Sharing the Secret: Books are Friends for Life : Singing Star, Others Tell Grade Schoolers to Read, Read, Read

Singer Helen Reddy drove over from her Santa Monica home “because the idea intrigued me. I’m an avid reader. I know the importance of reading.”

Reddy was one of 265 men and women from all walks of life who took time from their schedules to read to the more than 7,000 kindergarten through eighth-grade students at 13 schools in Rosemead, Monterey Park, San Gabriel and South San Gabriel.

It was the seventh annual Great Garvey School District Read-In, a celebration of reading held Thursday during National Library Week.

“Our belief is that all children can succeed. This is one of the tools we use to help achieve that goal, getting parents, business people and people from all walks of life in the community to read to our children,” explained Bruce C. Davis, 52, principal of Ralph Waldo Emerson School in Rosemead.

“By doing so we reinforce that reading is an important skill for personal improvement and recreation.”

Emerson School has 652 students, 38% from welfare families, 94% Latino and Asian with limited abilities in speaking English. Yet, it is one of only 248 of the more than 5,000 public elementary schools in the state--the top 5%--last year that received the California Distinguished School Award for its positive approach to recognizing academic achievement.

At an assembly before the Read-In, Davis passed out certificates and red ribbons to the “Super Reader of the Week” and blue ribbons and certificates to the “Student of the Week” from each class.

That happens every week at Emerson School and is followed by a phone call to all ribbon-winning parents explaining why their child won the award and thanking them for their help. Davis makes the English-language calls, his wife the Spanish-language calls and teacher Camillia Phung the calls in Vietnamese and Chinese. Since the program started they have made 11,800 calls to parents.

“Once upon a time there was this baby named ‘X.’ You could not tell whether it was a boy or a girl . . . “ Reddy read peering through her glasses intently as she started the delightful story “X” by Lois Gould to a fifth-grade class at Emerson.

She explained how she became addicted to reading when she was their age and how she has been reading ever since, “with five or six books going at the same time, mostly histories and biographies. Books are everywhere in my house.”

The singer was one of many celebrities invited to read. Davis had sent out letters “to let students know that successful people value reading.”

Fred Anderson, Channel 7 reporter, read the book “Where’s Spot?” by Eric Hill to a kindergarten class. “Reading is one of the most important parts of my life,” Anderson told the tiny tots, adding:

“Sometimes you think the world is just between your house and school. How far is a world? You can find out what’s beyond Rosemead by reading.”

Being There Is Important

Anderson later mentioned to other readers: “Just being here and making them want to read a little bit more, helping open their world through reading is so worthwhile.”

Bob Reza, 31, a highway patrolman, came in uniform to read, as did several police officers, firemen and paramedics. “Some of the seventh- and eighth-graders I read to had never talked to a policeman before. I told them to read as often as they could, that reading will help them achieve their goals in life,” Reza said.

Readers included doctors, dentists, attorneys, mailmen, truck drivers, graduates of the schools, homemakers, university professors, company presidents, the man in the street, the woman next door.

Joe Frain, 50, a banker, read. So did Lorena Tong, producer of the CBS “Kids Whiz” program, and Jim Smith, 50, customer service supervisor of Southern California Edison. Wilda Marcel, 66, who lives behind Emerson School, taught first grade there 19 years and was married to the school custodian. Homemaker Veronica Luna, 29, and Jay Stein, 32, Buffums area manager, were among the many others.

You Can Go Anywhere

Janice Shyer, 60, a librarian from Alhambra, told a fifth-grade class, “When you open a book you can go anywhere in the world, have any kind of adventure.”

Several celebrities contacted by Davis were unable to read because of prior commitments, but they expressed their thoughts about reading in letters to the students.

Charlton Heston: “I am writing from London where I am appearing in a play. My advice to you students, indeed to all of us, is to read, read, read. Read everything possible. Reading gives all of us the tools to make the decisions and choices.”

Jim Murray, The Times sports columnist: “Without reading my life would be an empty cup. No one who has a book is alone.”

Gov. George A. Sinner, North Dakota: “Think about your reading skills as a vast bank account. You will be able to draw on it no matter what occupation you choose.”

Tom Brokaw: “Reading is truly a privilege not to be slighted or unused. The next time you’re bored pick up a book. I guarantee you won’t regret it.

Has Met Presidents

Vikki Carr: “My world would be so limited if I could not read. With reading I’ve gone from Rosemead to meeting presidents and heads of state throughout the world. But, no matter where my travels take me, my dearest companion is always a good book.”

Carl N. Karcher, CEO of the company that bears his name and employs 13,000 people: “Every thought that mankind ever had is in books. I cannot imagine how anyone can get from life, as well as give to life, their full potential without the ability to read.”

In teacher Steve Siegel’s fourth-grade class, the students read their own “Why I Like to Read” essays. They included these thoughts:

Ilene Montes: “I like to read because it takes you into lands you will never be in.”

Problem in Stores

Jenny Hang: “If you can’t read you will not be able to understand signs or labels in the supermarkets.”

Phuong Ngoc To: “If I am bored I can read a book and feel better.”

Louie Rodriguez: “I like to read because I learn about animals and the world.”

Lani Murillo: “If you don’t know how to read you can’t do anything.”

Ryu Yamaguchi: “When I read it feels like I am really in the story.”

And, Quan Thuc Vuong: “Sometimes when I am lonely I take out a book and read. Reading makes you happy, it makes you laugh, and sometimes it even makes you cry. The best thing about reading is it’s always there for you.”