A Brief But Spectacular take on connecting through reading

Geoff Bennett:

At the Men's Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles, a new children's library inside the visitors center is giving kids a place to read and learn during the often long waits to see their loved ones.

Tonight, a grandmother and her 10-year-old grandson share their Brief But Spectacular takes on connecting through reading.

Francisco Preciado, 10 Years Old: My name is Francisco. I'm 10 years old. And I am in fourth grade.

Question:

Francisco, tell me who you're sitting next to.

Francisco Preciado:

My grandma.

Question:

What's your favorite thing about your grandmother?

Francisco Preciado:

My favorite thing, she always stay there for me.

Linda Villegas, Grandmother:

Francisco's father is in Men's Central Jail in L.A. He's been there almost three years.

Francisco basically lived in a little town in Mexico by Guadalajara. I brought him here back in July because he wanted to be with his dad. He misses his dad a lot. So I put him in school. The language barrier has been hard on him, but he's trying.

To get into the Men's Central Jail, you have to be on the phone 12:00 midnight Thursday. You have two minutes to try to get an appointment, and if you don't get the appointment, that's it. I wish he could see him more often, but he only sees him like every two, three weeks.

We get there by 10:30 or so, and we go put money in his books, and then they tell you to sit down and wait. When I walked in there one day, I saw this little library, beautiful, and I was like, wow, that's really nice, but I didn't know that the kids were allowed to take books.

Question:

Do you have to wait a lot in the jail?

Francisco Preciado:

Yes, like two or three hours. Every time we go, we take some new books.

Question:

Find your favorite dinosaur there as fast as you can.

Francisco Preciado:

Here.

Question:

OK, you found it pretty fast.

Linda Villegas:

We take advantage because of the fact that he's still having a hard time reading. I read with him and I translate it to him.

Question:

What's the hardest part about the visit?

Linda Villegas:

Seeing your son there. My grandson and my son just hold the glass with their hands. My son tries to put a face like it doesn't bother him, but I know it does.

Question:

What's something that makes you feel proud about Francisco?

Linda Villegas:

The way he is, the smile that he has when he comes out of school, saying, I did this, I did that, and I love you. He always tells me, I love you.

I'm proud of you, papa. I love you.

My name is Linda.

Francisco Preciado:

My name is Francisco.

Linda Villegas:

This is our Brief But Spectacular take...

Francisco Preciado:

... on reading with my grandma.

Geoff Bennett:

And you can watch more Brief But Spectacular videos online at PBS.org/NewsHour/Brief.