HarperCollins Donates 600 Books to Our Students

What do Runaway Bunny, Where the Wild Things Are, and The Giving Tree have in common? Sure, these beloved classic children’s books have ushered millions of children into blissful sleep for more than two generations.

But, they’re also among the 600 books that HarperCollins contributed to Literacy Partners families in 2016. The publisher made the donation through our Books of Their Own program, in which we provide a library of at least 10 age- and culturally appropriate books to each of our adult students’ children. Providing our low-income immigrant students with their own collections of children’s books is one of the most important ways in which Literacy Partners helps families adopt the habit of daily reading—–developing children’s love of books and ensuring that they’re well prepared when they begin school.

Donating books to charitable organizations is a long tradition for the publisher. “HarperCollins has been entertaining, educating, and inspiring generations of readers for two centuries, and is committed to ensuring that future generations have access to books,” says Erin Crum, vice president of corporate communications. “We recognize the important role reading plays in a child’s life and are happy to be able to provide support for Literacy Partners’ Books of Their Own program.”

Says Anthony Tassi, Literacy Partners executive director, “HarperCollins appreciates the power of books to transform the educational prospects of low-income New York City children, and we’re so glad this company is now an integral part of Books of Their Own.”