Books can open a child's world, but in some low-income neighborhoods, kids only have access to books at school. The If You Give A Child A Book campaign helps students in those areas build home libraries to help close the learning gap.
In Lincoln Heights, Ohio, Nicolette Jemison's first-grade students are still learning the reading basics, like identifying letters and practicing writing them. But in a few years, they won't be learning to read — they'll be reading to learn. That critical change happens between the third and fourth grade levels.
"Reading is the key to everything. They can't be successful on the test in science or social studies if they can't read," said Lincoln Heights Elementary School principal Dawn Bailey.
But for Title I schools that serve a high percentage of low-income families, having books at home is a luxury many students can't afford.
Sarah Wartman teaches kindergarten at Lincoln Elementary School in Dayton, Kentucky. She said a lot of her students don't have books at home.
"We don't have a local library in town," she said. "So having that opportunity to get books two or three times a year it just makes a phenomenal difference for our population."
Through the Scripps Howard Fund, a public charity established by our parent company E.W. Scripps, the If You Give a Child a Book campaign brings Scholastic book fairs to about 100 partner schools and lets kids pick out books for free. The goal is for every child to get 10 free books each year.
"You're planting a seed in a child where they can learn about new experiences. They can learn kindness and empathy, and they can travel to magical places. It is an opportunity that just unlocks potential," said Meredith Delaney, president and CEO of the Scripps Howard Fund.
Bailey says the energy on book fair day is easy to spot.
"The excitement of children when the book fair comes is the biggest thing," she said. "I think if you gave me a choice. I went to the car lot, and I could have a choice, and it wasn't based on what I could afford, how amazing, how exciting that would be. And it's kind of like that."
Choice is a key part of the campaign, but school officials try to guide students to books at the right reading level.
"We want to meet them where they are because we certainly don't want them to feel excluded or challenged in a way that would turn them off from reading altogether," said Delaney.
Nationwide, reading scores have decreased every year since the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 31% of fourth graders were reading at or above the proficient level, and 40% were reading below the basic level.
Since 2016, the If You Give A Child A Book campaign has given away over 1.5 million books, and they hope to reach the 2 million mark ahead of next year's 10th anniversary.
Just $12 provides two free books, and every penny donated goes directly toward putting books in the hands of kids. To donate, go to ifyougiveabook.com to chip in.
The Scripps Howard Fund is the philanthropic arm of the E.W. Scripps Company, the parent company of Scripps News.
