Dover sisters want every kid to have a bedtime story

DOVER, Del. – Zaria Hathorn, 12, and Hailey Willard, 8, two sisters from Dover, can remember their mom, Victoria Willard, reading bedtime stories to them ever since they were little. And now, Zaria and Hailey are making sure every kid has a bedtime story every single night. So, the two log on to Facebook Live every night and read books to their audience.

“We came up with the idea one night when we were just babbling to each other,” Zaria said.

The idea was born just like that – two sisters wanting to spread their love for books. But first they had to convince mom.

“She wasn’t that excited at first because of all the things that can happen on the Internet,” Hailey said.

“Online is brutal sometimes, people are not always nice,” Victoria Willard said.

But after some convincing and some rules, the girls had the green light from mom to open some books and make sure every kid has a bedtime story every single night.

“I know that kids all around the world that don’t get the privilege for their parents to read to them, get a story at night,” Hailey said.

Something that, the sisters say, is bigger than just story telling.

“It’s affecting peoples lives, watching us read, so it’s helping people,” Zaria said.

Bringing together listeners not just from the eastern shore, but from all over the world.

“Some said Georgia, California, too,” Hailey said of viewers commenting their different locations.

So, with books in hand, the girls have one simple message:

“Reading can get you anywhere in life,” Hailey said.

“Because you need reading in life, it’s a big thing,” Zaria added.

So each night you can find Zaria and Hailey in their nook reading to their viewers, because they have no plans for stopping anytime soon.

“We want to raise the literacy statistics so until we get there we’re going to keep going,” Zaria said.