ELLSWORTH – When new books arrived at the Ellsworth Childcare and Learning Center, family and community members were invited into the facility to read aloud.

This created deeper engagement with the story, strengthened school-home connections and showcased the community’s role in supporting early literacy. There was a strong level of support and interest, with many people coming to read aloud, and other families sending books to share from home.

One child’s father was so animated when reading Good Night, Gorilla the children laughed with him throughout the story.