CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — “It's going to be on TV?,” asked Madison Reid.
That is how it all started. An interview with 8-year-old Madison Reid on WKYC about the dedication of a Little Free Library at the PNC Fairfax Connection.
One question became a declaration for reading.
“The world needs books. What the world be like without books?” asked Madison. “They fuel our mind like cars and gas. The cars can't go without gas. Our brains can't go without books. The world needs books. We need books.”
The interview took off on YouTube, racking up 215,000 views. Media outlets like The Washington Post, VOX, and even MSNBC took notice of Madison’s passionate plea.
We even put her to work at WKYC as a summer reading correspondent.
Now the girl who loves books is graduating with honors from Lutheran High School East in Cleveland Heights. PNC Bank recently invited Madison to return to the site where her fame began to celebrate her achievements.
“This is the place that in a series of very fortunate events, I became a spokesperson for reading,” said Madison.
Growing up, she has been spotted by people on the street who wanted to thank the “book girl” for her message. Authors have sent her books, hoping she would take a picture with them.
“I did not plan anything that I said in that video,” Madison added. “It was off the top of my head.”
Yes, she still loves reading. So much so she can’t keep track of the number of books she goes through. There is a room in her house just for books.
“As an 8-year-old, I was just excited to have the opportunity to maybe be on TV, and I'm thankful it was for something positive that was sharing books,” said Madison.
Next, she’s attending the University of Akron and hopes to become a veterinarian. No surprise, Madison is also writing her own book that she describes as a "sci-fi mystery."
