Books for Newborns

Huntsville Public Library is proud to partner with Books for Newborns Muskoka to provide books and information to new parents and their babies in Huntsville and surrounding areas.

When your child is born, you will receive a package from Books for Newborns and the Huntsville Public Library either at the Huntsville Hospital or with the Midwives of Muskoka.

Books For Newborns Muskoka is a volunteer group established in 1989 by a group of teachers in Muskoka. The group created book packages to encourage parents to read to their children from birth and support early childhood literacy in Muskoka. In January 1990, the committee began to personally deliver packages to babies in the Huntsville and Bracebridge hospitals and speak with families about the importance of reading. This personal contact provided a positive link between home and school, and parents report reading to their children to be a rewarding experience for the whole family.

Community groups focusing on the needs of children and their parents support in preparing this package. Co-operation from local hospitals, public health nurses, government-run program personnel, media, local bookstores, printers and libraries, service groups, and teachers was invaluable.

The package contains a congratulatory letter to the parents, statement of objective and philosophy, nursery rhyme book, short bibliography of children’s books, and a quote by a famous journalist about reading to children. Information from the local libraries is also included.

Throughout the years, we have spread the benefits of reading to children in the following ways:

• Displays in local malls and libraries
• Newspaper articles
• Television human interest coverage
• Speaking to local service and professional groups
• Delivering quality children’s books to agencies that serviced children and their families, such as:
  • Children and Family Services
  • Great Beginnings – Baby and toddler programs
  • Family Focus and Family Services (parent group)
  • Early Years Drop-In Centres and pre-natal classes in Huntsville, Bracebridge, Gravenhurst, Burks Falls, South River, Sundridge, Magnetawan, and Parry Sound
  • Midwives
  • Interval House and Chrysalis House
  • Family Expo
• Storytime program (reading books on the local television cable station)
• Speaking to Huntsville High School students in their Family Studies Class

We believe that every child should have a book that is their very own.