Hello, everyone. The U.S. is currently experiencing a literacy crisis, and my daughter, Hayley, and I are sponsoring a children’s book drive to help develop young readers and do something to help solve this crisis.
The statistics are grim: According to one study, 61% of low-income families have no books in their homes for their children. Can you imagine growing up without books? I sure can’t!
And the National Literacy Institute reports that almost 70% of low-income fourth grade students cannot read at a basic level.
Illiterate children become illiterate teens and adults, and that creates huge problems for them and society as a whole. Some more statistics from the National Literacy Institute:
- 20% of Americans read below the level needed to earn a living wage
- 3 out of 4 people on welfare can’t read
- Between 46% and 51% of American adults have an income well below the poverty level because of their inability to read
- 85% of juvenile offenders have problems reading (Is illiteracy the true school-to-prison pipeline?)
- 3 out of 5 people in American prisons can’t read
Our book drive focuses on kids 5-years-old and younger, and benefits Reach Out and Read Kansas City. This organization has been around for 25 years and has distributed 1.3 million books to low-income families. Its 37 health care clinic partners in the KC metro region distribute the books during well-child visits – prescribing books is awesome medicine!
Hayley and I have set a goal of collecting 150 children’s books through our Amazon registry, which contains classics like “Moo, Baa, La La La!” and “Goodnight Moon,” as well as bilingual and demographically relevant books. That seems like a very attainable goal because a lot of these children’s books are inexpensive – $25 buys 3-5 books.
If you’d like to donate books to our “A Book for Every Kid” children’s book drive, click this link to our Amazon list.
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
P.S. – It would be splendid if you shared this post on Facebook or with your friends and family!
Here’s a button for the Amazon list (which I couldn’t figure out how to embed earlier in the post, but of which I’m very proud).
Book Thoughts from Bed 
What a terrific project! Did you know I used to work for the National Center of Reach Out and Read (in Boston) and continue to be a supporter for the local Kansas City organization? I’ve always admired their terrific model of working with pediatricians and nurse practitioners to bring books and a love of reading to children living in poverty. Thanks for the opportunity to choose books from your Amazon list – I’m sending some that our 16-month-old twin grandsons are currently enjoying. Good luck on a fabulous activity to help our area’s most vulnerable kids!! – Martha
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Hi Martha! I didn’t know you worked there. You’ve done some great nonprofit work! Thank you for your book donations!
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This is something near and dear to my heart, both as a mom (so many great memories from reading to our children), but also in my work as a home visitor with families of young children! I love it! Have some of our family’s favorites coming your way!
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Hi Molly! Thanks for the book donations! “Goodnight Moon” brings back great memories. ❤
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What a great idea, especially with your daughter! So glad we could be a part of this. Loved reading with our kids. We used to do DEAR Time with them. Drop Everything and Read. We’d all get up on our bed and read. Great memories!
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Hey George! Thank you for the book donations. Wish I’d thought of DEAR time!
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Hi Michelle,
Going to get online late with my husband, Alan Schuler, and get some books added to this great project of yours and Hayley’s.
Our Amazon account is in his name and I can’t remember his PW right now. Thanks for doing this.
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Thank you!!
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