Think back to your childhood home and the bookcase you happily ran over to when it was time to read a book. How many different books did you have to choose from? How many of your family memories, creative ideas, and biggest dreams stemmed from reading?

Recent studies show that in high poverty areas, an average of 1 book is owned for every 300 children. To close the tremendous achievement gap our country faces and set our students up for success in education, we must change this number.

The 40 Book Project (facebook.com/the40bookproject) began in Charlotte with a goal of bringing the joy of reading to as many Title I students as possible in the form of a 40+ book high-interest home library. The thought is, if our students have books they love at home from a young age, they will love to read while becoming curious, building critical thinking skills, and spending valuable time with family members. The short term results have been amazing. Using interest surveys and by hand-picking the best books out there today, amazing home-libraries are put together to match a selected student. The students who have receive their very own library come in to school so happy and eager to discuss all of the books they are reading at home! They LOVE their books and want to get their hands on any reading material they can!

This campaign will continue to build awareness for The 40 Book Project while funding 50 brand new home libraries for resilient, incredible elementary school students. Each one of those 50 libraries will change a life. Forever.

$4 puts one book in a student's library, so spread the word. These 50 libraries are just the beginning... continue to follow 40 Books on Facebook and Edbacker after the project is fully funded as we work to bring a love of reading to students all over the country!