Early Childhood Care Providers and Educators play a crucial role in the development of the children they care for. Recent research studies have shown that early childhood experiences help determine brain structure, shaping thinking and learning. In addition, children who are introduced to books and early literacy skills from a young age are more likely to succeed when they go to school.

Many providers and educators struggle with the cost of having quality children's books in their centers and are pleased to know that the children in their programs have access to raising readers books at home. Many we worked with now plan to integrate raising readers books into their curriculum as a way to increase the effectiveness of literacy in the child's home.

In addition, many of the raising readers books have an activity page printed into the back of the book. These activity pages support early literacy learning skill-building and were developed by early childhood educators and experts from Maine Roads to Quality, an organization which focuses on both accreditation and continuing education opportunities for early childhood providers in Maine.

Using raising readers Books in Childcare Settings: 2010 Maine Early Literacy Calendar

The Maine Early Literacy Calendar is a collaboration with Maine Roads to Quality (MRTQ), featuring books that raising readers will give to Maine children at birth and well child visits throughout the year. MRTQ staff developed information on each title that can support parents in effectively using each book with their children.
Handouts for Parents – use the calendar page for a particular title as a parent handout when giving out books.

CURRENT raising readers Books
ACTIVITIES for raising readers Books
READING TIPS in English
Download READING TIPS in other languages
Download the "Emergent Literacy - Developmental Assessment Tool"

See Kids Health for information on early childhood development and children's health issues.