Babies Need Books: Why Book Ownership from Birth Is Essential for Literacy and Justice

By Mary Mathew and Cheri Coleman

From the moment a child enters the world, their brain is already building the pathways that shape language, curiosity, emotional connection, and future learning. In the first three years of life, babies’ brains form more than one million neural connections every second.

What fuels that growth? Nurturing adults. Responsive interactions. And access to books.

At Book Harvest, we believe literacy is a fundamental right that begins at birth—powered by parents and caregivers, nurtured through shared reading, and made possible when every child has books to call their own. Yet in the United States today, far too many babies begin life without a single book in the home. And the consequences of that inequity echo across childhood.

This is preventable. And it is solvable.

The Right to Literacy Begins at Birth

When we talk about the reading crisis in America, we often focus on third-grade reading scores or debate curriculum choices. But the opportunity gap—and the literacy gap—takes root long before a child enters kindergarten.

Studies continue to show:

• Shared reading from birth improves language development by as early as nine months (Canfield et al., 2020).

  
  

• Reading regularly with infants strengthens parent-child bonds and supports social-emotional, cognitive, and literacy development (Klass, Miller-Fitzwater & High, 2024).

• The number of books in a child’s home is strongly correlated with later academic achievement (Evans et al., 2010).

  
  

• Nearly 40% of U.S. fourth graders have between zero and 25 books at home (NCES, 2022).

• Children growing up in homes with at least 25 books complete an average of two more years of schooling than children without books at home (Evans et al, 2010)

  
  

• Children growing up in low-income households and Black, Latinx, and Indigenous children are far more likely to lack access to books, particularly books that reflect their identities and experiences (Cooperative Children’s Book Center, 2023; Waldfogel & Washbrook, 2011).

  
  

• The American Academy of Pediatrics calls shared reading one of the most powerful positive parenting practices for supporting brain development and attachment (Klass et al., 2024). Rich home literacy environments, including abundant home libraries, shared reading routines, and quality literacy interactions, benefit all children and families.

Books aren’t a luxury. They are an essential tool for nurturing children’s minds and strengthening families.

When Children Lack Books, Inequity Grows

We cannot meaningfully pursue literacy “for all” if we ignore the disparities in book access that begin in the first weeks of life.

Across the country:

• Households with incomes under $50,000 have about half as many books as higher-

  income households (Waldfogel & Washbrook, 2011).

  
  

• Children of color remain vastly underrepresented in children’s literature (Cooperative Children’s Book Center, 2023).

  
  

• Many families leave the hospital with no books at all, despite the fact that the first months of life are the most critical for forming early language pathways.

  
  

• By preschool, many children from homes with few books already show gaps in vocabulary, narrative skills, and language exposure. These gaps widen throughout childhood. By fourth grade, more than two-thirds of U.S. students are not reading proficiently (NCES, 2022).

  
  

• This "book gap" contributes to persistent achievement gaps that emerge before kindergarten and widen over time. Without intervention, these disparities compound, affecting children's academic trajectories, health outcomes, and life opportunities.

This is not a reflection of children’s potential. It is a reflection of their access.

Book Ownership from Birth: A Simple, Powerful Solution

When families have books at home—especially books that reflect their lives, languages, and cultures—they read more often, build stronger routines, and raise children who see themselves as readers. Book provision programs also help to improve the quality of caregiver-child interactions and strengthen parents’ confidence in supporting their child’s learning.

We see this every day at Book Harvest through our early literacy and book ownership programs:

→ Books from Birth ensures every newborn family leaves the hospital with a starter home library of 10 new board books to build shared reading routines and caregiver-child bonds.

→ Book Babies partners with families from birth to five, nurturing strong home literacy environments and supporting parents as their child’s first teacher.

The impact is profound. Research shows that even modest increases in home libraries can dramatically improve children’s academic outcomes across their lifespan (Evans et al., 2010). Other studies show that early reading habits increase school readiness and later reading achievement (Mol & Bus, 2011).

One Book Babies parent shared,

 “...children are the future of our society. …I really believe that when a child grows up with access to books, with a stronger literacy foundation, they are able to build critical thinking skills, and curiosity, and confidence – qualities that I think can shape them and encourage others. …a child with a book in their hand can have a bigger view of the world around them.”

The Path Forward: Literacy and Justice for All

If we want to close the opportunity gap, we cannot wait for school to solve a problem that begins at birth. We must ensure that every baby—everywhere—has books at home and caregivers who feel confident reading with them.

That means:

• Prioritizing book ownership from birth as a core early childhood strategy.

• Supporting shared reading routines as part of family well-being and early development.

• Ensuring representation in children’s books so every child can see themselves reflected.

• Investing in programs that distribute books early, often, and abundantly.

• Recognizing literacy as a fundamental right—one that belongs to children from their very first days.

Ninety-six percent of parents agree that every child needs books at home (Reading Is Fundamental, 2021). They’re right—and the evidence backs them up. Babies need abundant home libraries. Families need support. And communities need to treat early literacy as foundational to children’s futures.

This is an achievable vision. And the time to act is now to ensure these essential resources and opportunities are available to every child.

Whether you are a health care provider, policymaker, educator, philanthropist, caregiver, or community leader, you have a role to play in ensuring book access from birth.

Together, we can build a nation where every baby starts life with an abundant home library, every family feels confident reading together, and every child grows up surrounded by stories, language, and possibility.