The program motivates communities to use a common agenda to read, talk, sing, rhyme and draw with children from birth so they are ready to read and write once they commence school.

“This is a fantastic program to encourage kids to enjoy books from an early age,” Mayor Amanda Findley said.  

“Books are an important part of a child’s journey to literacy. They help inspire children’s imagination. Anything we can do as a community to inspire kids to read is a good thing.”

Students from Cullunghutti Learning Centre danced and welcomed visitors before Mayor Amanda Findley read the book “Jack’s Funtastic Day” to pre-school children and Auntie Grace Crossley shared a local Aboriginal story.

Using the symbol of an egg the concept encourages children to read to the egg to help it grow and hatch to reveal the surprise inside the egg.

More than one in five Australian children arrive at school without the skills necessary to make the most of their early education. In some communities the figure is much higher.

Research shows no matter how good their subsequent education, these children can fall further behind. They may struggle with literacy, employment, health and happiness for the rest of their lives.