BookSpring is partnering with Greater Austin Area My Brother’s Keeper (GAAMBK) to address a troubling and persistent problem. Young boys of color are often among the least prepared to enter kindergarten. Kindergarten readiness includes social, emotional, and early literacy skills such as vocabulary, oral expression, and story comprehension. Low-income boys from African-American, Latino, and Native American backgrounds are statistically more likely to be behind on these measures than other groups of children upon entering school. This often means they fall further behind by third grade, and on through the rest of their schooling.

GAAMBK’s Priority: Access to Books

In order to address this problem head on, a group of community literacy advocates have banded together and are reaching out to find parents, caretakers or close relatives of a young boys of color age 5 years or younger. Through a variety of existing programs, we are reaching out to these families to invite them to build up their home library, read aloud to their young boy every day, and help encourage his lifelong love of reading!

Creating a Culture of Readers at Home

Research shows that as few as 20 books in the home helps children have a better chance of success in school and in life (Evans, 2010). We are jump-starting home libraries with gifts of up to 20 FREE BOOKS of the child and families’ choice! Thanks to book drives held by our partners, we have a wide selection of gently used books for babies, toddlers, and young children to choose from, and will also provide tips for how to read aloud to a young child and encourage engagement through follow up activities and discussion.

Please call Mariela Rodriguez, BookSpringGo Director, with questions (512) 472-1791 x 102.

The Greater Austin Area My Brother’s Keeper books are being given out on behalf of:

Austin Independent School District Early Childhood

Bank of America

BookSpring

Catholic Diocese of Austin

Child, Inc

City of Austin

E3 Alliance

Communities in Schools

Literacy First

Little Book of Words

Seton

Texas Book Festival

Travis County

United Way of Greater Austin

University of Texas at Austin [/one_third_last]

Shay Swist was the first parent to stop by our office to select books for her son Dirion. She was grateful for the opportunity to select some free books to build a home library for her youngest.