Neila Ebanks reads a book to children at the Mountain of Books for Children Reading Fair, held at the National Heroes Park playground yesterday. Just before the fair, The Rotary Club of Kingston, in association with the Early Childhood Commission, handed over 10,000 books to 200 early childhood institutions from across the country. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer

Pictures cut from magazines, with printed words explaining the images were what Whittick's Day Care Centre had to resort to when it was time for reading.

But all hope has not been lost as the centre was among 200 early childhood institutions to receive books from the Rotary Club of Kingston, in partnership with the Early Childhood Commission (ECC), yesterday.

Hilary Whittick, head of the day-care centre, said the books would encourage her to do more reading with the 40 children who are under her care.

"I will be doing more reading with the children because it stimulates the young minds and prepares them for the future," Whittick noted.

She said that, while she had enough resources for the older children, material for the toddlers up to four years old was unavoidably short.

Based on the limited funding available at the institution, the staff had no choice but to be innovative in its efforts to satisfy the children's need to read.

"I am happy we can now use the books because it was pressuring to be cutting out pictures. Now we can set up a reading area for each age group," Whittick declared.

The teacher pledged to ensure proper care is taken of the materials as, she stressed, it is difficult for the students to operate without the important tools.

"I will be laminating the books with thin pages and stitching the middle of the books so that the children can't destroy them," she said.

Meanwhile, young Jude Burey said he was happy to have more books to read.

The four-year-old said he loved reading so he would spend time reading the books every day.

"I will read and remember the things I read so that I can learn," he told The Gleaner.

The Rotary Club handed over 10,000 books, costing approximately $300,000, to several early childhood institutions across Jamaica.

Speaking at the handover ceremony at National Heroes Park on Friday, ECC Chairperson Professor Maureen Samms-Vaughan said the gift was a blessing to the learning institutions.

Highlighting the importance of reading, she encouraged all parents to read with their children.

"Children who read do better in school. They learn to interact with others and, generally, they socialise well," she said.

Samms-Vaughan pointed out that Jamaican children do less reading because either there are not enough books for them to read or their parents are hesitant to read to them.

"Adults, you need to read to your children because children want adults to spend time with them, talking the way they understand," she added.

She further stated that the schools had been chosen based on their level of need.

nadisha.hunter@gleanerjm.com