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Our Books

Books are the beginning, not the end, of what we do at Books for Keeps. We see books as a bridge. They're a tool to inspire joyful experiences with literacy that children can forever associate with lifelong learning. 

Our Book Philosophy

We see books as a bridge. They’re a tool to inspire joyful experiences around literacy. They connect readers to places outside their immediate world and allow them to see what possibilities may exist for them. We select books with our readers in mind and stick to titles that are new, age-appropriate, and high-interest. 

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When purchasing books for distribution, we use the following guidelines: 

  • We do our best to ensure that our book inventory is closely aligned to student interests and preferences collected via survey each year.

  • We take into consideration the demographics of our service areas and work to make sure the representation of our inventory aligns as closely as possible to the children at our partner schools.
  • We don’t purchase and provide books that are religious in nature.  If we receive these types of books through a donation, they are made available at our community book fair in October.
  • We don’t purchase and provide books with content that would be better learned from a trusted caregiver. If we receive these types of boks through a donation, they are made available at our community book fair in October.

Sample Titles

These photos show just a few of the hundreds of book titles we have offered over the years. We're grateful to the kids, teachers, family members, and librarians who help guide these selections!

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Student-Driven Selections

We often get asked the question: "How do you know which books kids will like?" We ask! Every year, we survey students, families, and school media specialists to inform our book selections. These surveys help us ensure that our book distribution events are filled with high-interest, in-demand titles for every child we serve. 

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Where do our books come from?

All over the place! The vast majority of our books are purchased by our staff from wholesale vendors and other nonprofits throughout the country. Some of our favorites are FirstBook, Book Depot, and Books4School.  We also rely on donations from our community including individuals, school partners, and local businesses. Interested in donating books or hosting a book drive? Learn more here.

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