QUALITYstarsNY is excited to support the New York State Literacy Trail, launched by Governor Kathy Hochul.

This initiative encourages early literacy and outdoor exploration by pairing 10 children’s books with 14 NY State Parks. Each book celebrates the joy of reading and the wonder of the natural world—designed for children, families, and providers to enjoy together. QUALITYstarsNY representatives from the Capital District attended the June launch event, hosted by our partners at the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) and the New York State Education Department’s Office of Early Learning (NYSED/OEL).

We asked our Quality Improvement Specialists to visit their local Literacy Trail park and share photos of themselves with the books in nature, as well as share some thoughts about what it means for children and families to enjoy time spent outdoors. Our QI Specialists were able to read and reflect at six of the Literacy Trail locations (plus one bonus State Park!). View the books, our team, and the beautiful scenery of New York State below as we welcome the transition into autumn.

The Parks We Visted and the Books We Read:

  • Sunken Meadow State Park
    Featured Book: Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña

  • Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve and Environmental Education Center
    Featured Book: Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature by Rachel Williams

  • Thatcher State Park
    Featured Book: Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner

  • Watkins Glen State Park
    Featured Book: Fatima’s Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq

  • Green Lakes State Park
    Featured Book: Berry Song by Michaela Goade

  • Marsha P. Johnson State Park
    Featured Book: Curious Garden by Peter Brown

Reflections from QI Specialist Rachel Zeilinski:

Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve is in Cheektowaga, my hometown. While visiting family for Fourth of July weekend, I took the opportunity to “slow down,” as this year’s Literacy Trail book feature, Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature by Rachel Williams, suggested. I explored the trails, looked for wildlife & enjoyed the beautiful flora and fauna found in the preserve. The park is beautiful and offers many benches along the trails to recharge. As you turn the pages, the book features different wildlife and elements of nature. One of the spots had a picturesque pond view where I was able to snap a photo of a large frog. “A Tadpole Becomes a Frog” on pages 34-35 has beautiful illustrations of a frog’s life cycle. From another trail lookout point, I paused to admire the water lilies floating on the pond and took a quiet moment to reflect. The book explains how water lilies grow and support the water’s ecosystem on pages 76-77. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the preserve with this book, and I recommend taking time to slow down and enjoy the beauty nature has to offer.

Inspired by the Literacy Trail, QI Specialist Johanna Torres visited Roberto Clemente State Park in Tremont, Bronx, bringing along the book Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates by Jonah Winter.

The book Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates is an excellent book and an especially appropriate read when at Roberto Clemente State Park! It introduces children to a respected Puerto Rican role model while fostering cultural pride, respect for diversity, empathy, and inclusion. The book focuses on Roberto Clemente’s kindness, perseverance, generosity, and pride in his Puerto Rican heritage, rather than simply his legendary baseball career. 

– Johanna Torres, QI Specialist, NYC