Banning Books Isn’t Just Morally Wrong. It’s Also Unhealthy

When I was in practice as a pediatrician, I wrote daily prescriptions for reading. I had an actual notepad to help me prescribe books to families of young infants and toddlers. On that pad, I would write things like “read to your baby for 20 minutes,” and along with that prescription I’d give that family an age- and language-appropriate book to read together. I did this because I knew, as pediatricians and family practitioners who continue this practice across the country know, that stories are good medicine.