An officer stopped and arrested male motorist for OWI-2. During the stop I observed a 3YOA girl in backseat who was quite interested in what was going on with dad outside and beginning to get upset. I gave her the "I am a dog" book to distract/occupy her until her aunt arrived. She liked the book and took it with her.

UW-Madison Police Department

One of the girls noticed a “Charlotte’s Web” book and stated she would like to have it as the one she owned just burned in the fire.” The family was very thankful.

Marquette County Sheriff Kim V. Gaffney

I gave away several of the Reach a Child books today. A woman (and her 5 children) came into the UWPD lobby because they were lost. They had just come up from Mississippi and were staying at a women’s shelter (DV shelter on Prospect/Monroe). During the ride, one of the children told me it was his 9th birthday today. When we got to the shelter, I took out one of the Reach a Child Backpacks and told him he could pick a book out as a birthday present. After he picked a booked, I told him that if his brother’s and sister’s promised to share, they could each pick one out as well. The children ranged in age from 2 – 13. We gave away 5 total books.

Officer, UW-Madison Police Department

If it were a firefighter for example with a fire in a home or the death of a loved one and certainly a severe crash where there might be injury and those kinds of things, something like this can re-direct a child's attention away from a traumatic experience and, I think, be very successful.

State Patrol Deputy Ben Mendez

We thought, 'What if someone gives books away to kids in a time of crisis to help transport those children to a happier place,' at least in their minds, at least temporarily, at least while the crisis is all around them.

Paul Gilbertson