Give a Third Grader a Book

A&M Writing and Publishing, along with M.C. Tillson, is launching a campaign to get books into the hands of third graders—and keep them there.

The program, affectionately known by Ms. Tillson as the “Muffin Project” because of its relationship to Laura Numeroff’s classic children’s book, If You Give a Moose a Muffin, is based on the idea that if you give a third grader a book—a special book—perhaps a book signed by an author she met at her school, then not only will she read that book, but she might want some jam (or another book) to go with it. And maybe, just maybe, that third grader will also get a glimpse of the joy that is reading.

“If you give a moose a muffin, he’ll want some jam to go with it.
So you’ll bring out some of your mother’s homemade blackberry jam.
When he’s finished eating the muffin, he’ll want another.”

It’s not rocket science, but it is a personal connection that—as we all know—can make a huge difference in the life of a child, a teen, and even an adult. Reading is a life skill that everyone needs—no matter what they do, where they live, or how old they are. Anything we can do to further the ultimate goal of total literacy seems like a good thing.

If you would like to help by contributing to the Muffin Project, click here for more information. We’d love to have you along for the adventure.