GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Research shows a connection between childhood poverty, lack of access to reading resources, lower reading proficiency and the ability to prepare for the world beyond school.
That's why we at FOX17 are proud to participate in the Scripps Howard Fund's "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign, serving children in kindergarten through the third grade.
This year kids at Cesar Chavez Elementary School and Kent Hills Elementary School will be able to pick out 4 books for free to add to their personal libraries.
WATCH: Andy Curtis reports from the 2026 "If You Give a Child a Book..." giveaway event
Childhood Literacy and Academic Success
The literacy crisis in the U.S. is a serious concern. According to the 2024 NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress), only 31% of fourth graders in the U.S.
A child not reading at grade level by the end of first grade has an 88% chance of not reading at grade level by the end of fourth grade, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. When students cannot read at the expected level in third grade, the Casey Foundation says they are four times less likely to graduate high school.
Research by Trelease shows that students who read frequently perform better academically and stay in school longer, while those who do not read regularly struggle to improve.
The Impact on Lifetime Achievement
Children of parents with low literacy skills have a 72% chance of struggling with reading themselves, according to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.
Adults with low literacy skills are more likely to be unemployed or underemployed, said ProLiteracy.
The ability to read also plays a role in a person's ability to function in society, as nearly two-thirds of children who cannot read proficiently by fourth grade are likely to end up in jail or on welfare. In addition, more than 60% of all prison inmates are functionally illiterate, according to Begin to Read.
The Correlated Impact of Poverty
Family economics too often factor into a child's access to books. In low-income families, there is only one book for every three children, whereas middle-income families have an average of 13 books per child, per BrookSpring.
Yet, having books at home dramatically impacts education: Children in homes with 100 books have a 90% chance of completing ninth grade, compared to 30% in homes with no books.
The average child growing up in a middle-class family has been exposed to 1,000 to 1,700 hours of one-on-one picture book reading. The average child growing up in a less economically stable family, in contrast, has only been exposed to 25 hours of one-on-one reading, according to experts.
Access to Diverse Reading Materials
Kids are more likely to want to read when they have options. 89% of children say their favorite books are the ones they pick out themselves, according to Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report.
When children can see someone who looks like themselves in books they read, it helps them feel seen, important, and valued.
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