When youngsters visit Santa House in downtown Warren this year, they'll have a chance to pick from Santa's personal supply of books.
Hundreds of children's books will be on display and available through Free Books for Kids Town at Santa House on Liberty Street following Friday's Christmas Parade. Any child may select any book. There is no charge.
Ruby Wiles said there are hundreds of books already on the shelves at Santa House and she planned to take a look at the thousands of books Free Books for Kids Town has in storage to focus on the right age group for the Christmas Walk. The program does not target a particular age group, but the children likely to visit Santa tend to be young readers.
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Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry
Ruby Wiles of Free Books for Kids Town checks the selection of children’s books at Santa House on Liberty Street. Children who visit Santa during Friday night’s Christmas Walk events will be encouraged to select a book.
Children are welcome to stop at other Free Books for Kids Town locations to receive more books, Wiles said.
According to Wiles, children who choose their books are more likely to read them.
And reading gives children positive images to work toward and positive goals, making them more resistant to negative influences they'll find in their futures, she said.
The program has about 3,000 books in storage, Wiles said. She expressed her thanks to Blair for financial assistance in purchasing books for the program.
In addition to the Santa House event, Wiles hopes to have Santa Claus visiting as many county elementary schools as possible with Free Books in tow.
"We're trying to do this everywhere in the county the last week before school lets out (for Christmas vacation)," she said. Santa may not be available, but Mrs. Claus is signed up to visit Sugar Grove Elementary School with the program in the next two weeks.