MIDWAY CITY, Calif. — Jennifer Nguyễn didn’t just read for the joy of reading.

Instead, she found inspiration in helping others. Motivated by the thought that her reading could earn books and other goodies for patients at Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Jennifer stayed up night after night to read 22,465 pages.

''I read so much so that patients at CHOC could have Jester books and dolls,'' said Jennifer, a fifth-grader at Hayden Elementary School. Her reward was to have the honor of presenting CHOC representative Emma Course with a gift of ''The Jester Has Lost His Jingle'' and The Jester & Pharley Doll to culminate a month-long read-a-thon.

The Jester Read-a-Thon, as it is known, has the goal of providing copies of ''The Jester Has Lost His Jingle'' and the accompanying Jester & Pharley doll to all children coping with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and injuries. The book was written and illustrated by David Saltzman as his senior project at Yale University before his death from Hodgkin’s disease in 1990, just before his 23rd birthday.

Jennifer set an Orange County record with her page total, but she wasn’t alone. ''How many of you participated in the read-a-thon to help CHOC patients?'' Principal Paula Mills asked the 750 students gathered to honor the school’s top readers. Every hand shot up.

Altogether, the students read 428,188 pages in the non-profit Jester & Pharley Phund’s Reading Makes A Difference program, sponsored by John and Paula Klug of Laguna Beach.

''Many of you persevered as you read for hours after school, on the weekends and during your free time,'' Mills told the beaming students assembled on the school blacktop.

''One mom told me that her first-grade son was reading under the covers with a flashlight when he was supposed to be sleeping because he wanted to make sure the children in the hospital got enough books and dolls,''. Mills added.

Joining Mills in presenting special Jester Jingle certificates and Jester & Phar-ley bookmarks and buttons to the school’s top readers were Clark Hampton, Westminster School District assistant superintendent; sponsor Paula Klug; and Barbara Saltzman, executive director of the Jester & Pharley Phund and mother of the author.

Course, CHOC reading program coordinator smiled broadly in accepting the Jester book and doll from Jennifer.

''You have all been so remarkable in showing so much compassion for our patients,'' Course said, applauding the students’ outstanding effort. ''There are many children who will benefit from the 35 Jester books and 35 Jester & Pharley Dolls you are giving to them by having read so much.''

The Klugs’ sponsorship also provided 30 copies of The Jester and 30 copies each of three Jester educational supplements for teachers’ use at Hayden Elementary.

''It is so inspiring to see how much these children have read to help others,'' Klug said.

''Our students learned about their civic responsibility by looking outside of their own little world to the greater need of children less fortunate and tried to help them by reading as many pages as they could,''. Mills added.

In addition to Jennifer Nguyễn, top readers for each grade level were Aidan Smouse, kindergarten; Helen Võ, first grade; Iqra Siddiqui, second grade; Mimi Nguyễn, third grade, and Brandon Nguyễn, fourth grade.

Students also lined up to shower Course with some surprise gifts for her young patients hundreds of get-well cards that they and their classmates spent hours creating.

For more information on The Jester & Pharley Phund, visit its Web site at www.thejester.org