Kansas Reads to Preschoolers

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers is an annual event, since 2005, that promotes reading to all Kansas children from birth through age five in the month of November. Through the statewide program, parents, librarians and caregivers are encouraged to read the chosen title during a selected week and month.

A committee of librarians, library consultants and childcare professionals identify picture book titles well-suited to story time and children’s programs. The State Librarian reviews the committee’s three suggested titles then makes the final selection of one book to feature the month of November during Kansas Reads to Preschoolers.

State Librarian Ray Walling and the Kansas Reads to Preschoolers committee is pleased to announce the title chosen for 2024 is How Do You Hug a Porcupine/¿Cómo abrazas a un puercoespín? written by Laurie Isop.

Can you imagine hugging a porcupine? Sure, it's easy to picture hugging a bunny or even a billy goat, but where would you begin to try to hug a porcupine?

After seeing all his friends hug their favorite animals, one brave boy works up the courage to hug a porcupine, but the porcupine isn't so sure he wants to be hugged!

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers is an annual event that promotes reading to all Kansas children from birth through age five. Through the statewide program, parents, librarians and caregivers are encouraged to read the chosen title during a selected week and month.

For more information about Kansas Reads to Preschoolers contact Nikki Hansen, Resource Sharing Librarian for the State Library. nicole.hansen@ks.gov

2024 Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Committee Members:

• Kyler Carpenter, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
• Patty Collins, Central Kansas Library System
• Vanessa Dauber, Coffey County Library
• Lesa Dierking, Marysville Public Library
• Donna Knoell, Education Consultant
• Patrick Peterson, Basehor Public Library
• Janet Reynolds, La Cygne Public Library
• Lauren Taylor, Lawrence Public Library
• Racine Zackula, Wichita Public Library
• Nikki Hansen, State Library of Kansas