Opening New Chapters: New Worlds Reading Brings Free Books and Joy to Young Florida Readers
New Worlds Reading helps Florida children develop strong reading habits by delivering free books and activities to their homes.
The program supports VPK through fifth-grade students in Florida public and charter schools who are not yet reading on grade level. Each month during the school year, enrolled children receive a free book and fun literacy activities by mail.
Since launching in 2021, the program has shipped more than 11 million books to over 470,000 children across Florida.
Here are five ways New Worlds Reading can help children feel confident and excited to read:
- Kids get to choose their new books, keeping them excited about reading!
Each school year, enrolled students receive nine books (available in English, Spanish, Haitian Creole or Braille). Families choose which books they want, including popular series like “The Magic School Bus” and “Clifford the Big Red Dog.” This freedom of choice encourages personal connection and builds excitement about reading.
- Kids grow their home libraries with books they own, increasing accessibility for all kids in the home.
Each book a student receives becomes part of their personal library, which will grow year after year until they graduate fifth grade. These books are theirs to keep, which fosters a stronger sense of ownership and familiarity with reading. Plus, having books at home makes it easier to practice reading outside of the classroom. As students outgrow some books, families tell us they share these books with loved ones, keeping the literacy momentum going!
- Activities help strengthen literacy skills and build reading confidence.
Books come with easy-to-use activities designed by educators for busy caregivers. Our website provides videos that teach strategies for reading at home. Like classroom materials, these are grounded in the science of reading. They help support language and vocabulary development and give families simple tools to support their child’s learning. For many, it becomes a meaningful way to spend time together.
- Free literacy events and workshops meet and support communities where they are.
New Worlds Reading has a dedicated team of engagement specialists who host free literacy events and caregiver workshops across the state, both in-person and online! We host read-alouds, answer questions, teach reading strategies and more. We’ve also partnered with 13 community organizations to help serve more families.
- The UF Lastinger Center’s research partnerships explore new literacy tools for Florida families.
The Center partners with different organizations on research pilot programs that give New Worlds Reading families access to innovative tools. Through the Books & Cooks program with UF IFAS Extension, families can attend 7-week classes that combine literacy and nutrition education while providing free books and groceries. Thousands of kindergarteners through third graders can opt in to get a free Kibeam Wand–a screenless reading device that brings New Worlds Reading books to life with playful games and read-aloud activities. Finally, Lastinger Center and College of Education researchers are building New Worlds Reading AR Expeditions, an augmented reality app for third through fifth graders with interactive reading games to strengthen literacy skills and build vocabulary.
Looking ahead, New Worlds Reading is committed to helping Florida become the most literate state in the nation. It starts with one book, one child and one family at a time.
To learn more or to apply for your child, visit www.newworldsreading.com.
Presented by New Worlds Reading.
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