A librarian, Jennifer Williams's mother read to her three children every day. "Not until we went to kindergarten (幼儿园)," Williams said. "Until we went to college."
When Williams, now 54, became a primary school teacher in Danville, Virginia, she wanted her students to fall in love with reading just as she had. But she realized that some kids had limited access (使用的机会) to books.
"It's very obvious to teachers of young children which kids are read to versus kids who are not," she said. To Williams, the solution (解决办法) was simple: Give kids books. In 2017, as part of an event called Engage Danville, she gave away 900 used children's books over three days. Most people would be satisfied with that. Most.
"My husband was like, `Wow, congratulations,' and I was like, `Well, anybody can do that,' " she said. "I told him, 'I want to give away a million books.'"
It sounds like an unreachable number, but as Williams posted on Facebook: "Don't complain in the bleachers (露天看台) if you aren't willing to work hard out on the field."
So she got to work, first by roping in friends to donate books or money to buy books. "I've lived in this town for 35 years," she said. "My community has come together and said, 'You've always helped us, now let us help you.'"
Before long, as news of Williams' s project spread, strangers started leaving books on her front porch (门廊). As quickly as the books come in, Williams gives them to local schools and little free libraries in Danville.
In the four years she' s been doing all this, the Book Lady, as Williams has come to be known, has given away more than 78,000 books - only 922,000 more to reach her goal! And she' s not slowing down. It's too important for kids with few options.
"Reading can take you anywhere," she said. "You can travel in time and space. If you can read, you can learn almost anything."
