First Book Day promotes reading with Dog Tales, other activities
First Book Day supported children's literacy efforts with activities for a second year.
On Sunday, First Book, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting literacy by providing low income children, brought children to Finch Fieldhouse room 113 for activities like reading with local police and firefighters and face-painting.
First Book Vice President Lindsay Adams said the event's second year went great.
“It seems like we have about the same amount of kids showing up,” the Jackson senior said. "But I feel like we're just so much more organized and there are a lot more games and activities to offer.”
The money raised through First Book Day will be used to purchase new books to distribute to children in the community.
Adams said the most popular event was reading with Dog Tales.
Dog Tales, a nonprofit literacy mentor organization that uses therapeutic dogs to help children read, was one group present at the First Book Day.
Betty Louis, Dog Tales founder and coordinator, said children cannot progress in school without a good foundation in reading.
Louis said the dogs take away some of the stress children have while reading.
“The dogs wag their tails,” she said. “They're not telling them what book to read, they're not saying 'Oh, you skipped that word,' or 'You didn't read as well as Joey did,' they just wag their tail and they're excited to see them.”
Louis said many children are limited when they learn to read, but not because they are not smart.
“A lot of it is a self-esteem issue,” she said. “Many times it's just because they don't read as fast or they don't feel they read as well as somebody else.”
Mike Mezei attended First Book Day with his three daughters, Gabriella, Francesca and Olivia. The Mount Pleasant resident said his family would just be hanging around their house on a typical Sunday if not for the event.
“It's something to do on a Sunday,” Mezei said. “We get to get out of the house and do something nice.”
Mezei said he will definitely be bringing his daughters back for First Book Day next year.
“It's always good to see your kids buying books,” he said.
