The generosity of library friends ensures that kids in your neighborhood can lean on the support of library tutors for free and get back on track in reading.
Brody may be a math whiz, but when he gets to a word problem, he slows to a halt.
You see, Brody has had trouble reading since kindergarten. He’s slow to sound out common words and has trouble with fluency. He gets frustrated practicing with his parents at home.
His family was at a standstill.
A Reading Roadblock
At eight years old, the bright and inquisitive Brody is approaching a crossroad in his education.
Experts say that from kindergarten to 3rd grade children learn to read. Around that point in their education continuum, reading becomes critical to mastering every subject in school. The focus shifts, and they now, read to learn.
When young students can’t make that transition, they can disengage from school and are four times more likely to drop out of high school. That’s why, thanks to the support of library friends, the library is lending a hand to families whose students fall 6 months to 2 years behind in reading.
Brody rushes from the school bus, announcing to his parents,
Sue and Brody’s Bookish Adventures
Brody now meets weekly with a fun-loving tutor named Sue.
A retired special education teacher, Sue was motivated to volunteer by the great need she saw in our community and the joy she experiences in watching a child grow.
The two hit it off instantly, ending the first session in a fit of giggles. When Sue learned about Brody's passion for bugs, she took care to find books that aligned closely with his interest.
“I always tell my students that reading is like going on an adventure—you can travel to different places and times. My hope is that Brody finds joy from books, and he becomes more confident in reading and in himself,” Sue shares.
Progress Report!
Brody looks forward to his reading sessions each week. On those particular days, he rushes from the school bus, announcing to his parents, “It’s library day!”
One Tuesday afternoon, Brody stands next to Sue, identifying a list of sight words. Sue’s a perfect cheerleader, offering continuous encouragements for Brody: “Good job!” “Nice work reading that word!”
With increasing speed and accuracy, Brody shouts out “the,” “if,” and “that” with enthusiasm. As a reward for his hard work, he’ll get to choose a prize. As a budding naturalist, perhaps he’ll select another book on the great outdoors.
With help from library friends, Let’s Read will expand to 11 library locations in 2025.
The Next Chapter
Brody is one of nearly 200 students participating in the launch of Let’s Read. After a handful of sessions, he’s also one of many to undergo a noticeable transformation. With a promising 70% of students making progress toward grade-level reading after only ten sessions, we are eager to grow the program next year. With help from library friends, Let’s Read will expand to 11 library locations in 2025.
“Library staff and our volunteer tutors are eager and delighted to offer this service in response to their community’s urgent need,” shares program leader DeMaris Johnson.
Let’s Read represents a concrete step towards ensuring literacy for all and a collective stride towards educational equity … and Friends of the Hennepin County Library has a goal to raise $500,000 in 2025 to support these critical efforts.
Want to help make literacy attainable for children in your community?