By Tiffany Morgan, EHS/HF Home-Based Services Manager |

Every book. Every conversation. Every little moment matters.

Welcome to ClackCoKids Read Together —a year-long celebration of books, language, learning, and the special moments families share together.

Throughout the year, children enrolled in ClackCoKids programs will bring home a new book each month to help build their home libraries. But this initiative is about much more than adding books to a shelf.

It’s about what happens when we share a book together.

When you read with your child, you are doing so much more than saying the words on the page. You are building language, growing vocabulary, encouraging curiosity, strengthening relationships, and helping your child discover that books are a place for fun, imagination, and connection.

And here’s the best part:

You don’t have to read every word to build literacy.

Literacy happens in all kinds of everyday moments.

It happens when you:

• Look at pictures and talk about what you see.
• Ask your child, “What do you think will happen next?”
• Sing a song together.
• Tell a story about something that happened today.
• Notice letters and words on a sign at the grocery store.
• Make animal sounds while looking at a book.
• Talk with your child about their ideas, questions, and feelings.
• Make up a silly bedtime story.

Even a few minutes of talking, singing, looking, listening, and sharing can create meaningful opportunities for your child to learn.

This month’s book is just the beginning.

Each month, we’ll introduce a new book for your child to enjoy at home. Along with the book, we’ll share simple activities and ideas that families can try together.

You don’t have to do every activity.

You don’t need special materials.

And you don’t need to find a lot of extra time.

Choose what works for your family.

Maybe you read the book together at bedtime. Maybe you look through the pictures while waiting for dinner. Maybe your child wants to read the same book five times in one day. Maybe you don’t read the book at all—you sing about it, act it out, or talk about your favorite picture.

It all counts.

Reading together is about connection.

Young children learn best through relationships and everyday experiences. When you sit beside your child and share a book, you are creating a moment to slow down, listen, talk, laugh, wonder, and connect.

Those moments may seem small.

But small moments, repeated over time, can make a big difference.

So let’s read. Let’s talk. Let’s sing. Let’s wonder. Let’s play.

And most importantly, let’s do it together.

Throughout the year, check back here for:

• Our monthly book and book theme
• A chance to vote for next month’s book
• Simple literacy activities to try at home
• Ideas for making literacy part of everyday family life
• Literacy information and resources
• Community literacy resources for children and adults
• Videos and helpful tips

We are excited to take this journey with you!

Read Together.

Because every shared story is an opportunity to learn, connect, and grow.

ClackCoKids is currently receiving Birth Through Five (BT5) Literacy funding from the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care to support specific early literacy activities, including expanding children’s home libraries, providing culturally and linguistically responsive books, and sharing family-friendly literacy activities. This funding is an exciting opportunity for us to expand our broader commitment to early literacy.

Find out more here!