Four-hour-old baby Jesse Lee Brocks was among Canberra’s newest arrivals to receive a book as part of Rotary’s literacy month celebrations.

The “Books for Babies” initiative aims to encourage parents to read to their children from birth.

“This year we decided babies born in the south-east NSW and ACT districts would receive a copy of the book ‘Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes’ by popular children’s author Mem Fox,” said Rotary representative Ian Sayers.

Mr Sayers was handing out copies of the book at Canberra Hospital on Wednesday.

“I think children learn how to piece a story together from looking at the pictures and putting them together with the words, so it’s really important to start reading to them from an early age,” said Ms Duckett.

“We have read to Jesse’s big brother Alexander every day from birth. He’s nearly three now and he can’t wait to read to his little sister. He knows this book back to front, and it’s great Jesse’s got her very own copy – her very first book,” said Jesse’s dad Jason Brocks.

“Books for Babies” is one of a number of events run around the country to mark Rotary’s literacy month.