Developing literacy skills during childhood is vital for lifelong learning. Kids who are read to early tend to have more advanced vocabulary and math skills by the time they start school. Perhaps more importantly, reading can be a great way to bond with kids and can teach empathy. And it’s just plain fun! However, books are expensive and, for many, inaccessible. These six children’s literacy programs aim to help Nashville’s kids develop a love of reading.
Book’em, founded in 1989, is one of Nashville’s oldest children’s literacy programs and has donated more than a million books to kids. They partner with local schools and other organizations to provide books for classroom and home libraries. Volunteers can read to kids and prepare books for distribution. They accept financial and book donations.
Nashville Book Connection (NBC) partners with local elementary schools to allow students to bring home books of their choice from NBC’s book cart. It also offers curated classroom libraries. I love its focus on diversity and inclusion, and have volunteered with NBC before. You can donate, volunteer, or buy merch.
This nonprofit focuses specifically on East Nashville and works with kids in the Stratford and Maplewood school clusters. It provides literacy instruction programs during the school year and over the summer. You can donate, volunteer, or even attend its Third Annual Bourbon ‘N’ Books fundraiser.
A puppet show from NPL’s Wishing Tree Productions. (Margaret Kingsbury / City Cast Nashville)
The Nashville Public Library (NPL) has numerous early literacy programs, from partnering with MNPS with a shared book catalog to puppet trucks and summer reading initiatives. I cannot say enough good things about NPL’s children’s librarians and its extensive programming. You can donate to the NPL Foundation.
Gov. Phil Bredesen founded the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF) in 2004. Initially, the program partnered with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to bring free books to all Tennessee kids five and under, but since then, it has expanded to support literacy initiatives throughout a child’s life. The program gives free books to kids and partners with the Tennessee State Parks Conservancy to set up storybook trails. Donate here.
Our favorite person — Queen Dolly Parton — started what is now the largest children’s early literacy program in her East Tennessee home, and it has since spread not only across the U.S., but internationally. The Imagination Library gives one book a month to kids under five. My daughter loved getting her books in the mail every month. You can help support the program by donating.
