BY PAULA KATINAS / AUGUST 17, 2017
Children's book author Sheryl Haft met some of her youngest fans at a fun-filled gathering this week at the Magical Years Early Childhood Center of the Family Health Centers, a Sunset Park program sponsored by NYU Langone.
Haft read excerpts from her new book "Baby-Boo, I Love You" to a group of more than 60 enthusiastic toddlers and children during her visit to the center.
The writer's visit was designed to encourage kids to read, according to NYU Langone officials.
In addition to reading from her book, Haft lead a sing-a-long with help from actor Devon Goffman, who appeared "Jersey Boys' when the show played on Broadway.
The children also used their creativity by making their own dolls based on the book's character, Baby-Boo. The dolls were crafted out of socks, cotton and a ribbon.
"As an educator, I see the benefits of a child who reads," Haft Said. "They engage their imaginations, become thinkers, ask questions and reason at greater capacity. I also enjoy working with parents because they learn new ways of teaching their child to read through stories that are both captivating and fun. Through the kind donations of friends, family and Penguin books, it was a delight to introduce 'Baby-Boo, I Love You' to the children at Magical Years."
Thanks to the support of multiple donors, each child received a copy of Haft's book. Extra copies of the book were given to the Magical Years Early Childhood Center to add to it's children's book library.
More than 300 "Baby-Boo, I love You" books were distributed by the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone's Reach Out and Read program to primary care locations, Family support programs, school-based health centers and placed in the waiting rooms of NYU Longone Hospital-Brooklyn at 150 55th St.
"Reading is one of many fun activities we encourage or children to do. having Ms. haft and Mr. Goffman was a wonderful opportunity for our parents and children to meet and interact with them, and see first-hand how fun learning new words and reading can be," said Ann Guo, director at the Magical Years Early Childhood Center.
