Reading is vital to a successful education, and lays the foundation to a rewarding future. Learning to read at a young age has been shown to increase a student’s ability to remember facts, comprehend information and be successful in both school and his or her career.
March is celebrated as National Reading Month, and is a time to encourage children to pick up a book and read.
To help promote the importance of reading, I will be handing out bookmarks and reading “House Mouse, Senate Mouse” to hundreds of students at local elementary schools throughout southwest Michigan. The book teaches children about the U.S. Capitol and how laws are made.
I encourage parents to join in the effort to help our children succeed through reading. Parents can check with their children’s school and local libraries about activities and programs and even ask about ways they can take part in reading activities along with their kids.
A simple way parents can help is by picking up a book and reading to their children each night.
My wife and I read a book every night to our children when they were younger, and we continue to make reading a priority in their lives. Reading to or with a child helps them learn language skills and gives parents an opportunity for quality interaction with their children.
The Library of Michigan offers an online list of authors from our state and a selection of books for children and young adults that take place in Michigan and are about notable Michigan topics.
Among the Michigan authors is Chris Van Allsburg, who was born in Grand Rapids. He is best known for writing and illustrating “The Polar Express” and “Jumanji.” Each book won the Caldecott Award for most distinguished picture book.
The Michigan authors and books all help achieve the important goals of Reading Month: to help engage our children about reading and to open their eyes to new adventures.
Highlighting the importance of reading to children is about helping our students succeed in life and develop a love of reading that they can pass on to their children.

Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, represents southwest Michigan.