Mother Goose Asks "Why?" was evaluated by Learning Innovations, a division of WestEd, in a report dated November 1, 2001.

376 parents or grandparents were interviewed (in either English or Spanish) between six and 12 months after attending Mother Goose Asks "Why?" programs in their public libraries. This report found that the program had several levels of impact, from encouraging simple shared reading to supporting parents in the areas of intentional book choice, frequent conversation and scientific conversation.

This report found that Mother Goose Asks "Why?":

• encourages book reading: of the 376 parents and grandparents interviewed, 97% report having read several of the books to their children.


• encourages science activities: of the 376 parents and grandparents interviewed, 92% reported having tried science activities with their children.


• supports conversation: of the 376 parents or grandparents interviewed, 58% reported having "frequent" conversations about books, science activities, or both. In an unduplicated count, 33% reported having "frequent" conversations about books, 17% reported they "frequently" engage their children in science activities and have conversations about them, and 8% reported they "frequently" read the books to their children, engage in science activities and have conversations about both the books and the activities.


• supports parents and grandparents in making independent choices to extend their children's learning: of the 376 parents and grandparents interviewed, 42% reported that they independently choose books to share and discuss with their child, intentionally extended science activities, or both. 19% independently choose books to share and discuss with their child, 16% independently extend the Mother Goose Asks Why? science activities and 6% did both.

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