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Rising kindergarteners at Stocks Elementary School in Edgecombe County waited with excitement on the colored carpet as they prepared to choose 10 free books to take home and keep forever.
“How long can you keep these books?” District Preschool Coordinator Renee Johnson asked the eager children. One child shouted, “Forever, forever, forever!”
This joyful opportunity came to students on the last day of Camp Ignite, a six-week, tuition-free summer program for Edgecombe County Public School students in pre-K-to-first grade and fourth-to-fifth grade. The camp offers academic support, engaging enrichment activities, and a safe, nurturing environment to keep learning fun all summer long.
The books were provided to children through a new partnership between the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and Book Harvest, a national children’s literacy nonprofit organization headquartered in Durham.
Together, they brought Book Harvest’s Books on Break program to 6,920 students attending summer programs across 46 counties, including at Camp Ignite. Funding was made possible by DPI’s 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) federally funded grant program.
Books on Break is a research-informed program launched by Book Harvest in 2012 that helps children build home libraries with high-interest books they choose themselves so they can keep reading and growing their literacy skills over the summer.
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The power of student choice
Campers and staff were ready for the grand finale of their summer experience. Tables lined the hallway with dozens of brand new books to choose from, including favorites like “Pete the Cat” and non-fiction books about reptiles. Building on Camp Ignite’s camping theme, stuffed animals peeked out from among the books, and a tent stood nearby to inspire kids on their adventure to find a new favorite book.
“I didn’t realize how important it is for kids to be able to select their own books,” remarked Kendra Johnson, assistant principal at Stocks Elementary. “The books I thought they might be most interested in reading were not the ones they chose.”
While the children selected their books, parents gathered in the school’s media center with Camp Ignite staff to learn about the importance of home libraries and reading routines. Some parents shared the ways they already read together and their excitement about the new books their children would bring home that day.
“Through the Books on Break program, our children experienced the pure joy of choosing 10 books to call their own,” Renee Johnson shared. “But more than books, they took home stories, adventures, and the spark of imagination — strengthening early literacy, bringing families closer through shared reading, and creating a lifetime love for books and reading.”
The role of books at home
District and state leaders also expressed gratitude for Books on Break and increasing children’s access to books at home.
Dr. Michael Myrick, deputy superintendent and chief academic officer of Edgecombe County Public Schools, visited to see the program in action.
“This program is essential for instilling a love of reading in our children. Many are not reading at home — whether due to limited access, lack of awareness, or simply not seeing reading as enjoyable,” he said. “Putting books in their hands, that they select and keep, allows them to discover the joy and power of reading.”
Research shows that when children grow up with books at home, they are more likely to read for pleasure and spend more time reading — key predictors for long-term literacy and academic success. Book provision programs in the summer, especially ones where children select their books and get to keep them at home, have been shown to enhance reading achievement.
21st Century Community Learning Center
The 21st CCLC grant program, administered by DPI, supports high-quality out-of-school learning opportunities for students attending Title 1 schools.
“Through the Books on Break program, students are able to stay engaged with reading over the summer, maintain a connection to school, and return in the fall better prepared to learn,” said Susan Brigman, section chief for the 21st CCLC programs at DPI. “We were thrilled to partner with Book Harvest to offer this enriching opportunity to our 21st CCLC programs. One of the most impactful aspects was that everything — from brand-new books to colorful backpacks — was delivered directly to participating schools and organizations.”
In the past year alone, Books on Break was implemented in summer programs and at the end of the school year, building home libraries for 17,740 students in eight school districts and 51 counties across North Carolina.
Book Harvest provided training, books, and hands-on support to educators and staff implementing the program in their communities.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with NCDPI to provide an opportunity for students attending 21st Century Community Learning Centers to select 10 brand new books to read over the summer and keep forever,” says Rachel Stine, senior director of Books on Break at Book Harvest. “The combination of books and summer programming helps to create the summer that all North Carolina students deserve.”
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