Our Work
Books to Kids was formed to promote and enrich children’s literacy.
We are passionate about connecting kids with the stories that make them feel seen, heard and validated. We connect youth with the creators who will inspire them and show them they can be anything they want to be!
Author Visits
Books to Kids' Author Visit program brings notable authors and illustrators (or creators) to Title I schools in the Denver-metro area. During the author visit, creators present a book talk to students at the hosting school and provides them the opportunity to learn about the creator's life and writing process.
Author visits are a sought after experience by many schools but they come with a significant price. The creators and publishers we work with graciously support our mission by covering speaking and travel fees.
So what does Books to Kids actually do? With the support of our partner bookstore, Second Star to the Right Books, we find schools that are good fits for visiting creators and we commit to purchasing at least 100 copies of the book being presented on. Those books are then signed by the creator and given to students who attend the presentation to keep as their own. Through this program, we are able to support the creators work, provide books to students free of charge, and make it possible for Title I schools to host an author visit.
Students impacted by this program may not otherwise have the opportunity to meet a creator let alone have books of their own at home. The connection children have to new books after meeting and learning about the person behind the text and illustrations brings a special kind of magic to their relationship with reading.
"Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty.
It should be offered as a gift."
- Kate DiCamillo
Children's Festival of Stories
An event first held in 2018, the Children’s Festival of Stories (CFOS) has been a celebration of children's literature bringing together authors and illustrators from across the country. The Festival featured panel discussions with the attending creators, book signings, and story read-alouds for attending children. Attendees were also able to support local and small businesses by visiting the craft and vendor booths. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our sponsors, every child who attended the 2023 Festival received a free book!
Books to Kids is excited to be planning the next CFOS which will be held in 2025.
More information is coming soon!
Lumberg Elementary School
In the summer of 2024, Books to Kids began the process of creating a custom program for one of its partner schools, Lumberg Elementary. A dedicated staff member informed Books to Kids about a district-wide event called Battle of the Books, a literacy-based trivia competition requiring participants to read from a list of 10 selected titles. Due to various barriers, Lumberg students have never been able to participate in this program.
The Books to Kids team decided to address the barriers preventing Lumberg students from participating in Battle of the Books. In partnership with our contact at Lumberg, a fundraising campaign has been implemented to raise money to purchase copies of the 10 selected titles students need access to in order to participate in Battle of the Books. Lumberg and Books to Kids also hosted an Art & Literacy Night at Lumberg in alignment with the fundraising campaign.