Each of the approximately 250 babies born annually at Sharon Hospital now goes home with a new children’s book, thanks to a Books for Babies partnership between the Hotchkiss Library of Sharon, Read to Grow and Sharon Hospital. Families also receive Read to Grow's literacy guide for parents of newborns as part of this joint effort to foster children’s language and early literacy development.

Just in time for the holidays, three area legislators joined representatives from Comcast and Read to Grow for a read aloud and book giveaway at the Branford Resource Center. Children gathered around State Senator Edward Meyer, State Representative Lonnie Reed and State Representative Patricia Widlitz as the legislators read to them and then helped distribute a new book to each of the Center's 95 children.

An updated policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council of Communications and Media recommends that media, particularly television, have potentially negative effects on children younger than 2 years, and recommends no media use in this age group.