“There was an old lady who swallowed some books!” read Sunnyvale Rotarian Mary Green-Vickrey to first graders at Sunnyvale’s Lakewood Elementary School. “I don’t know why she swallowed those books!”
What child—or adult— wouldn’t want to listen or read on to find out why an old lady would do something so silly—and impossible?
Who wouldn’t start humming “I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,” the children’s rhyme recorded by American folk singer and actor Burl Ives in 1953?
National Book Week was May 6 – 12.
Throughout May, 18 book-loving Rotarians fanned out across Sunnyvale, reading the nonsensical story “There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Books” by Lucille Colandro and illustrated by Jared Lee, to the 30 classrooms of first graders in Sunnyvale’s eight elementary schools. Each of the 465 students received a personal copy, labeled to identify it as a Rotary gift.
The literacy event brought back memories for some Rotarians.
“I was very fortunate to grow up with books in my house,” said Alia Wilson, who hung out summers at her local Redwood City Library.
“I adored being free to explore and pick whatever books I wanted and having my library card. I feel my love of reading early on led to my love of writing, which ended up being my career!” said Wilson.
Not every child is so lucky.
That’s why Sunnyvale native Flo Stafford, a 35-year Rotarian, founded the Rotary Club of Sunnyvale’s Literacy Program at least two decades ago.
She was out walking her little pug one evening and ran into a neighbor, a Sunnyvale kindergarten teacher. They got to talking about books.
“Some kids in my class don’t have even one book!” said the neighbor.
So, Stafford appealed to her fellow Rotarians.
“The best thing about Rotary is that any member can go to the club with their idea, and the club will run with it,” said Stafford.
The Rotary started by providing books for one kindergarten class. Then the program spread districtwide and included first graders.
“I’m thrilled the way club members reacted to the literacy program. It’s an honor for a program to have grown and lasted for so many years,” said Stafford. “Club members are just as enthusiastic about it this year as they were 20 years ago.”
Additionally, instead of giving an honorarium to a speaker at their weekly lunch meetings, Rotary donates a book in their name to school libraries. In 2023, they donated 27 books.
Also in 2023, Rotary awarded a one-time grant of $2,500 to the Sunnyvale Education Foundation to purchase books on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion for the district’s school libraries.
“The literacy event was an enormous success!” said Julie Griffin, District Librarian for Sunnyvale Schools. “We are grateful for Sunnyvale Rotary Club’s commitment to promoting literacy and education within our community.
“We also want to thank Leigh’s Favorite Books for ordering the books for this district-wide event—593 in English and 52 in Spanish—no small task.”
Leigh’s Favorite Books – an independent bookstore on Sunnyvale’s Murphy Street – provided at cost the copies of “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Books.”
“One of the reasons why I’m so proud to be a part of Rotary is that it supports literacy both for children and adults,” said Wilson. “You never know where a book will take you!”
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