Early Literacy
What does it take to build a strong reader? This is a process that begins during the earliest days, weeks, and months of a child’s life through rich, stimulating back-and-forth interactions with their caregivers. Parents responding to their baby’s babbles, coos, and gestures is an early form of communication that serves a critical purpose. When parents share books, conversations, and songs with their children, they help to build a foundation for them to become strong readers and writers when they enter school.
Parents can help children build early literacy skills right from the start! Check out our new resources for fun tips and ideas to make everyday moments opportunities to nurture growing readers and writers.
Book Nooks and Little Libraries
The Great Start Family Coalition (GSFC) leads an effort to place Book Nooks and Little Libraries at accessible locations across Genesee County.
Map to locations for GSFC Book Nooks and Little Libraries
Stop by one of these community businesses, organizations, and schools for your child to pick a free book to add to their home library.
Do you have books to recycle and share? Call Felicia Campbell at (810) 591-5635 or send an email.
Visit Your Local Libraries
Genesee County has a great library network with books, programs, and services for every age.
Flint Public Library
The Flint Public Library
Genesee District Library
Genesee District Library
Early Childhood - Genesee District Library
Early Literacy Calendar - Genesee District Library
Early Literacy Kits Collection - Genesee District Library
Storybook Trail - Genesee District Library
1000 Books Before Kindergarten
The 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge is a simple (read a book, any book to your child, with the goal of reading 1,000 before kindergarten) and very manageable endeavor. The goal is to provide a simple, innovative yet fun approach to establishing strong early literacy skills.
Flint & Genesee Literacy Network
The Genesee Reads area of the Flint & Genesee Literacy Network website provides information and resources for families of young readers, including links to Genesee County partners for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Free Books for Genesee County Children from Birth to Age 5
As a community, we want all children to enter kindergarten healthy and ready to read. We can now offer a great opportunity for Genesee County parents to get free books for their children!
Parents of children residing in Genesee County can sign up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that sends a book each month to the home of each registered child (birth through five years of age) at no cost to the family. Children of different ages receive different titles; the books are carefully selected and are the children’s to keep.
Michigan Language and Literacy for Littles and Loved Ones
You help your baby learn to read and write long before they ever say their first word! Everyday moments like talking, singing, and playing build your child’s early language and literacy skills. The Michigan Language and Literacy for Littles and Loved Ones resource helps you discover the simple, powerful ways you’re already supporting your child’s learning and shows you how to do even more, just by being you.
B-3 Family Essentials
Michigan Literacy Essentials
Talking is Teaching
When you talk, read, and sing with your children, even before they can use words, you’re building their brains and helping to prepare them for success in school and beyond. To help, we’ve created fun tips and resources to help you talk, read, and sing with your child every day.
Talking Is Teaching
See more about our local Talking is Teaching campaign here.