Parents and children birth to age 5 are invited to a free public reading event Thursday and Friday at the Community Learning Center.

A Book Start Grant from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and Capstone Publishers included 200 books, which will be distributed to the first 200 participants at the Family Reading Event.

“It’s not just for our families; it is anyone,” said Amy Baskin, director of Community Education. “Our goal is to get books into the hands of kids.”

Activities will include snacks, arts and crafts and lots of reading.

“You can start reading to a child actually before they are born,” Baskin explained. “As kids develop, it builds that bond and that closeness.”

The goal of the event is to encourage literacy and help parents understand why reading to their children, as well as their children listening and reading to others, is so important.

The Family Reading Event will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday and 10-11:30 a.m. Friday.

To register, call 433-0973. The CLC is located at 912 First Ave. N.E., in the back of Queen of Angels Church.