In celebration of Children’s Book Week, February 2-8, 2020, Fort Bend County Libraries will continue its annual tradition of welcoming newborns to the wonders of books. Every Fort Bend County baby born during this week may receive a special baby book bag, courtesy of the Friends of Fort Bend County Library.

Each bag contains a book, a bib, a special certificate, a list of suggested reading for children, and information on parenting and on library services. These bags represent the library system’s commitment to providing library services for county residents throughout their lives, beginning at birth.

“We hope to start every child born in hospitals in Fort Bend County on a successful road to life-long learning,” says Susan King, Coordinator of Youth Services for FBCL. “We distribute the baby book bags to babies born during that week at area Fort Bend County hospitals, but ALL Fort Bend County babies who are born during Children’s Book Week are eligible to receive one, while supplies last.”

Families of Fort Bend babies born at other locations during Children’s Book Week should call the Youth Services department, at 281-633-4762, to receive their book bag.

Not only is reading to a child a wonderful opportunity for bonding between parent and child, it has also been shown to stimulate brain development. Even the youngest baby can benefit from the chance to develop eye focus by looking at the page of a book, while being comforted by the familiar voice of a parent. Reading aloud to children exposes them to the sounds and cadences of a human voice, resulting in an earlier and stronger grasp of vocabulary skills.

Parents may introduce infants to the library by bringing them to Mother Goose Time, a free weekly parent/infant activity program that takes place at many of the branches in the Fort Bend County library system. Intended for infants from age 1 month to 12 months, Mother Goose Time provides caregiver/infant multisensory circle-time activities -- including simple sign language, folksongs and lullabies, and finger plays -- that are especially designed to stimulate babies’ social, emotional, and physical development through rhythm and music.

As the children mature, other programs with age-appropriate activities are designed to interest older children. Join us for Toddler Time, Preschool Story Time, and Kinder Korner, as well as our many programs for school-aged children.

For more information, call the library system’s Communications Office (281-633-4734).