Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

What better way to spend a rainy day than with a good book?

Despite the dark, cold drizzle, cars wrapped around the CCPS Central Office Friday afternoon while smiling school employees in festive attire brought armloads of children’s books to toddlers, teens and everyone between who awaited a few page-turners.

The free books were Christmas gifts from the school district to public school children from infants to high school seniors.

Christy Bush, director of pupil personnel and student support services, said the district received the books through an $11,500 Striving Readers grant three years ago from the Kentucky Department of Education for 6,000 books. They have also gotten funding from other sources and have been distributing books for four years. Normally, The Book Bus would go to where the kids live in the summer and give away the books, but there is little that’s normal about this year.

“We thought, they’re not here, but we still want to give our babies books, so let’s ask if they can come to us,” she said.

At that moment, Bush was looking through cardboard boxes for just the right books for a 5-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl.

By 11:30 that morning, she said, they had given away 100 books in two hours, and they had just started handing them out again at 1:30.

“If a child can read, they can do anything,” Bush said. “We just want to promote literacy.”

“Imagination through books inspires thinking and the possibilities are endless,” she later said in an email. “Reading with family members promotes positive interaction and strengthens relationships.

Friday was the first day of the 12 Days of Book Giving, which will continue through Dec. 21. Hours are 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The books are being distributed at Central Office, located at 1600 W. Lexington Ave. across from the entrance to Clark Regional Medical Center. Parents should drive counterclockwise around the building (it’s one-way) and stop at the Book Bus, then remain in their cars, wear their masks, and Santa’s elves will come and ask their children’s ages and interests, then return with books appropriate for the kids.