Reach Out and Read Minnesota

10/14/2026

We are honored to be an Anthem Award finalist this year for our efforts to supply families with books and early learning guidance during Operation Metro Surge this winter!

This project was the result of the work, care, and dedication of many partners, including our National Center, our book vendors, our volunteers, our healthcare workers and partner organizations who brought these books and materials directly to families homes.

We can't thank each of these partners and collaborators enough! We know these books brought smiles to the faces of thousands of families during a time when it was sorely needed.

You can vote to celebrate this work here: http://reachoutandread.me/VoteBooksForNeighbors

Join me in celebrating the impact of this Anthem Awards finalist.

10/13/2026

Reach Out and Read isn't just another thing for our clinicians to tick off their list — it's a central part of the care they provide for young children and their caregivers.

More than 2,500 clinicians at 300+ clinics across the state use Reach Out and Read in their regular practice and it's changing lives across the state, visit by visit, book by book.

Thanks to Dr. Madeline Mangin of CentraCare for sharing how Reach Out and Read shapes her pediatric practice!

10/02/2026

Get your bids on, friends! Our annual Books & Brews virtual silent auction is open and we have some awesome items and experiences donated by local businesses, organizations, and individuals. The best part is that all of the proceeds go to funding our brain-building, family-strengthening program at clinics all across Minnesota!

Check out the auction here: https://BOOKSBREWS26.auctria.events

A huge thanks to those who have contributed to our auction

09/17/2026

Our fun and free fundraiser is happening on October 7th at Urban Growler Brewing Company and we'd love if you popped by! We'll be there from 5 to 8pm, hanging out, enjoying food and drinks, talking about books and kids, and playing a bit of trivia 📚🍔🍺

It's an easy, casual way to get more plugged into our work, whether you're brand new or have been a supporter since the start! Events like this helps us raise funds *and* build the community we need to help our program thrive for families all across Minnesota.

And don't forget; our virtual auction will be opening on Friday, October 2nd! You'll have 5 days to bid on outstanding range of items and experiences from local Minnesota businesses and organizations.

We'd be just thrilled if you brought some friends along too! 😊🍻

See the event details and preview the silent auction on our website:
https://reachoutandreadmn.org/news/events/books-brews-2026.html

09/03/2026

Nothing helps build a connection like a book and a smile 📚😊

When a clinician like Dr. Hadorn hands over a book to a child, it sparks a moment of joy and becomes a launch pad for a meaningful conversation with child and caregiver.

Conversations like these result in real life impact. Families will go home much more excited to read together and better informed about how they can help their little one learn and grow healthily!

08/28/2026

The littlest moments add up to make the biggest differences.

Every time a loving adult takes a moment to speak, sing, or read with a young child, it creates a new opportunity for the child to learn and discover the world around them. Even when it doesn't last long — and we know kids' attention spans can be quite short! — a child's brain can absorb tons of information.

Over time, each of these moments helps to form a foundation for learning —something they'll continue to build on for the rest of their lives.

Savor those small moments with the little ones in your life! And remember, even if they moments fly by, their impact will remain for years to come.

08/13/2026

These simple back and forth interactions make magic happen in a child's brain!

Every conversation, every book shared, and every song sung together forge new connections in a child's brain, setting them up for a lifetime of learning.

08/06/2026

Stronger bodies and stronger brains 💪🧠

Special shout out to Orangetheory Fitness Plymouth for collecting gently used books for us at their gym! Community efforts like this show us that Minnesotans care for each other and want to see our littlest ones succeed 💞📚

Gently used book donations are a major way we can boost the effects of the guidance and brand-new books given out in the exam room in our program. These books are used to stock waiting rooms and little free libraries or are given out to children outside of our core age range. They help build families' home libraries, giving them more tools to learn and bond together at home!

Learn more about our used book program here: https://reachoutandreadmn.org/get-involved/donate-books.html

07/27/2026

The simple act of handing a book over to a young child can tell a clinician *so much* about how a child is doing 🧑🏻‍⚕️📚

When little ones reach for the book, turn pages, or even chew on it, they’re demonstrating important milestones like sensory-motor development and hand-eye coordination. These small behaviors give clinicians real-time insight into how a child is growing and learning — and open the door for meaningful conversations with parents.

It’s just one moment during a checkup, but it plants the seeds for a lifetime of reading, learning, and connection. 🌱💙

07/21/2026

A huge thanks to Robert and his team at Native Roots Radio for having us on yesterday to talk all about kids, books, brains, and early relationships! 📻 🎙️

We also got to shout out the outstanding work that our Tribal, IHS, and other Native serving clinics are doing all across the state to bring families high-quality, culturally relevant books and guidance.

You can watch the full conversation here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/FQ7eHpij3JA?si=6-IXVN-Wqedaho8z&t=179