University of Wisconsin - Extension

Contact: Michelle Tidemann, 920-929-3174, michelle.tidemann@ces.uwex.edu

Remember your favorite childhood storybook? For many people, a special children’s book was the spark that ignited a lifelong interest in reading and learning.

Helping children discover good books and the benefits of reading is the goal of the Wisconsin Bookworms™ program, which celebrates its 10 year anniversary in 2008.

Wisconsin Bookworms™ is a partnership between the Wisconsin Association for Home and Community Education (WAHCE), University of Wisconsin-Extension Family Living Programs and Wisconsin Public Television. The program provides eight free books per year to children who otherwise might not be able to own them. The WAHCE organization raises funds to purchase the book sets each child receives.

Volunteer readers attend preschool classrooms, reading books and providing classroom activities for the students. Each book comes with an activity sheet filled with suggestions for activities related to the story that families can do together. Parents whose children participate in Wisconsin Bookworms™ report that they talk more often with their children about books, spend time reading together and visit the public library.

"I enjoy volunteering so much," says Emma Peterson, WAHCE Wisconsin Bookworms™ state coordinator. "Children love to have you come and read to them. When they see you, they run up and ask ‘Do we get a book today?’"

When the early literacy program started in 1998, 16,500 books were distributed to children. In 2007, that number has grown to nearly 47,000 books provided throughout the state. Peterson estimates that nearly 400,000 books have been purchased and given to children over the past 10 years in Wisconsin.

In September, 2007 the counties who have participated since the beginning 10 years ago were recognized at the State Wisconsin Association for Home and Community Education annual conference.

To learn more about Wisconsin Bookworms™, visit http://www.wahceinc.org/bookwormsindex.html.