Hawaii’s first lady, Dawn Amano-Ige, together with state and nonprofit partners has expanded the ‘Ohana Readers program to Ka‘u.
This program is now available to children under 5 in Naalehu and Pahala.
‘Ohana Readers is a literacy program that focuses on reading with family. Initially launched on Molokai in 2019, the program offers high-quality, age-appropriate Imagination Library books each month to children in specific zip codes.
Children who register for the program will receive one book each month via the U.S. Postal Service. The program operates through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and is free of charge.
Families can sign up now at the Naalehu Public Library and Pahala Public &School Library. The libraries already begun to offer programs that complement the books the children receive and will provide other activities to promote literacy and reading.
“Research shows that children are ready to learn in their earliest years, and this program provides no-cost opportunities for learning from birth through age 4,” said Amano-Ige in a statement. “‘Ohana Readers encourages family read-aloud time, an activity that increases the vocabulary and language skills of our children and contributes to their growing knowledge of the world.”
“This program is all about reading,” said State Librarian Stacey Aldrich. “It encourages the development of a love of words and reading by helping each child create their own library of books. Each book read builds early literacy skills for school readiness.”
Since 2019, the ‘Ohana Readers program has distributed over 10,000 books to Hawaii children through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Prior to that, Amano-Ige distributed approximately 2,000 books through the Scholastic Summer Reading Ambassador program through schools across the state.
For more information about the ‘Ohana Readers program please visit, FLHhawaii.org/ohanareaders.
To sign up for the program in Naalehu or Pahala, visit either the Naalehu Public Library or the Pahala Public &School Library. The form is available for download from the website above and must be dropped off at the library.
