Chattanooga’s Innovative Beats and Books Program Aims to Boost Children’s Literacy

Chattanooga Launches Exciting Beats and Books Literacy Program

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Exciting things are happening in Chattanooga! The Beats and Books literacy program is back and running through the 2024-2025 school year, and it’s about to make reading a whole lot more fun for kids. This unique program combines the love of Hip-Hop and R&B music with a passion for reading by featuring artists, celebrities, and influencers who are making a difference in children’s literacy.

What is Beats and Books?

So, you might be wondering, what exactly is Beats and Books? Great question! This program is all about promoting literacy among children, particularly focusing on minority students. Each month, a new artist is chosen alongside a special children’s book. This isn’t your regular reading session—imagine your favorite tunes playing in the background while someone well-known reads a delightful story out loud!

How It Works

The music that accompanies the stories is created by local students who are part of the Dynamo Studios program in Hamilton County. This means not only are the kids getting to enjoy cool tunes, but they’re also being showcased for their creative talents, which is an awesome way to build confidence and community spirit.

The selection of artists and books is thoughtfully done by the City of Chattanooga’s Public Library and Early Learning Departments, ensuring a mix of inspiration and educational value each month. For example, October’s featured artist is the talented Bindy, who will be sharing the classic children’s book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. It’s a perfect fit for bringing both music and literature together!

Tune In and Take Home

The exciting part doesn’t stop there! The read-aloud sessions along with the musical recordings will air at 3:30 p.m. on Power 94 during the first week of each month. For families, it is an excellent way to spend time together, enjoying stories and catchy beats.

But there’s more! After the broadcast, students in grades K-3 will receive take-home library kits filled with a selection of fantastic children’s books. That’s a great way to keep up the reading momentum at home! To make things even cooler, there will also be a limited number of signed copies of the month’s featured book available for pickup at various local locations. Imagine having a book signed by your favorite artist! How awesome is that?

Why Beats and Books Matters

The main objective of this program is to foster a love for reading and to provide high-quality educational resources to families completely free of charge. In today’s digital age, making reading enjoyable and accessible is more important than ever. Programs like Beats and Books are addressing this need by encouraging kids to discover the magic of words while enjoying the beats that set the mood.

So, if you live in Chattanooga or know any kids who would benefit from this fantastic program, make sure to tune in and take part! It’s a wonderful opportunity for kids to engage with literature in a way that’s fresh, fun, and totally relatable. Plus, who wouldn’t want to hear their favorite artists read to them?

Keep an ear out for the upcoming months, as the stars of the music world will be helping to create the next wave of young readers right here in Chattanooga. Let’s celebrate this initiative that encourages our kids to dream big, read widely, and embrace learning through the rhythm of the beats!