The Power of Reading: Bringing Books to West Virginia’s Youngest Learners
In the heart of Grafton, West Virginia, a high school junior’s simple act of reading to preschoolers is making a profound impact. Devan Chopra stands in a classroom, holding a copy of Pete the Cat, eager to share her love of reading with a new generation.
“I’m here because I really want to spread the love of reading,” Chopra explains. As a dedicated volunteer with the LiTEArary Society, she is part of an international effort that began in West Virginia, aiming to provide new picture books to preschool children to nurture their love for reading.
Volunteers from the LiTEArary Society read and donate copies of Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes to pre-schoolers in Grafton, West Virginia.
Credit: Chris Schulz/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Chopra, who has volunteered with the LiTEArary Society since seventh grade, visits classrooms to distribute books for students to take home. In regions like Appalachia, access to books can be limited, making these visits highly impactful.
Teacher Nate Sorrel, from the Webster Head Start, appreciates the fresh energy volunteers bring. “The kids, when they see somebody else, they get so excited,” he shares. “They see us every day, and not that they don’t get excited for us, but to see someone new and what they have to offer, it’s really good for our program.”
Such interactions are crucial for childhood literacy and language development. Sorrel adds, “When they were reading Pete the Cat, and their faces just lit up, it’s really exciting, because they might not have this at home, they might not get to experience books.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that shared reading with young children enhances caregiver relationships and boosts early brain development, setting the stage for school readiness and lifelong benefits.
Rania Zuri, the founder of the LiTEArary Society, started the organization in Morgantown after learning about “book deserts,” areas where children’s access to books is scarce. She recalls, “I was so sad to learn in middle school that so many children don’t have that privilege of having a parent or caregiver read to them or have books at home. And so when I started, I really wanted to begin with donating Pete the Cat books, because that was my favorite.”
Now a nonprofit with thousands of volunteers, the LiTEArary Society has donated over $1,000,000 worth of new, best-selling picture books to more than 91,000 preschool children. With chapters in all 50 states and expanding internationally, the society welcomes young volunteers to join its mission.
Chopra believes in the power of youth involvement. “You can make a difference if you’re a child. because they’re younger, because they’re middle school, high school, they don’t think that what they do is really, really gonna make a difference. And to that, I say, look at the LiTEArary Society, because we’re entirely youth led.”
The joy of sharing stories and gifting books is a reward in itself. “It honestly means the world to me, because specifically in this state, I always think if just one kid falls in love with reading and has the same passion that I had as a kid growing up, then it makes everything worth it,” said Chopra.
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