The Take Time Take Ten Literacy Program celebrates a milestone – handing out its 5,000th book to a newborn since the program began in 2002. The nuts and bolts of literacy are established in childhood and that's why this program is so important. Presenting newborns with a book is the first stage of our ongoing programs for children, we also have our Baby Rhyme and Read program for toddlers, Storytime for pre-schoolers and library resources for school students. We would like to thank the Take Time Take Ten volunteers - Orange Base Hospital Blue Ladies, Orange Base Hospital Maternity Ward, Margaret Schwebel at Book City for purchasing the books and our sponsors. Orange Credit Union has allowed us to purchase books for the 900 or so children to be born in Orange this year. The lucky family receiving the 5,000th Take Time Take Ten book was Amanda and Mark Paterson, of Orange, and their newborn daughter Amelia Jane. Pictured above is the Take Time Take Ten team: Margaret Schwebel of Book City, Blue Ladies President Cheryl Lobsey, Blue Ladies volunteer Mary O'Hare, Orange Credit Union Marketing Coordinator Noelle Cornish and Orange City Librarian Elizabeth Barry. Pictured below is Amanda and Amelia receiving the 5,000th book (and flowers) in the Take Time Take program from current sponsor Noelle Cornish from Orange Credit Union.

Local author Charlotte Calder entertained 80 children at Storytime during Children' Book Week with an animated reading of her new children's book Stuck! illustrated by Mark Jackson and published by Walker Books. The story is about a series of items that get stuck up a tree and of course the children wanted to know what happened next. They loudly called out Stuck as each item stayed up in the tree. Thank you to everyone for coming along.

One warm and windy day, Charlie and his friends decide to fly a kite. It takes off and soars and swoops and plunges straight into a tree. The kite is stuck. One by one, Charlie's friends each try to free the kite with their toys all of which end up stuck in the tree along with the kite. Just when it looks as though everything is stuck forever, the cat loses its footing on a branch and sets off a chain reaction, sending their toys to the ground. But guess who is stuck now?"

Orange City Library together with Book City and Children's Medical Research Institute present Charlotte Calder reading her new children's book Stuck! beautifully illustrated by Mark Jackson, published by Walker Books at Storytime 11am on Tuesday 25 August at Orange City Library.

You can also meet Charlotte and help launch the book during Children's Book Week at the Charlotte Calder Author Talk Tuesday 25 August, 5.30pm for 6pm, refreshments served at Orange City Library, Byng Street, Orange. Your $5 donation supports the Children's Medical Research Institute. Please RSVP to 6393 8132

Our own much loved "Storytime lady" Fiona has been snapped by The Central Western Daily photographer in full flight reading a story. Storytime is held at 11am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during school terms for pre-school age children. Every week the theme for Storytime changes and this week Fiona has been reading about cars and trucks. There is a wealth of evidence to support the fact that children who are read to aloud on a regular basis when they are young, are readily able to learn to read once they start school. It's never too early to start reading to your child. Even babies love hearing nursery rhymes. There's no magic formula, no right way of reading and, no special rules. A book, a quiet place, you and your child - it's all you need! See the Storytime news story here http://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/news/local/news/general/storytime-as-popular-as-ever/1536570.aspx and check out the "storytelling" image series in today's newspaper.