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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January
2004
INTRODUCING NEWBORNS TO A LIFETIME OF READING San Francisco, CA-Children's Book Press is proud to have been chosen to take part in the San Antonio Public Library Foundation's "Born to Read" program, headed by Honorary Chair and First Lady Laura Bush. Under the program, the Library Foundation will provide every child born in Bexar County, Texas in 2004—approximately 25,000 babies—with a "Born to Read" tote bag that includes two bilingual books published by Children's Book Press. "We're very honored and excited that our books have been selected for this wonderful project," says Ruth Tobar, Executive Director of Children's Book Press. "As a multicultural publisher and nonprofit organization, we believe that books have the power to change a child's life. We're thrilled that we can be a part of a child's introduction to the world of reading." The San Antonio Public Library Foundation has purchased 25,000 copies each of Children's Book Press' My First Book of Proverbs / Mi Primer Libro de Dichos and My Very Own Room / Mi Propio Cuartito, for a total of 50,000 books. "Every year, the Foundation reviews hundreds of books, and we must select two that we think will have the most impact on the families in our community," says Kaye Lennox, President and CEO of The San Antonio Public Library Foundation. The selection committee of the Born to Read project is made up of eight members, including authors Sandra Cisneros and Naomi Shihab Nye. "The goal of the Born to Read Project is to promote literacy to families of all backgrounds, especially those with poor reading skills," says Ms. Lennox. "Sixty percent of our population in San Antonio is Hispanic, so it was absolutely essential that the books we chose be bilingual." The artwork and amount of text also had to be considered. "Both My First Book of Proverbs and My Very Own Room are wonderfully illustrated, and parents don't have to be excellent readers to share these stories with their kids." First Lady Laura Bush, an outspoken champion of literacy, commended the "Born to Read" project in August 2003. "The Born to Read program is a great example of how the library is preparing tomorrow's readers," she said in a speech during the Centennial Celebration of the San Antonio Public Library. "Teaching children to love books and reading is one of the greatest lessons we can share." The "Born to Read" program aims to introduce families to the vast resources available at their local library. Along with copies My First Book of Proverbs and My Very Own Room, the tote bag will include: a Library card application; a listing of Library branches; a specially designed "birth certificate" declaring the child a "Library Centennial Baby;" coupons redeemable at the Central Library for a "Born to Read" video tape; a free Book Cellar book; and a lullaby CD performed by the Children's Chorus. ABOUT CHILDREN'S BOOK PRESS ABOUT THE SAN ANTONIO PUBLIC LIBRARY
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