Reach Out & Read Illinois prepares low-income children for kindergarten by incorporating books into pediatric visits from six months to five years, connecting families to neighborhood resources and encouraging families to read together. Reach Out & Read Illinois builds on the relationship between parents and healthcare providers. Books are an important part of early learning and brain development, and Reach Out & Read Illinois distributes over 118,000 books and early learning resources to families every year. Yet, this is only a fraction of those that need support.