We are happy to welcome You Can Read To Me into the wonderful selection of books we offer through our partnership with Blue Manatee Press! With this new addition, we wanted to know more about the book, what inspired the creation, and more from the creators.
Dr. Clare Crosh is a pediatrician and mother of three from the Chicagoland area. Her research is focused on literacy, health equity, and engaging families in shared reading. She strongly believes in the power of books and reading to transform a child’s world.
Arin Gentry, an Adjunct Professor and mother from Cincinnati, OH, is passionate about childhood literacy and promoting empowering books by Black authors, encouraging a sense of belonging and respect for diverse stories.
Kenyatta Davis is the photographer whose work is featured throughout the book. She is a lifestyle and wedding photographer based in the Cincinnati, OH area and has photographed people across the United States.
You Can Read To Me grew out of focus group conversations with parents from underserved communities that explored the importance of reading with babies in their first six months of life. Guided by pediatrician-led, community-based research, the book offers a sweet, simple story paired with photographs of families reading with their infants. This book gives caregivers an accessible tool to start building literacy skills and connections from day one. It was developed from a study of parents of infants aged 0 to 9 months in low-income households, exploring beliefs, experiences, and barriers related to shared reading to inform early literacy efforts. To read more about the study, you can read the full article here
What barriers to shared reading did you discover in your research?
We see this as a critical question: if we can help parents navigate these barriers, we can potentially increase shared reading at home. Many of the barriers parents described reflected broader system-level challenges. First, many parents said they simply don’t have enough time or face competing demands. This study took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, when parents, especially mothers, juggled multiple responsibilities and felt pulled in many directions. Parents also reported a barrier of having few or no children’s books at home. Programs like Reach Out and Read address this gap by providing books during well-child visits.
Another major barrier involved parental mental health. During the pandemic, many parents felt overwhelmed, and reading to a baby often fell low on their priority list. Finally, some parents believed reading to an infant wasn’t worthwhile because they felt their baby wasn’t ready. We know that isn’t the case; it’s never too early to start reading, and the benefits are endless!
What common beliefs around shared reading did you find most prominent amongst the population interviewed?
What stood out to us is that parents, regardless of whether they were reading to their infants, recognized that reading plays an important role in their child’s development. Even those who hadn’t started reading to their infants still recognized its value. We found this incredibly encouraging because it shows that most parents already appreciate how important reading is.
As pediatricians and providers, we need to keep building on that foundation. We can support parents by helping remove barriers and offering practical workarounds whenever possible. For example, one parent shared that she has her older children read to the younger ones. This approach helps the older children practice their reading skills while also giving the infant the chance to hear language and bond with their siblings.
What inspired you to turn your research into a children’s book?
John Hutton! He supported us in both the research and the writing of this book. We also wanted more families to read to their infants and thought the book could be an excellent catalyst for that discussion. The hope was to one day study the book and its impact on families’ shared reading habits.
How did your research results inform the creation of You Can Read To Me?
We built the book directly from the themes that emerged in our research. For example, many parents described themselves as their child’s first teacher, which we reflected in the line, “You’re my first, best teacher, always number one.” We also tried to meet parents where they are, often busy and pulled in many directions, by including lines like, “I know that you’re busy and time is hard to find. But the books you read to me feed my heart and mind.”
We wanted to bring these insights from our conversations with parents into the book in a way that feels authentic and relatable, so families can truly see themselves and their experiences reflected on the page
Why should caretakers be reading You Can Read To Me?
You CAN Read to Me is a joyful, affirming book that speaks directly to parents through the voice of a baby. It gently shows why reading to infants matters, using simple, heartfelt text paired with beautiful photographs of real families sharing these moments. Kenyatta’s photos truly bring the message to life; they capture connection, warmth, and the everyday reality of reading with a baby.
We wrote this book to encourage and empower families, especially those who may feel unsure about when or how to start. It makes the message clear: you can read to your baby, and it matters. We hope that this book not only inspires families to read more but also helps them feel confident and supported in doing so. It’s a project we created with so much love, and we hope families feel that on every page.