Reach Out and Read is a national program started 30 years ago at Harvard with robust research over the years to show its efficacy. It is now a proven model officially endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The first five years of life offer a critical window for learning, with rapid brain development that does not occur at any other time. A large body of medical research has now accumulated which shows that the Reach Out and Read intervention model promoting early-childhood literacy - by the pediatrician, coupled with a book for the child to take home - has a significant effect on parental behavior and child school readiness. Research shows that when pediatricians promote literacy readiness by this model, parents are more than 2x more likely to read to their children. Children with exposure to books and reading in the first few years of their life demonstrate better recognition of sounds and letters, knowledge of a wider range of vocabulary, and increased listening skills – all of which provide for improved kindergarten readiness. During the preschool years, children served by Reach Out and Read score three to six months ahead of their non-Reach Out and Read peers on vocabulary tests, preparing them to start school on target. Research shows that children who start school on track are more likely to reach their full educational, social and life potential. Starting school with early literacy skill will increase likelihood of future school success, including third grade reading proficiency.