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Every DPS kindergartner to receive 10 new books as Book Harvest expands program

Ten new books, chosen by each child and theirs to keep. Book Harvest’s Books for K is expanding to every DPS kindergartner this October.

Wes Platt

Wes Platt

— 4 min read
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Every DPS kindergartner to receive 10 new books as Book Harvest expands program
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Every Durham Public Schools kindergartner will get to choose 10 new books to take home this October as Book Harvest expands its Books for K program to all 32 of the district’s elementary schools.

It’s the first time the program will reach every kindergartner in DPS. Book Harvest expects about 2,300 students to receive more than 23,000 books through the partnership, according to a news release.

The first event is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 5, at Glenn Elementary School. Events at other elementary schools will continue throughout the month.

Students will select their books from a range of titles, including bilingual English-Spanish options. The books are theirs to keep and share with their families.

Each book includes a QR code linking parents and caregivers to reading tips, with the goal of helping families establish regular reading time at home.

“Books for K welcomes every kindergartner to school with a book ownership celebration,” said Ginger Young, Book Harvest’s founder and CEO, in the release. “Each child selects 10 new books to take home to build their own home library, while parents receive literacy resources to support reading at home.”

Book Harvest will provide the books, bags, event supplies, family resources, and staff training. Designated staff members will lead the events at their schools.

The expansion comes as research points to benefits from giving families access to books and support for reading together.

A 2020 review of 44 studies, published in the journal Review of Educational Research, found that participation in book giveaway programs was associated with more reading at home, greater interest in reading among children, and modest gains in early literacy skills. The review examined three programs: Bookstart, Reach Out and Read, and the late Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that families read together beginning at birth and continuing through at least kindergarten. The organization says shared reading helps support language and literacy development, strengthens relationships between children and caregivers, and contributes to school readiness.

“Providing books to kindergarten students and their families can have a meaningful impact on early literacy skills, family engagement, and school readiness,” DPS Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis said in the release. “Having their own books makes reading even more enjoyable.”

The Barnes Family Foundation and other community partners are supporting the Durham program, according to Book Harvest.

More information about the program is available on Book Harvest’s Books for K page.

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