A New Beginning for Books for K in Durham
On October 5th, Glenn Elementary School was filled with something every new school year deserves: new beginnings, new stories, and plenty of joy.
Book Harvest and Durham Public Schools kicked off a historic month for Books for K, marking the first time the program will reach every kindergartner across all 32 DPS elementary schools.
Throughout October, approximately 2,300 kindergartners will each have the opportunity to choose 10 brand-new books to take home and keep forever. By the end of the month, more than 23,000 books will have made their way into children’s home libraries across Durham.
Starting School with Stories of Their Own
Books for K is designed as a celebration of book ownership. Students get to explore a wide variety of high-interest titles, including bilingual English and Spanish books, and select 10 that they are excited to bring home.
At Glenn Elementary, that excitement was easy to see!
Laughter filled the room during a read-aloud with DPS Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis. Students browsed the books, compared their finds, filled their Book Harvest bags, and proudly showed off their selections. Crowns topped off the celebration!
The kickoff also took place in Glenn Elementary’s beautiful new library, making the day a celebration of both the start of Books for K and the joyful spaces where reading can grow.
As Book Harvest Founder and CEO Ginger Young shared:
“Books for K welcomes every kindergartner to school with a book ownership celebration. Each child selects 10 new books to take home to build their own home library, while parents receive literacy resources to support reading at home.”
For students, those 10 books are the beginning of something bigger. They are books to read at bedtime, revisit on the weekend, share with siblings and caregivers, and return to again and again.
A Districtwide Celebration of Reading
This October marks the first year the program has reached every kindergartner in the district.
Each book also includes a QR code connecting parents and caregivers with reading tips, helping families continue the joy of the celebration at home and build shared reading routines together.
That partnership represents another important beginning. The districtwide launch marks the start of a three-year collaboration focused on making book ownership a shared part of the kindergarten experience across Durham.
As Ginger explained, reaching every kindergartner helps “normalize book ownership at the moment that students start their school journey and creates a shared and joyful culture of literacy and excitement about reading.”
The Joy Is the Point
There was plenty to celebrate at Glenn Elementary, from the new library and colorful crowns to stacks and stacks of books. But some of the most memorable moments were also the simplest.
Children laughing during a story.
A student spotting a book they could not wait to take home.
Friends showing each other what they chose.
Ten new books tucked into a bag, planting the seeds for a beautiful home library.
Those moments capture what Books for K is all about.
At Book Harvest, we believe every child should grow up with an abundant home library of books they own. Books for K helps make that vision tangible at an important moment in a child’s life. As students begin kindergarten, they are also beginning to see themselves as readers, book owners, and people whose choices and interests belong on their own bookshelves.
Books for K in Durham Public Schools is made possible with generous support from the
Barnes Family Foundation and other community partners. We are grateful to Durham Public Schools, school staff, families, funders, and everyone helping make this districtwide celebration of reading possible!
