For years, I've been giving books to parents of babies, starting as young as six months of age, when they come for check-ups. The books are part of our national Reach Out and Read program, which helps parents and babies develop the habit of enjoying books together. The research is clear: children who grow up loving books succeed in school and beyond. 

But before babies learn to enjoy books with their eyes and ears, they enjoy them with their mouths. Young children are always chewing on picture books. Baby books are made out of cardboard so they can hold up to chewing. But what about the ink? I've always thought that it was lead-free (I read that it was, somewhere, but I can't recall where). But the recent toy scandal raised new questions.

Looking for answers, I asked my friend Jackie Miller, who knows all about children's books. Jackie worked in the publishing business, and now is in charge of picking books for Reach Out and Read (ROR). Here's what she had to say:

"I checked with production staff from two major publishers, and there is no lead whatsoever in books. The ink is vegetable-based, so children can chew on books until the pages are pulp and say that they had a serving of vegetables.

"The paper is paper, and nasty paper cuts are the greatest danger there. 

"The bindings are glue, stitches, or staples. As the medical professional, you would know better than I the danger of staples, but ROR staff does try to avoid offering staple-bound books in the catalog to people too young to know that staples are not to be put in the mouth.

"The worst one might suffer from an ROR book is having a sibling smack you with the book. And only-children are in no danger of this problem, but one still might need to keep a close eye on cousins or classmates.

"Parents may find themselves driven to the edge of madness if forced to read 'Little Bunny Foo Foo' too often. But since the ROR National Center is promoting reading, it is best we let parents work that particular issue out with their own children." 

In addition to Jackie, I also asked a colleague of mine who is a nurse specializing in lead poisoning. She hasn't gotten back to me yet. 

But if she tells me anything different, I'll be sure to let you know!