Book Deserts and the Devastating Implications for Children in America

Snuggling up in PJs and reading books to children at the end of the day is a cherished tradition for millions of parents around the world.  This calming, emotionally uplifting routine helps us to feel closer to our children, and them to us. Not only does reading to our kids encourage bonding, but it supports a number of other benefits for a child’s long-term development – it enhances vocabulary and imagination, improves focus and greatly increases the probability of future school success. Stories can teach a child about relationships, emotions and morals, as well as introduce them to new topics such as science and history. A recent MRI study performed by the Pediatric Academic Societies confirmed the importance of reading to children at a young age (from birth to kindergarten), stating that a child’s exposure to reading is strongly correlated to higher activity in specific areas of the brain that support reading skills, imagination and the ability to infer meaning from language. (1)

But what if access to books in your community was so limited that there was only one age-appropriate book for every 830 children? 

A recent study commissioned by Jet Blue proved this to be exactly the case in the Anacostia area of Washington D.C. (2) Still troubling, but less extreme, the study found the Hamtramck neighborhood of Detroit to have just one age-appropriate book for every 42 children to share. (2) It may sound like a different planet to those who access books easily through your local bookstores, libraries and other retail stores, but it’s a stark reality for too many underserved communities across our country today. These so-called “book deserts,” or neighborhoods where access to books is severely restricted due to economic difficulties and a lack of resources, are a growing epidemic. Libraries are either shut down in these towns or are extremely underfunded, and stores carry few to no books for kids. Alas, only 1/3 of our country’s children living in poverty have books at home, (3) and only 35% of America’s 4th graders tested at or above the “basic” level of reading skills.4  How do children in these communities access the reading materials and books needed to further their development and secure a future if their libraries and stores are ill-equipped and there is barely enough money for food, let alone a book?

Out of concern and a desire to help change this dismal landscape, a number of local and national programs have worked hard to stress the importance of early literacy programs and bring books to communities in need, including Soar with Reading, First Book and Friends of Libraries. Soar with Reading, for instance, strives to quench the thirst in some of the most affected “book deserts” by making access to books easier in these neighborhoods. Penguin Random House has been a big supporter and this Jet Blue-inspired program has already donated over $1,750,000 in books to underserved children since its inception in 2011. (2) Most recently, the city of Detroit was selected as the recipient of Soar with Reading’s #BookBattle contest, receiving 100,000 free books for children, which were distributed via vending machines that were strategically placed where families frequent most.(2)

As parents, we’re all just trying to get through the day with our own particular set of challenges, but then every once in a while news comes along of other children in need and it compels us to act in kindness. What I take for granted – a checked-out book from the library – is a serious hardship for others, who may never experience the pleasure of reading daily to their children. It’s devastating to think about the long-term implications that these “book deserts” will have on millions of children’s futures in our country. Thankfully, several prominent organizations and the people within them are working hard to raise national awareness in hopes of improving this bleak outlook. 

You can learn more about “book deserts” via a summary on Scholastic’s website called “Access to Books” or check in with the Soar with Reading program regularly to hear about their next steps.

SOURCES:

1. Unknown Author. “MRI Shows Association Between Reading to Young Children and Brain Activity.” American Academy of Pediatrics. 25 April 2015. Web. Accessed 24 September 2015. 

2. Jet Blue. “About Soar with Reading.” Soar with Reading. Web. Accessed 22 September 2015.

3. Unknown Author. “Literacy Issues: RIF Brings Solutions.” Reading is Fundamental. Web. Accessed 22 September 2015.