Ask Leviâs mother, Katie, and sheâll tell you that one of his favorite books is "The Goodnight Walk", by Elisha Cooper. It is the story of a mother and child who take a walk down the block to the bay. As they turn to walk back home, evening falls upon the neighborhood, and they begin to notice all the little changes that have occurred in the short time since they started their journey.
It is a fitting story for Katie and Levi whom we first met three years ago. A single mom, Katie took her son to preschool one morning to find that inside every childâs cubby was a School Readiness Kit (SRK) from United Way. In addition to reading tips and lots of educational activities, Leviâs kit contained several booksâincluding "The Goodnight Walk".
âAs I was reading through the kit, I got so emotional, I started to cry,â Katie said at the time. âIt really helped me guide my child.â
Today Levi is in kindergarten and thriving. He is at the top of his class in reading comprehension, and the once shy, quiet preschooler is now confident and engaged with his classmatesâand all within the short walk between preschool and kindergarten.
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While Levi was practicing his new skills in preschool, Katie was able to complete her paralegal certification, which has led to a good job with a local law firm. At the end of the day, they sometimes still curl up to read The Goodnight Walk, and both know in real life, so much can change in the space of a few steps.