Give a Child a Book For the Holidays

For the 12th year, Giving Trees have been placed in the town's two public libraries, part of a holiday tradition that provides new books to children whose families may not be able to afford them.

The trees are decked with snowmen that give the gender and age of a child in need of a book. The ages range from newborn to 18 years old. Library patrons may take a snowman and purchase an age-appropriate book, then return it unwrapped to the library by Dec. 4.

Patrons may also donate $12, and the library will purchase the book.

All of the new books will be distributed at the annual toy drive sponsored in mid-December by the Ledyard Social Services Department. In past years, said town Children's Librarian Nancy Brewer, as many as 90 children have received new books through the Giving Tree program.

"We have been very blessed to have been able to provide these children with new books every year," said Brewer.  "Some of these families are struggling to buy food. They can't afford to go out and buy books.

"Obviously, here at the library we put a big emphasis on reading," she added.

So what's big on the kids' reading lists this year?

"The boys love anything with 'Thomas the Tank Engine,' and the girls like the 'Fancy Nancy' series," Brewer said. "Older kids love graphic novels," which she described as something like book-length comic books. "Teen-age girls love the 'Twilight' series, and teen-age boys like anything sports-related, or 'Star Wars.'"

Brewer said it is a wonderful thing to give a book to a child.

"The reason I do this job is that I want to give kids an enjoyment of reading, and how else to do that but to get the written word into the hands of children," she said.

The trees have been up since the first week in November. There are still more snowmen on them, which means there are still more chances to give a child a book for the holidays.