Reading is an essential skill. It is arguably the major building block in the foundation of a successful education and, ultimately, a successful life. Children who fall behind in reading are unlikely to catch up without intervention.

Reasons why reading to and with children is important:

• Reading promotes language skills which are essential to school success
• Reading facilitates brain development
• Reading exposes children to new and exciting ideas, places and people
• Reading promotes relationships; reading to or with a child is a social activity
• Reading improves a child's self-confidence.

Importantly, EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office, Ontario) results for grade 3 reading reveal a startling number of schools in which more than half the children tested score below the desired level for the grade.

This includes:

• 15% of elementary schools in Toronto DSB
• 9% of elementary schools in Toronto Catholic DSB

According to Jeffrey David Sachs, an American economist and Director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, the primary reason for the high US drop-out rate prior to completing high school is lack of proficiency in reading (from The Price of Civilization: Reawakening American Virtue and Prosperity).

Volunteer Readers Programme helps young school children achieve grade level reading skills.