Blog, Press, and News!

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Andy Kim (D-NJ) introduced the Open Books, Open Doors Act to tackle book deserts, and break down barriers to the opportunity and promise of reading for millions of children in the United States. This comprehensive legislation would work to expand equitable access to books in every corner of the country, and close literacy gaps – so every child is positioned for long-term success in school, the workforce, and life.

Events and storytimes offer a special opportunity to connect with our community, bring new families into the space, and infuse reading with a sense of joy and celebration. But most importantly, Book Harvest storytimes don’t end on the last page; they extend into the home. Every attending family and child gets to keep a copy of the featured story to read again and again, building their home libraries with meaningful and memorable titles.

On March 26th, Book Harvest was honored to receive the 2026 James B. Hunt, Jr. Celebrate Literacy Award from the North Carolina Reading Association (NCRA). The award recognizes local North Carolina reading councils, organizations, or individuals for service in promoting literacy among children and adults and in developing reading and writing communities.

We are thrilled to share that Book Harvest is endorsing the Open Books, Open Doors Act, introduced yesterday by Senator Andy Kim (NJ) who believes, as we do, that every child deserves a home library brimming with opportunity and possibility.

One year ago, we highlighted our Books in a Box program in the blog post 200 Kids and Counting: Help Us Reach More Families! Today, we are excited to report that in the following year, between February 2025 and January 2026, the program has served 195 more children and 135 incarcerated parents across North Carolina—and we are just getting started.

Book Harvest's Books in a Box program can't close the physical distance between an incarcerated parent and their child. But it can build something across that distance—a shared story, a nightly ritual, a reason to call and connect. This is something I've believed since we launched the program in 2023, which delivers a home library of 20 new books directly to children who are experiencing the incarceration of a parent.

Each year, beginning on the last Sunday in February, Black Children’s Book Week inspires bookstores, libraries, literacy organizations, and readers of all ages to amplify children’s stories with Black representation. At Book Harvest, celebrating Black Children’s Book Week comes second-nature; every day, we witness firsthand how books provide windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors for young readers .

Seven Years of Book Drives: The Birthday Tradition That Keeps on Giving Hendrix and his family have done it again! If you’ve been a part of the Book Harvest community for a while, you’re probably familiar with Hendrix’s annual birthday book drive: every year since his first birthday, Hendrix and his family have run a community book drive for Dream Big. That first book drive was in 2020, making this year their seventh annual book drive ! Hendrix also turned seven this year,

Book Harvest’s Books for K Expands to Houston: A Partnership Empowering Parents and Young Readers Book Harvest’s Books for K program has landed in Houston, Texas! This past November, 50 children at Blackshear Elementary each chose 10 brand new books to take home and keep forever, helping them transition through winter break and into the second half of their Kindergarten year. What is Books for K? Book Harvest’s Books for K program welcomes kindergarten students to school with