(Radio IOwa) – A nonprofit dedicated to literacy and health education is placing 30-thousand books in pediatric clinics statewide for free distribution to Iowa children. Laura Holms, the Midwest regional director for Reach Out and Read, says each book helps spark language development, encourages positive behaviors, and strengthens the bond between kids and their caregivers through shared reading. Holms says the books are going to dozens of Iowa doctor’s offices.

“The main focus we’re working on are the federally-qualified health care centers and free clinics, and especially clinics across the state that serve children that are underinsured or uninsured,” Holms says. “Lots and lots of children just simply don’t have access to books, and so by using this model, embedding literacy in the Well Child visit, we’re able to reach 90% of children because 90% of kids go to their Well Child visit.” Some 20-thousand books were distributed in the past month, while another ten-thousand were mailed out in the past week or so.

Holms says books like “Susie’s Big Day” and “Doc the Dog’s Healthy Habits” will promote early literacy and healthy routines, plus, there are several other titles. “So for example, if we’ve got a lot of rural kids out there, they really might love books about farming. We’ve got great titles that talk about tractors and things like that, that our Iowa kids really can relate to,” Holms says. “And then we also have other books that are in our catalog that will relate to those kids that are in the urban setting that maybe want to learn more about zoo animals or spacecraft or things like that.”

Reach Out and Read Midwest partnered with Iowa Total Care to distribute the 30-thousand books, which will be able to reach many thousands of Iowa children to inspire curiosity, confidence, and good health habits. “During the Well Child visit, when a family comes in, the provider will actually select a book for that particular child,” Holms says. “Oftentimes, they have a great relationship with the family, so they know a little bit about them and they might even know if they’ve been given a book in past visits, so they want to make sure that they don’t duplicate that book.”

Holms says pediatricians and other healthcare professionals will encourage parents to crack open the books on the spot and start reading to their children. “The provider actually uses that as an assessment tool,” Holms says. “During the visit they can help with motor skills, that can help them determine if that child might need some other referrals. We’ve even had one provider explain a story where the child took the book and put it so close up to their eyes, they thought, ‘Maybe we really need to start looking at their vision,’ and they did in fact refer that child to a specialist for their vision.”

Holms says Reach Out and Read Midwest strives to ensure every child, regardless of ZIP code, has access to books and early literacy support in the places they already receive trusted guidance, pediatric clinics. She adds, donors who visit ReachOutandRead.org/Midwest can designate their gifts to help children in a specific county.