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Books on Break

Building Home Libraries for Summer Reading

Books on Break is a joyful, exciting way to help students build their home libraries and equip students with high-interest books to help them practice reading all summer long. Books on Break is a core component of Book Harvest's Early Literacy System of Care.

What is Books on Break?

Book Harvest’s Books on Break program partners with school districts and organizations to enable PreK and elementary school students to select ten brand new books to take home and keep forever, right before summer break.

Students choose from a diverse selection of brand new, high-interest titles, including bilingual books in English and Spanish.

Book Harvest's 2024 Books on Break program provided 12,347 students with 101,340 books in 37 public elementary schools and childcare centers. Books on Break ran from May 2 through May 31, 2024.

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Interested in bringing Books on Break to your district, school, or organization?

Submit the interest form below or contact, Rachel Stine, Senior Director of Books on Break, for details and pricing. rachel@bookharvest.org.

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Why Books on Break Matters

• Increasing access to self-selected books for summer reading is an effective strategy for lowering summer reading setback and narrowing the income-based achievement gap among students. [1]

• Programs that encourage home-based reading during the summer have been proven to be effective in stemming summer learning loss. [2]

 

• Successive years of book provision confers benefits equal to or more than those from successive years of summer school at a fraction of the cost. [3]  [4]

I am blown away by the books you all provided! Such beautiful, joyful, and important stories!! I am so excited! The kids are excited too. Every day this week they have asked me, "Is it time for our 10 books yet?!"

Durham Public Schools Media Coordinator

Books on Break Locations

Durham County, NC

Guilford County, NC

Columbus County, NC

Haywood County, NC

Bladen County, NC

Person County, NC

Thank you to our Books on Break funders: Haywood County Schools; Ready for School, Ready for Life; JES Avanti Foundation; and Duke Energy Foundation

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