The Bring Me A Book National School Consortium

Since 1997, nonprofit Bring Me A Book has been bringing the joy and transformational power of books and reading to children in under-resourced communities. We believe that literacy is a civil right that begins with defining oneself as a reader and choosing books that help strengthen identity—culture, languages, values, and developing knowledge of the world—while also planting the seeds of civic engagement.

“When students possess the skills necessary to access, select, use, and effectively evaluate their reading materials, their ability to become engaged members of their communities and productive citizens is enhanced.”
(2019 NCTE Position Statement on Classroom Libraries)

BMAB has developed an replicable, sustainable model—equity-through-choice-and- collaboration—that engages children, families, educators, librarians, and the community. Informed by the research of Stephen Krashen (2021) and Keith Lance and Debra Kachel (2021), our model aims to accomplish the following:

EQUITY THROUGH CHOICE AND COLLABORATION: HOW IT WORKS

• Promote reader agency, identity, and choice —and a sustainable, lifelong reading habit for all
• Create culturally responsive book abundance from home to classroom to school — including outreach to the public library
• Foster equity through collaboration—when classroom teachers, families, and school and public librarians work together, students benefit in multiple ways

Our goal is to grow confident and capable readers on their way to developing a lifelong, sustainable reading habit, using the community resources of the school and public libraries. In this way, children learn to craft their own joyful reading plans in ways that enhance their lives— personally and academically— benefitting their families and the community beyond.

Our participating schools and literacy champions include:

BRING ME A BOOK NATIONAL SCHOOL CONSORTIUM
EQUITY IN ACTION: CHOICE AND COLLABORATION

East Palo Alto, CA.
Principal: Jeremy Akiyama

Literacy Champion: Brooke Kuhn

Conway, NH

Literacy Champion: Penny Kitle

Bronx, NY
Principal: James Bellon

Literacy Champion: Izzie Tauheed

El Nido, CA.
Principal: Lori Gonzalez

Literacy Champion: Sharon Zinke

El Cajon, CA.
Principal Ariana Gonzalez and Mrs. Vasquez

Literacy Champion: Maria Nichols 

Chicago, IL
Principal: Aisha K. McCarthy

Literacy Champion: Nawal Qarooni Casiano

Dublin, OH.
Principal: Susann Wittig

Literacy Champions: Lynsey Burkins and Franki Sibberson

Chicago, IL.
Principal: Jessica Johnson

Literacy Champion: Nawal Qarooni Casiano

Wyandanch, Long Island, NY
Asst Supt of Curriculum and Instruction: Shamika Simpson Principal: Mrs. Valena Welch-Woodley Assistant Principal: Mr. Darryl Tue

Literacy Champion: JoEllen McCarthy

Principal and Literacy Champion: Matt Renwick

School Librarian and Literacy Champion: Mikki Uppena

Cleveland, OH.
Principal: Ariel A. Hayes
Paradise, CA.
Principal: Ed Gregorio

Literacy Champion: Lori Oczkus

Washington, DC

Literacy Champion: Jill Schechter

Bronx, NY
Principal: Danielle Derrig

Literacy Champion: Dr. Cecilia Espinosa

Columbus, OH.
With Future Reading

Literacy Champion: Franki Sibberson

Co-principals: Kyndal Easter and Liv Thomas

Literacy Champion: Vida Amanat

San Bernardino, CA.
Principal: Sarah McCain
Principal: Larry LaPrise
Associate Superintendent, High Academic Standards for Students Dept of Education Literacy Champion:  Sandra Figueroa

Literacy Champion Dr. Felicia Durden