Give the kids what they want ... and they'll read it!

See and print more than 200 photos with Santa Saturday's
Cops N Kids Book Giveway at Merchant's Moving and Storage

It was all about reading Saturday morning, as thousands of kids poured into the warehouse at Merchants Moving where some 50,000 books were waiting for them.

Long rows of pallets, each with piles of books for a different age range, were the big draw, as each child was allowed to fill a large bag with all he or she could carry. Nor were books the morning's only attraction: Santa Claus was present, after all, along with Sparky the firedog, carols, a string ensemble and even Toby, a reader-dog. More than 100 volunteers worked quietly behind the scenes, replenishing to piles of books and making everything go smoothly.

Children sat contentedly on the pallets, holding up this book and that, reading a few pages, putting it back to find something else. Moms and Dads helped, some sitting quietly to read with their children. Julia Burney Witherspoon, whose Cops 'N Kids reading program started it all, proudly wore reindeer antlers and shepherded shy kids from place to place, garnering some a book here, a junior police badge there. Her smile was ear to ear. "Isn't this wonderful." she said; it wasn't a question.

And when it was done, you can be sure there were many Racine kids sitting quietly in a corner at home, engrossed in their latest acquisition: a stack of new books. How neat is that?

Vanessa Guaerrero, 5, reads to Investigator Tracy Hintz

Brock Batwinski, 1, surrounded by books

Elizabeth Marcellis, 5, with Santa

Postscript: There were a lot of law enforcement personnel at the book giveaway, signing autographs, giving away junior policemen badges and pencils, generally making small talk -- all part of their effort to win hearts and minds while the kids are receptive. Racine Police Chief Kurt Wahlen was also present, and I joshed him gently, saying, "Shouldn't you be out on the street catching criminals?" Ha, joke's on me: While he was driving to Saturday's event in his unmarked squad, a car sped past him at 50-60 mph. Wahlen turned on his portable flashing lights, stopped the vehicle and arrested its driver: a woman driving with a suspended license for the third time who had two warrants pending.