Belonging, Beginnings, and Books: The Launch of Books for K

“Do you have any books about goats?” a kindergartener asked me. I guided him to a table featuring a book about animal homes. Success! He eagerly grabbed it and slipped it into his bag to take home.

This simple moment captures the heart of Books for K at Scranton Elementary STEAM Academy in Scranton, South Carolina. On a bright late-summer day, I visited the school to witness the launch of Book Harvest’s new program designed to welcome kindergarteners with the chance to build their own home libraries—choosing ten brand-new books that reflect their interests and the kindergarten curriculum.

The classroom was alive with color and excitement—tables covered with beloved characters like Pete the Cat, Elephant and Piggie, and Wild Kratts, alongside books about letters, numbers, animal lifecycles, and classroom routines. Plants, stuffed animals, and cut-out picture book characters made the space inviting and festive.

Books for K celebrates the beginning of kindergarten by fostering a sense of belonging, empowering children with books they select themselves, and encouraging family reading routines that build strong foundational literacy skills. A particularly touching part of the event was pairing 6th graders with kindergarteners—older students helped their younger peers count, carry their book bags, and explore the tables together. These heartwarming connections between the oldest and youngest students captured the spirit of community the program aims to nurture.

Why Focus on Kindergarten?

Kindergarten is a pivotal milestone for young children and their families—a time when new routines take root. One of the most powerful routines for literacy success is shared reading at home. For families who already read together, receiving new books serves as an encouraging reminder to keep going. For families just starting this journey, Books for K offers a joyful and accessible entry point.

This routine truly matters. Research shows that by the end of kindergarten, the entire third-grade reading gap between children in low- and high-income neighborhoods is already present. Addressing this gap begins with ensuring access to books and fostering consistent reading habits at home. In fact, the number of books in a child’s home is a powerful predictor of long-term educational outcomes, with impacts comparable to parental education (Evans et al., 2010).

The Research Behind Books for K

A growing body of research underscores the vital role home libraries and shared reading play in a child’s academic, emotional, and lifelong success:

• Home Libraries and Long-Term Success: Children who grow up with books at home tend to develop higher reading, math, and technology skills (Sikora et al., 2018), greater cognitive function into adulthood (Berns et al., 2013; Weinstein et al., 2021), and literacy skills linked to better physical health and increased longevity later in life (Dewalt, 2005; Bavishi et al., 2017). Yet nearly one-third of American families have fewer than 25 books in their homes (Evans et al., 2010), highlighting the crucial need for initiatives like Books for K.

  
  

• Shared Reading Practices: A 2025 meta-synthesis of parent–child reading research found that access to books, caregiver support, and positive shared reading experiences are key to literacy development. Barriers such as limited resources, time constraints, and parental mental health can hinder engagement. Community-based programs and book giveaways serve as important supports, helping families build meaningful reading routines (Frontiers in Psychology, 2025).

  
  

• Motivation to Read: Research shows that children’s motivation to read often declines with age. Creating positive, choice-driven reading experiences during kindergarten is essential to sustaining long-term engagement with books (Baker & Wigfield, 1999; Gambrell et al., 1996). Programs like Books for K, which emphasize student choice and joyful book selection, play a crucial role in sparking intrinsic motivation at this formative stage.

  
  

• Parental Beliefs and Practices: A 2024 study revealed that parents’ beliefs about literacy—such as valuing letter knowledge or language skills—directly influence how often and how long they read with their children, as well as the number of books at home. Kindergarteners from families emphasizing literacy and with ample books demonstrated higher reading achievement throughout the year.

  
  

• Book Giveaways as Behavioral Nudges: Research on book giveaway programs suggests that providing age-appropriate books can act as a “nudge,” encouraging caregivers to start or strengthen reading routines. When shared reading becomes a positive, rewarding experience, these small interventions can lead to lasting changes in family reading habits.

Looking Ahead

Books for K is more than a book giveaway—it’s a transformative experience that shapes children’s relationship and attitudes with school, literacy, and learning from day one. It builds routines and relationships that support families and communities, advancing equity by ensuring every child has the tools and encouragement to thrive—starting with ten books of their own choosing.

We are deeply grateful to Florence School District 3 and Jasper County School District for their partnership in launching this initiative. Together, and grounded in powerful research, Books for K is poised to make a meaningful impact on kindergarteners and their families in South Carolina and beyond.

For more information about the program, please contact Rachel Stine, Senior Director for Books on Break and Books for K, at rachel@bookharvest.org.