library and members of the Reading Club want to offer an extra dose of reading help to children in our community. The goal of Read, Think, Share! is to improve reading skills while encouraging reading for pleasure. Every child who participates will receive a free book to take home and enjoy during the summer.

Read, Think Share! is free and open to any student entering the first or second grade. The program will start in June and reading mentors will be available to meet with children for 30-minute sessions at 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Parents and caregivers need to call the library at 334-289-1595 to schedule a session for their child.