Who could have imagined what 2020 would bring? Last year’s book drive, Holiday Book Drive 2019, was the biggest one yet. My hopes were sky high for the fourth annual Delivery Day.
As I announce Holiday Book Drive 2020, it’s clear our effort will be different this year, due to coronavirus and district-wide e-learning in Chicago Public Schools. Yet, it’s also true that the book drive is needed more than ever. Now is not the time to hesitate or stop working to deliver book joy to young readers.
A classroom delivery from Holiday Book Drive 2019
The schools served by Pastor Michael Neal of Leading with Literacy in Bronzeville, on Chicago’s South Side, share that many of their students are in learning environments that are not ideal for home learning. Internet connectivity for students and teachers alike is an issue. And students in daycares do not have one-to-one support and have very noisy work stations, which causes more difficulty in focusing. I asked Pastor Neal how we can best help his community this year.
Pastor Michael Neal’s Free Little Library in Bronzeville.
What impact has Covid had on your community in 2020?
Covid-19 has in most cases left a feeling of despair and anxiety. Yet it has also allowed a spirit of resilience come to the forefront.
With school visits restricted, are you still able to connect with young readers?
We are not allowed in schools as children are not either. It is our plan to focus on supporting virtually with recorded read alouds.
In what ways can authors and advocates of literacy meaningfully contribute to Holiday Book Drive this year?
The teachers and educators feel even more strongly that the book drive would be good, especially seeing that with children being at home, they are not certain what type of reading material they have access to.
So, this year, the drive goes on! We will deliver books directly to our partner teachers and principals at the schools. Then, parents will schedule a time to drive by and pick up their child’s book. Amen!! There is still a way, and we are running headfirst toward it. Please join us!
We are officially open for donations for Holiday 2020! 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, 2020. On Delivery Day, we will bring your donations to schools all over Bronzeville and in other nearby Chicago neighborhoods to share the gift of literacy. Thank you for your friendship and partnership. Let’s make this a holiday full of JOY!
Below, you’ll find all of the books donated for Holiday Book Drive 2020, so far!
Thank you Pat Zietlow Miller for kicking off the drive with an entire classroom donation of…
THE QUICKEST KID IN CLARKSVILLE
(By Pat Zietlow Miller, Illustrated by Frank Morrison, Chronicle Books)
Thank you Bradley family for your entire classroom donation of…
ONE CRAZY SUMMER
(By Rita Williams-Garcia, Quill Tree Books)
Thank you Robin Newman for an entire classroom donation of your book…
THE CASE OF THE BAD APPLES
(By Robin Newman, Illustrated by Deborah Zemke, Creston Books)
Thank you Raven Howell for an entire classroom donation of your book…
CHUCKLES AND SMILES: Children’s Poems
(By Raven Howell, Illustrated by Jordan Wray, Warren Publishing)
Thank you Lauren H. Kerstein and Two Lions for an entire classroom donation of your book…
ROSIE THE DRAGON AND CHARLIE SAY GOOD NIGHT
(By Lauren H. Kerstein, Illustrated by Nate Wragg, Two Lions)
Thank you Dow and Taylor families for your entire classroom donation of…
THE PARKER INHERITANCE
(By Varian Johnson, Scholastic)
Thank you Schaper and Bateman families for your entire classroom donation of…
The KING OF KINDERGARTEN
(By Derrick Barnes, Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Nancy Paulsen Books)
Thank you Beth Anderson for an entire classroom donation of your book…
LIZZIE DEMANDS A SEAT!: Elizabeth Jennings Fights for Streetcar Rights
(By Beth Anderson, Illustrated by E. B. Lewis, Calkins Creek)
Thank you Moran family for your entire classroom donation of…
HIDDEN FIGURES
(By Margot Lee Shetterly, HarperCollins)
Thank you Mikuta family for your entire classroom donation of…
LAYLA AND THE BOTS: Happy Paws
(By Vicky Fang, Illustrated by Christine Nishiyama, Scholastic)
Thank you Schulte family for your entire classroom donation of…
ZOEY AND SASSAFRAS: Dragons and Marshmallows
(By Asia Citro, Illustrated by Marion Lindsay, The Innovation Press)
Thank you Happel, Ris and Rowe families for your entire classroom donation of…
I GOT THE SCHOOL SPIRIT
(By Connie Schofield-Morrison, Illustrated by Frank Morrison, Bloomsbury Children’s Books)
Thank you Maria Dismondy and Cardinal Rule Press for two entire classroom donations…
EVIE’S FIELD DAY
(By Claire Noland, Illustrated by Alicia Teba, Cardinal Rule Press)
COOKIE & MILK
(By Michele McAvoy, Illustrated by Jessica Gibson, Cardinal Rule Press)
Thank you Baecher, Klaus and Oxie-Twohig families for your entire classroom donation of…
FINDING LANGSTON
(By Lesa Cline-Ransome, Holiday House)
Thank you Laura Renauld and Beaming Books for an entire classroom donation of your book…
PORCUPINE’S PIE
(By Laura Renauld, Illustrated by Jennie Poh, Beaming Books)
Thank you Sarah Aronson for an entire classroom donation of your book…
JUST LIKE RUBE GOLDBERG
(By Sarah Aronson, Illustrated by Robert Neubecker, Beach Lane Books)
Thank you Conway family for your entire classroom donation of…
THE GRUFFALO
(By Julia Donaldson, Illustrated by Axel Scheffler, Puffin Books)
Thank you DiOrio, Osmundsen and Pihl families for your entire classroom donation of…
SHURI: A BLACK PATHER NOVEL
(By Nic Stone, Scholastic)
Thank you Katey Howes for donating 25 of your books…
MAGNOLIA MUDD (Illustrated by Valerio Fabbretti, Sterling Children’s Books)
and BE A MAKER (Illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic, Carolrhoda Books)
Thank you Jodi McKay for donating 20 copies of your book…
PENCIL’S PERFECT PICTURE
(By Jodi McKay, Illustrated by Juliana Motzko, Albert Whitman & Company)
Thank you Poler family for donating 15 copies of the book…
RESTART
(By Gordon Korman, Scholastic Press)
Thank you Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia for donating 12 copies of your book…
BESS THE BARN STANDS STRONG
(By Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia, Illustrated by Katie Hickey, Page Street Kids)
Thank you Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum for donating 10 copies of your book…
BOATS WILL FLOAT
(By Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, Illustrated by Brett Curzon, Sleeping Bear Press)
Thank you Gene Napue for donating 10 copies of your book…
IN MY POD
(By Gene Napue, Illustrated by Nate Mericle, Story Poem Time Books)
Thank you Campbell family for donating 10 copies of…
MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN
(By Jason Reynolds, Scholastic)
Thank you Christy Mihaly for donating eight of your books…
FREE FOR YOU AND ME, Illustrated by Manu Montoya (Albert Whitman & Co.)
HEY, HEY, HAY! , Illustrated by Joe Cepeda (Holiday House) and
The GOVERNING THE UNITED STATES series (Rourke Educational Media)
Thank you Sue Lowell Gallion for donating eight of your books…
OUR WORLD, Illustrated by Lisk Feng (Phaidon),
ALL EXCEPT AXLE, Illustrated by Lisa Manuzak Wiley (Aladdin) and
TIP AND TUCKER: Paw Painters, By Gallion & Ann Ingalls, Illustrated by Andre Ceolin (Sleeping Bear Press)
Thank you Laura Gehl for donating seven of your books…
PEEP AND EGG stories, Illustrated by Joyce Wan, BABY PALEONTOLOGIST, Illustrated by Daniel Wiseman
HAPPY LLAMAKKAH!, Illustrated by Lydia Nichols, MAY SAVES THE DAY, Illustrated by Serena Lombardo
and ONE BIG PAIR OF UNDERWEAR, Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
Thank you Jody Jensen Shaffer for donating six of your books…
EMERGENCY KITTENS!, Illustrated by Dave Mottram (Doubleday Books for Young Readers) and
WHO IS JACKIE CHAN? (Penguin Workshop)
Thank you Katy S. Duffield for donating five of your books…
CROSSINGS, Illustrated by Mike Orodán (Beach Lane Books) and
the GOOD SPORTS series, Illustrated by Karl West (Rourke Educational Media)
Thank you Susan S. Novich for donating five copies of your book…
GUESS WHO IS BEHIND THE DOOR: A Counting Book In Four Languages
(By Susan S. Novich, Schiffer Kids)
Thank you Deb Gruelle for donating four copies of your books…
SLEEPY TIME COLORS and TEN LITTLE NIGHT STARS
(By Deb Gruelle, Illustrated by Gabi Murphy, ZONDERKIDZ)
Thank you Alastair Heim for donating four copies of your book…
IF I HAD YOUR VOTE
(By the Cat and the Hat, with a little help from Alastair Heim, Illustrated by Tom Brannon, Random House)
Thank you Jackie Azúa Kramer for donating three copies of your book…
THE BOY AND THE GORILLA
(By Jackie Azúa Kramer, Illustrated by Cindy Derby, Candlewick)
Thank you Amy Nielander for donating two of your books…
THE LADYBUG RACE (Pomegranate Kids) and
GRAMA’S HUG (Page Street Kids)
Thank you Corey Rosen Schwartz for donating a copy of your book…
MOOTILDA’S BAD MOOD
(By Corey Rosen Schwartz and Kirsti Call, Illustrated by Claudia Ranucci, little bee books)
Thank you Nancy Churnin for donating a copy of your book…
FOR SPACIOUS SKIES
(By Nancy Churnin, Illustrated by Olga Baumert, Albert Whitman)
Thank you Jarm Del Boccio for donating a copy of your book…
THE HEART CHANGER
(By Jarm Del Boccio, Ambassador International)
Thank you Sharon Giltrow for donating a copy of your book…
BEDTIME, DADDY!
(By Sharon Giltrow, Illustrated by Katrin Dreiling, EK Books)
FINAL TOTAL:
728 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!
