I’m thrilled to be teaming up again with Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy, a non-profit on Chicago’s South Side, for the 3rd Annual Holiday Book Drive. Here we are, making final arrangements for the 2019 event. Me in my dining room. Pastor Neal lakeside in lovely Washington Park.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of authors, publishers, family and friends, the Holiday Book Drive has connected hundreds and hundreds of young scholars with nearly one thousand new books. Click the links below to see the impact of our past two holiday seasons:
Delivery Day 2017 here
Delivery Day 2018 here
We are officially open for donations for Holiday 2019! Woohoo! Want to get involved? Here’s how you can be part of this year’s effort!
Books, Please! We are excited to receive any book written for children. We do ask that the books are new, not used. Picture books, early readers, chapter books, middle grade and young adult titles - all welcome, and very appreciated!
The Magic Number: Any single book donation is celebrated. But if you have the ability to join forces with a friend (or friends) and donate 30 copies of the same book, you’ll be able to give an entire classroom the SAME book, which is a truly amazing gift.
Pssst! Authors… If you think your publisher might be able to provide a complete classroom donation of 30 books, please let me know!
Book-Skype Combo: Also, authors! If you’d like to donate a copy/copies of your book to a class, and offer a free Skype alongside it, that would be terrific! I’d be happy to help make those arrangements.
Shouting It Out! I celebrate all book donations as I receive them, on social media and on my website, too. Sharing these special deliveries is one of my favorite things to do!
Special Collections: If you are planning a local giving initiative this holiday season, consider asking friends and family to donate a book for a Bronzeville scholar. If you’re interested in organizing something like this, let me know and we can chat logistics.
Title Ideas: I’m happy to share book recommendations at any time, if you’re not sure which book or books to give. (Diverse books are always greatly appreciated by Leading with Literacy.)
Or… If You’d Rather: Financial donations are most welcome, too. Whatever works best for you!
Follow Along: Want to know what’s going on with the drive? Visit Twitter and search the hashtag #HolidayBookDriveChi for the latest!
Donations will be accepted through Dec. 1, 2019. On Delivery Day (Dec. 12), we’ll visit classrooms all over Bronzeville and in other nearby Chicago neighborhoods to share the gift of literacy!
Here, you’ll find photos of the donated books and an up-to-date total!
I kicked things off with my donation of a signed copy of…
ONE PLASTIC BAG
(By Miranda Paul, Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, Millbrook Press)
Thank you Bradley Family for your full classroom donation of…
BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE
(By Kate DiCamillo, Candlewick Press)
Thank you Moran Family for your full classroom donation of…
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
(By Katherine Applegate, HARPER)
Thank you to the Baechler, Hulsen, Klaus and Twohig families for their full classroom donation of…
GHOST
(By Jason Reynolds, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books)
Thank you to the Arturi, Dow and Happel families for their full classroom donation of…
HI! FLY GUY
(By Tedd Arnold, Scholastic)
Thank you Doug Cenko for a complete classroom donation of your book…
MY MAMA IS A MECHANIC
(By Doug Cenko, Blue Manatee Press)
Thank you Wendy Greenley for a complete classroom donation of your book…
LOLA SHAPES THE SKY
(By Wendy Greenley, Illustrated by Paolo Domeniconi, Creative Editions)
Thank you Katey Howes for a complete classroom donation of your book…
BE A MAKER
(By Katey Howes, Illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic, Carolrhoda Books)
Thank you Moran Family for your full classroom donation of…
THIS IS ME
(By Jaime Lee Curtis, Illustrated by Laura Cornell, Workman Publishing)
Thank you Jody Jensen Shaffer and Beach Lane Books for your full classroom donation of…
IT’S A FIELD TRIP, BUSY BUS!
(By Jody Jensen Shaffer, Illustrated by Claire Messer, Beach Lane Books)
Thank you Pat Zietlow Miller for your full classroom donation of…
LORETTA’S GIFT
(By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Alea Marley, Little Bee Books)
Thank you to The Schulte Family for your full classroom donation of…
I AM ENOUGH
(By Grace Byers, Illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo, Balzer + Bray)
Thank you Bea Birdsong and Roaring Brook Press for your full classroom donation of…
I WILL BE FIERCE!
(By Bea Birdsong, Illustrated by Nidhi Chanani, Roaring Brook Press)
Thank you Schrero Family for your full classroom donation of…
JADA JONES: ROCKSTAR
(By Kelly Starling Lyons, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton, Penguin Workshop)
Thank you Geneva friends for your donation of 51 books to the book drive…
including the titles below, and many, many more!
Thank you Raven Howell for the donation of 37 of your books,
including a full classroom donation of…
GREETINGS! (By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Ann Pilicer, Michelkin Publishing), and
GLIMMER: SONG OF SUN! (By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Carina Povarchik, Spork)
Thank you Ariel Bernstein for the donation of 28 of your books, including…
WARREN & DRAGON: VOLCANO DELUXE and SCARY SLEEPOVER
(By Ariel Bernstein, Illustrated by Mike Malbrough, Viking), as well as
WHERE IS MY BALLOON? (By Ariel Bernstein, Illustrated by Scott Magoon, A Paula Wiseman Book)
Thank you Kelsey Skea and Two Lions for the donation of 18 of your books, including…
SANTA’S STORY (By Will Hillenbrand), THIS BOOK IS GRAY and DON’T FORGET DEXTER! (By Lindsay Ward),
IT’S NOT HANSEL AND GRETEL (By Josh Funk, Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor),
JUNIPER KAI: SUPER SPY (By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis), and
PIPPA’S NIGHT PARADE (By Lisa Robinson, Illustrated by Lucy Fleming)
Thank you Katy Duffield for the donation of sixteen of your books, including…
The REMY & RUBY’S RESCUE RANCH series, EMERGENCY VEHICLES, DESENTIERRO DINOSAURS!,
DOZER BUILDS A HILL, PETS AROUND THE WORLD, QUE COMEMOS, AYUDANTES DEL BARRIO,
and COUCH POTATO (Rourke), as well as
FARMER McPEEPERS (Rising Moon), ALIENS GET THE SNIFFLES TOO! (Candlewick),
and LOUD LULA (Two Lions)
Thank you Lauren Kerstein and Two Lions for the donation of 10 copies of your book…
ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE MAKE WAVES
(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nate Wragg, Two Lions)
Thank you Richard Ho and Roaring Brook Press for the donation of eight copies of your book…
RED ROVER: CURIOSITY ON MARS
(By Richard Ho, Illustrated by Katherine Roy, Roaring Brook Press)
Thank you Denise Shimabukuro for the donation of six of your books, including…
FROZEN II: ANNA, ELSA, AND THE SECRET RIVER
(By Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, Illustrated by Denise Shimabukuro and
Maria Elena Naggi, Disney Press), and FROZEN II: READ-ALONG
Thank you Patricia Toht for the donation of five copies of your book…
DRESS LIKE A GIRL
(By Patricia Toht, Illustrated by Lorian Tu-Dean, Harper)
Thank you Nancy Viau for the donation of five copies of your book…
CITY STREET BEAT
(By Nancy Viau, Illustrated by Barbara Bakos, Albert Whitman)
Thank you Jenna Grodzicki for the donation of five copies of your book…
I SEE SEA FOOD
(By Jenna Grodzicki, Millbrook Press)
Thank you Laura Renauld for the donation of your book…
PORCUPINE’S PIE
(By Laura Renauld, Illustrated by Jennie Poh, Beaming Books)
as well as THE WONDER THAT IS YOU (By Glenys Nellist, Illustrated by Aurelie Blanz),
I LOVE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (By Tammi Salzano, Illustrated by Ada Grey),
SPARKY! (By Jenny Offill and Chris Appelhans), and DRAGONBREATH (By Ursula Vernon)
Thank you Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum for the donation of four copies of your book…
FROZEN II: ANNA, ELSA, AND THE SECRET RIVER
(By Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, Illustrated by Denise Shimabukuro and
Maria Elena Naggi, Disney Press)
Thank you Natalee Creech for the donation of four of your books…
WHEN DAY IS DONE
(By Natalee Creech, Illustrated by Robert Dunn, Beaming Books) and
NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD’S LOVE!
(By Natalee Creech, Illustrated by Joseph Cowman, Worthy Kids)
Thank you Lauren Eldridge for the donation of four copies of your book…
SLEEP TRAIN
(By Jonathan London, Illustrated by Lauren Eldridge, Viking)
Thank you Cathy Ballou Mealey for the donation of your book…
WHEN A TREE GROWS
(By Cathy Ballou Mealey, Illustrated by Kasia Nowowiejska, Sterling Children’s Books)
as well as BIRDS (By Carme Lemniscates) and
DO YOU BELIEVE IN UNICORNS? (By Bethanie Deeney Murguia)
Thank you Melissa Stoller for the donation of your books…
READY, SET, GORILLA!
(By Melissa Stoller, Illustrated by Sandy Steen Bartholomew, Clear Fork Publishing)
RETURN TO CONEY ISLAND
(By Melissa Stoller, Illustrated by Callie Metler-Smith, Clear Fork Publishing)
SCARLET’S MAGIC PAINTBRUSH
(By Melissa Stoller, Illustrated by Sandie Sonke, Clear Fork Publishing)
Thank you Jackie Azua Kramer for the donation of your books…
IF YOU WANT TO FALL ASLEEP
(By Jackie Azua Kramer, Illustrated by Lisa Brandenburg, Clavis)
THAT’S FOR BABIES
(By Jackie Azua Kramer, Illustrated by Lisa Brandenburg, Clavis Publishing)
THE GREEN UMBRELLA
(By Jackie Azua Kramer, Illustrated by Maral Sassouni, NorthSouth Books)
Thank you Shannon Bramer for the donation of three copies of your book…
CLIMBING SHADOWS
(By Shannon Bramer, Illustrated by Cindy Derby, Groundwood Books)
Thank you Laura Gehl for the donation of your books…
PEEP AND EGG: I’M NOT TAKING A BATH
(By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Joyce Wan, Farrar Straus Giroux)
and
JUNIPER KAI: SUPER SPY
(By Laura Gehl, Illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis, Two Lions)
Thank you Jarrett Lerner for the donation of your books…
ENGINERDS
and
REVENGE OF THE ENGINERDS
(By Jarrett Lerner, Aladdin)
Thank you Ruth Spiro for donating two of your books…
BABY LOVES THE FIVES SENSES: SIGHT! and HEARING!
(By Ruth Spiro, Illustrated by Irene Chan, Charlesbridge)
Thank you Jacob Grant for donating two copies of your book…
BEAR OUT THERE
(By Jacob Grant, Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Thank you Michelle Schaub for the donation of your books…
FRESH-PICKED POETRY: A DAY AT THE FARMER’S MARKET
(By Michelle Schaub, Illustrated by Amy Hungtinton, Charlesbridge), and
FINDING TREASURE: A COLLECTION OF COLLECTIONS
(By Michelle Schaub, Illustrated by Carmen Saldana, Charlesbridge)
Thank you Mike Ciccotello for donating three art prints and a copy of your book…
TWINS
(By Mike Ciccotello, Farrar Straus Giroux)
Thank you Sarah Aronson for the donation of your book…
JUST LIKE RUBE GOLDBERG: The Incredible True Story of the Man Behind the Machines
(By Sarah Aronson, Illustrated by Robert Neubecker, Beach Lane Books)
Thank you Jodi McKay for the donation of your book…
PENCIL’S PERFECT PICTURE
(By Jodi McKay, Illustrated by Juliana Motzko, Albert Whitman)
Thank you Mia Wenjen for the donation of your book…
SUMO JOE
(By Mia Wenjen, Illustrated by Nat Iwata, Lee & Low Books)
Thank you Susan Romberg for the donation of your book…
THE HOUSE THAT CLEANED ITSELF
(By Laura Dershewitz and Susan Romberg, Illustrated by Meghann Rader, The Innovation Press)
CURRENT TOTAL:
623 BOOKS
THANK YOU for coming along on this journey and being a part of delivering book joy to young scholars! I can’t wait to see what we do together this holiday season!
