I'm celebrating the publication of Book! by donating copies to local literacy organizations as well as donating proceeds from book sales on this site to First Book and Reading is Fundamental. In these small ways, I hope to honor the work that is being done to foster a love of reading and to bring books into the lives of children across the country. 

     Last year, during a school visit, I met a child during a school visit who doesn't own a single book.  Her family owns a television and a few videos, but no books. Sarah, the toddler who inspired Book!, is lucky. She has parents who will read to her and enrich her life with books. I'm certain the little book that enchanted her that afternoon will be just one of many books Sarah will own and love.

     Other children are not as fortunate. I've been reading about literacy in this country and the statistics are certainly discouraging. Yet, the good news is that there are organizations and individuals who are tackling this issue in innovative ways.  Here are some of the organizations and individuals I've discovered who are making a difference:

Literacy Honor Roll
 

Books to Inspire a Love of Reading

Great Books for Babies and Toddlers: More Than 500 Recommended Books for Your Child's First Three Years by Kathleen Odean

Great Books for Boys: More than 600 Books for Boys 2 to 14  by Kathleen Odean

Great Books for Girls: More than 600 Books to Inspire Today's Girls and Tomorrow's Women by Kathleen Odean

Great Books About Things Kids Love: More than 750 Recommended Books for Children 3 to 14 by Kathleen Odean

How to Get Your Child to Love Reading: For Ravenous and Reluctant Readers Alike by Esmé Raji Codell

Raising a Reader: A Mother's Tale of Desperation and Delight by Jennie Nash (See article about Jennie's book in USA Today!)

The Read Aloud Handbook 5th Edition by Jim Trelease

Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever by Mem Fox
 

Organizations

The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy  seeks to establish literacy as a value in every family in America.

Beginning with Books supports over 200 organizations in literacy efforts.

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress was established to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and libraries. 

First Book is a national nonprofit organization with a single mission: to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. 

The National Center for Family Literacy is a nonprofit organization supporting family literacy projects across the United States.

Reading is Fundamental is a national nonprofit organization that develops and delivers children's and family literacy programs that help prepare young children for reading. Learn about their programs and make a donation online.

Read Aloud West Virginia is under the umbrella of the Education Alliance and puts trained volunteer readers in schools across the state. (Click on "Read Aloud")

Reading Checkup Guide by the American Academy of Pediatrics has a "reading checkup" for parents and caregivers addressing the different developmental stages of children.

Guys Read was masterminded by author Jon Scieszka, the creator of The Stinky Cheese Man and The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.  Jon is rolling up his sleeves to encourage boys to read and he's making reading cool.