We gifted books to 2,281 children in 11 elementary schools this year!
The Solution
Books at Home
Children are more likely to improve their reading skills if they choose their own books and have books at home.
However, low-income families often cannot afford to buy books for their children.
The number of books in the home is one of the greatest indicators of a child’s success, both academically and in life.
Research shows that having as few as 20 books in the home has a significant impact on a child’s ability to reach a higher level of education.
Studies show that children who own their own books compared to those who do not:
- enjoy reading more;
- read more books;
- read more frequently;
- read for longer lengths of time;
- have more books in the home;
- read more of every kind of material, not just books;
- are more likely to have received a book as a gift;
- are more likely to have ever visited a library or bookshop;
- have more positive attitudes towards reading;
- find it easier to find books that interest them.
How StoryBook Ottawa Helps
StoryBook Ottawa partners with elementary schools in low-income Ottawa neighbourhoods to give children their very own book.
- We select four different books for each grade in the school which will appeal to either boys, girls, or both. The selections are made with input from the school.
- We create a book selection sheet for each grade. The sheets contain a picture of each book and a place for the child to make their selection.
- We purchase the books from local booksellers.
- Inside each book we placed a sticker for the child to write their name, indicating that “This Book Belongs to…”.
- Each book is placed in a gift bag and the books are distributed by the school.
Many of the books we purchase have won children’s book awards, such as the Caldecott Medal, Newbery Medal, the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, the Prix jeunesse des libraires du Québec, and the Governor General’s Literary Award.
Children always receive a new book that they can keep and treasure.