Tot Book Club

More Than Just a Story

10 Things You Can Do to Promote Literacy

It's International Literacy Day! Join me in sharing the joy of reading with those around you! As for my tots and me, we are going to build a Little Free Library and find a good place to locate it in our neighborhood. If you want to assist in this endeavor, help us raise the funds!

Do you know that there is a global literacy crisis, and the United States is no exception! Look at these staggering facts:


did you know facts

Choose one of these 10 Ways to Promote Literacy:



  1. Build a Little Free Library in your neighborhood or a nearby neighborhood: Recruit the neighborhood kids to do a building project together and choose a place or a few places to locate a Little Free Library. Access to printed materials is key in encouraging reading.
  2. Read Aloud to your child from the womb until well after she is reading on her own. Pick up The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease for more information about the importance of reading aloud. ENTER THE CONTEST BELOW FOR A FREE COPY! If you can't read aloud yourself, provide audiobooks for your child and follow along with her. Grab a copy of Born Reading for some great interactive reading tips as well.
  3. Volunteer to read books: Teachers barely have time to get everything done in their days. Offer to come read on a regular basis or to organize other reading volunteers. Other places that can use reading volunteers: hospitals, women's shelters, senior homes, boys and girls clubs, daycares, etc… Just ask!
  4. Host a book drive for local nonprofits and charities with me: Using Literacy for a Lifetime, we can get more books into the hands of children in hospitals, women's shelters, foster care, after school programs, etc. Fill out the form below for more information.
  5. Introduce books to children from birth: Though they won't be as engaged as you are used to, babies benefit from being read to by hearing language. When you don't know what to talk about to your infant, grab a book and flood her with language. Consider giving a starter library as your next baby shower gift.
  6. Organize a community book club: Recruit readers on Next-door, choose a book, and get started. Meet weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or even quarterly. Once you have a few interested readers rotate hosting responsibilities.
  7. Spread Awareness About the Literacy Crisis: Search for Literacy Facts Videos, go to Reading is Fundamental, Literate Nation, or the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance. You can even find literacy tips and facts on my Tot Book Club Facebook Page or follow some literacy organizations on Twitter.
  8. Introduce your child's school to reading incentive programs and book fair alternatives: Through Reach for the Stars or Reading is a Gift, we can add to classroom, school, and community libraries. Fill out the form below for more information.
  9. Get a library card: Although access to printed material in the home is very important, because you just can't make it to the library often enough, get a library card, and go. Libraries stock their shelves based on the same rules of economics of supply and demand. If you want your library to have exciting books, check out what they have and put in requests for what you'd like to see.
  10. Join my Team: With Usborne Books & More you can promote literacy by getting more books into the hands of children through literacy workshops, Facebook parties, home parties, book fairs, book drives, booth events, selling to schools and libraries, hosting story times, and so many more different avenues. Fill out the form below for more information.

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