September 17, 2014
Rebecca Sullivan’s family gets a lot of fun from the Cherbourg mobile library.
Almost every week they swap the books they borrow and Rebecca and her partner Greg read to their four children of an evening.
Greg Jnr, 9, Rosie, 7, Gertrude, 2, and Rhonda, 8 months, gather around their parents just before bed time and listen as Greg and Rebecca take turns to read.
“It puts a smile on the kids’ faces when they see their mum and dad reading,” Rebecca said.
“They think it’s only teachers that do that type of thing but we get a giggle out of it, too. Their dad makes all the sound effects to make it all the more interesting.
“When we get into it, it gets exciting. We make our voices go deeper when we’re getting to the scary parts.”
Rebecca believed reading to children was the best thing because they seemed to learn more when they were younger.
“I say, ‘the earlier you read to them the better,’” she said.
Barambah Parental and Community Engagement (PaCE) co-ordinator Marcus Priaulx agrees and runs the library with Cherbourg State School student attendance officer, Kathleen Combo.
“We have about 50 houses we try to get to on a weekly basis,” Marcus said.
“But if anybody wants to get on our route we’re only too happy to oblige.
“Reading to a child for 15 minutes or more every day from the day they’re born is, to me, the greatest thing you can do for their future.
“It’s easy, it’s fun and the kids love it.”
