Books Beginning at Birth (B3), our collaborative program with the Texas Association for the Education of Young Children, continues to make a significant impact in the lives of families and children across Texas. Our goal has always been to foster early literacy and create lasting family bonds through reading, and the results of our program demonstrate that we are making meaningful progress. In this post, we’ll highlight our key accomplishments, supported by the most recent data as of September 15, 2024.
Oral Language Proficiency Gains
The data shows that we are seeing impressive gains in children’s oral language proficiency through our program. Baseline scores of 61 have increased by an average of 6 points after just the first book distribution. This represents a doubling of improvement compared to the previous period, where the gain was only 3 points. These gains in language development indicate that children in the program are becoming more prepared to express themselves, communicate more effectively, and build essential early literacy skills.
Reaching More Children than Ever Before
We are proud to report that as of September 2024, Books Beginning at Birth has served 85,386 children—surpassing our original goal by 106.7%. This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our team and partners who have made it possible to expand our reach. Both at-home and partner delivery models have been effective in distributing books to families, with special focus on opportunity zones where the need is greatest. In fact, 77% of the children who have received books through the program live in these opportunity zones, ensuring that we are providing critical resources to underserved communities.
Literacy Content Engagement: Almost a Million Views
Our digital resources are helping parents engage more deeply with their children’s literacy development. To date, the program has reached 929,488 views of literacy content—this includes time spent reading digital books, watching videos that offer reading tips, and engaging with early literacy information through our newsletters. With 84% of our content viewership goal achieved, we are encouraged by the level of interest and engagement from participating families. On average, our bi-weekly newsletters are opened by more than 6,500 registered families, with an impressive 12-minute read time. This shows that parents are actively seeking and using the valuable tips and resources we provide to enhance their children’s reading experiences.
Expanding Our Digital Library for Infants and Toddlers
One of the cornerstones of our Books Beginning at Birth program is the growing digital library, which offers a wealth of bilingual resources for parents and children. The B3 mobile app now features 200 digital books in both English and Spanish, with 24 new titles added just in this reporting period. We have also produced 12 parent tip videos to guide families on how best to read with their children. The bilingual focus of our resources ensures that families from diverse linguistic backgrounds can enjoy quality early literacy experiences.
With 929 active users, families are spending an average of 13.24 minutes per session on the mobile app, a substantial increase compared to the 2.16 minutes per session on our original desktop platform. This sixfold increase in engagement time indicates that families are not only reading more but are also finding our digital resources valuable in fostering literacy at home.
Delivering Books and Building Home Libraries
Physical books remain a critical component of the Books Beginning at Birth program. We continue to provide books directly to families through our at-home delivery service and at community events. These events, which are held in the opportunity zones we prioritize, help ensure that children are building home libraries and have easy access to books from a young age. Parents have shared heartwarming testimonials about the joy that books bring into their homes, with many noting that their children are now babbling, pointing at pictures, and engaging with stories in new ways.
The joy and bonding that comes from shared reading moments between parents and children is one of the most valuable outcomes of the program. We are thrilled to hear stories from parents who report that reading together has brought their family closer and created meaningful routines, such as reading a favorite book every morning or incorporating bilingual storytime to reflect their family’s cultural heritage.
The Power of Multilingual and Culturally Inclusive Resources
Written by Laura de Lange
Designed by Arthur Attwell
Edited by Catherine Deiner with the help of the Book Dash participants in Grahamstown on 12 November 2016.
Books Beginning at Birth is committed to providing resources that reflect the diverse backgrounds of the families we serve. In many homes, bilingual reading has become a way for families to pass on cultural traditions while building literacy skills. One parent shared how she reads in English while her husband reads in Spanish, helping their son learn both languages and connect with both cultures.
Providing books in both English and Spanish has been a priority in the program’s design, and we continue to add more bilingual titles to our growing library. This commitment to inclusivity helps ensure that children develop strong literacy skills while also gaining a deep appreciation for their cultural heritage.
Looking Ahead
As we look to the future of Books Beginning at Birth, we remain focused on expanding our reach and continuing to innovate in how we deliver early literacy resources to families. The program’s achievements so far are a testament to the power of books in transforming lives and building stronger family bonds. With our data showing ongoing gains in language proficiency, increasing engagement with digital resources, and growing participation in opportunity zones, we are well on our way to making a lasting impact on early literacy in Texas.