- Benay Hicks
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
For Immediate Release
Book Harvest Contact: Benay Hicks, Chief External Relations Officer
857-225-5039
Book Harvest and NC DPI Celebrate Books on Break Success Across 47 NC Counties
76,000 books provided to nearly 7,000 students to fuel summer reading
North Carolina (September 16, 2025) — Book Harvest, in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s (NC DPI) 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), released the 2025 Summer Reading Engagement Report today. The report highlights the powerful impact of their first statewide collaboration, which brought the Books on Break program to more than 100 program sites in 47 counties.
During the summer of 2025, 6,920 pre-K through 5th grade students received 76,120 brand-new, self-selected books to build their home libraries—sparking joy, promoting book ownership, and maintaining literacy gains during the summer months.
Key Findings
Survey data from 329 parents/caregivers, 197 staff, and 75 site leads showed:
92% of parents said the new books motivated their child to read more during the summer.
80% of parents observed their child reading more often compared to previous summers.
92% of parents believed their child’s reading skills improved over the summer.
99% of parents felt the program supported their child’s learning.
93% of staff reported that Books on Break procedures could easily fit into typical summer program practices.
95% of staff agreed the program was a valuable support for students.
Additional open-ended responses overwhelmingly highlighted student excitement, family engagement, and the value of building home libraries.
"Every child deserves the joy and pride of owning books,” said Rachel Stine, Senior Director of Books on Break. “This partnership with NC DPI’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers shows how powerful book ownership can be — fueling motivation, strengthening family engagement, and helping children keep their literacy skills strong all summer long.”
“This collaboration demonstrates the impact we can achieve when statewide priorities meet community-based solutions,” said Susan Brigman,
Section Chief of 21st CCLC and ELISS in the Office of Federal Programs at NC DPI. “Together, we reached thousands of children with books and created meaningful opportunities for families to support literacy at home.”
Report Files
Executive Summary
Full 2025 Report
About Books on Break
Since 2012, Book Harvest’s Books on Break program has equipped thousands of elementary students with more than 900,000 books to build home libraries and fuel a love of reading. The program is designed to prevent “summer slide” by ensuring children have access to brand-new, high-interest books of their own choosing.
About Book Harvest
Internationally recognized for its work to transform children's literacy, Book Harvest’s mission is to provide books for every child, support for every parent, and literacy for every community. Since 2011, the organization has provided more than 2.8 million books to children and families, ensuring every child grows up with an abundance of books and every parent has the tools to nurture lifelong literacy. Access program language, photos, logos, and more: https://bookharvest.org/media-kit/
About the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) leads the state’s public schools, serving more than 1.5 million students in 115 school districts and 2,500 public schools. NCDPI supports local educators, implements state education policy, and advances academic success for every student. Learn more at dpi.nc.gov.
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