That can be a challenge because it takes money to get books. Dr. Haecker and her team have to raise money to buy the books themselves or else find people or companies that can donate them. Despite the hard work, Dr. Haecker gets deep satisfaction from seeing how reading to young children can make a big difference in their lives. Among her first Reach Out and Read patients were twins who were born prematurely and needed special care. Their mother read to them a lot. If Dr. Haecker forgot to give the girls a book at a checkup, they would ask her for one before they left. When the twins were 14, they were both accepted by top high schools in Philadelphia. Their mother visited Dr. Haecker to share the good news, and she credited Reach Out and Read for getting their education off to such a good start, Dr. Haecker says. The twins, now 18, have been accepted to college. Dr. Haecker encourages children to limit the time they spend playing video games and watching TV. They should pick up a book instead. If they don’t have one handy, they should get a library card and borrow a book. Above all, she says, she hopes all children “develop a passion for reading.” —By Healthy Press staff, Gotwals Elementary School; and Healthy Reporter staff, Whitehall Elementary School 23 Illustration by Jordan Wright, St. Martin de Porres Healthy Saint